I think you need dark wood for the furniture.

Can you do a gold/butterscotchy color? That might go with the ivory and the red.

Caroline, if you haven't already done so, you might want to ask at the Home Decoration Forum in addition to this one. The more idea the merrier!

Sorry--you'll get none for me. I have a hard enough time with earth tones. :-)

A solid nuetral might work, although I like a pattern in the room - maybe a less busy pattern that has more of the red on the wall?

For the prints, I think I'd paint the frames black and do a tan matt (or use whatever other color you are going to incorporate into the room).

I'm sure you'll get a lot of good ideas here.

My first thought was that the stuff looks old timey. I could "see" a white crocheted half round on the back of the chair and a matching topper on the washstand. I don't like the brown mat either - maybe get a charcoal grey one.
Some tall greenery would be nice in behind the chair (which probably is already gone). Kathy

What is the picture? To me it looks like a crazy upside down bat or some skinny hands but I'm sure I'm seeing things. Please tell.

I like the chair but it seems to beg for warmth, like a carpet or ottoman nearby. Maybe a small pillow or soft lap blanket. Accessories will bring it all together I'm guessing.

I like everything--the wall color, the chair (especially the chair) and the painting. But not together. I saw a picture in a magazine that I loved. Red walls, wood floors (with a throw rug) and a chair in navy and white plaid. I'm no decorator. I have a room now we painted peach that I'm really unhappy with. Sometimes it's peach, sometimes orange and sometimes pink. After Christmas I'll make a trip to the hardware store for a different color and start over again.

A solid neutral chair might be best. The butterscotch colour that Nodakgal suggested would be lovely - I wouldn't go too light as it would make too much of a contrast between the dark walls and dark wood and the furniture. Then you could get a patterned rug that could pull it all together. The pattern could be an all-over contemporary pattern.

I really like the pattern on the chair. If you decide to keep it, then a neutral carpet would tie it all together.

Caroline do you take a sample of the wall color with you when you go shopping.I don't mean those little ones you get at the paint store.Make one of your own,that's what i did when i did my bedroom last year.I took a sheet of photo paper and painted the whole backside with one of those foam brushes.After it dried,i cut it down to fit into a gallon size ziploc and took it with me everytime i went shopping.
HTH
Kathi

how about a throw on the chair and a small pillow, also? A nice basket on the floor w pillows in it or pine cones or magazines? The suggestion of going to the decorating forum was a good one--there are some savvy folks over there.

I like your idea of the neutral...even a beige...I bet a mushroom corduroy would look nice. you can always add a pillow to bring out the red...I love the wall color.

I just remembered this...recently I saw some chairs that I fell in love with. they were off white and beige plaid like 1 inch squares...they were fabulously rich looking and they would like beautiful against the red wall.

I hate to say this but it's the off-white/cream trim that's catching my eye and drawing it away from the floor and the chair. I would tone down the trim somehow, too much contrast IMO. I KNOW you don't want to re-paint, though, and I don't blame you. (I had a brick red office once. For about a week, I couldn't stand it. Woody liked it. It's now "Dusted Bronze".)

I think a rug will help pull it all together, Caroline.

A brighter matt, some greenery (live or silk), a rug (either much darker or much lighter) and a cream colored throw over the corner of the chair and this would be beautiful. I like the chair and think it goes just fine. It's always the accessories that take a room from OK to WOW.

Just MHO I think that the picture is too high up on the wall...I know it is hard to take a picture of everything b ut if you dropped it down at least 8 inches... eye level for a taller person and added the lighter accessories and greenery as suggested by other posters, including maybe a different framing for the pic itself, but I wouldn't even do that until I found the accessories that I wanted because it may not show up as much as it does right now. I would love to have that cosy room! Looking at it now the way it is your eyes are drawn way up to the picture or down to the feet on the chair and the stark white of the door and trim...hmm what if you painted out the trim around the inside of that door ...just the cut out part with your red to blend it in...

I love your wall colour! I think the chair is wonderful, but it just needs a strong coloured throw or toss cushion with it. Some black acessories would be great in that room. Picture frames, lamps, etc. And an area rug will help pull it all together. Right now the chair just looks a little lonely. Don't take it back until you've played with some acessories. You picked a strong colour for the walls now just go with it. Don't think you have to tone down everthing else to go with the red. Some strong contrast will work great!

I like the chair and I think that once you add accessories you'll have a better idea of how the room will look. Here are a few suggestions:

A caramel color throw on the chair would look lovely.
Change out the frame on the print to a matte black one and lower the print to eye level. Art work should not be hung that high on a wall unless you're doing a grouping and there are 'levels' of prints forming a pattern (like an oblong or square grouping).
I think the white trim and door are harsh for the flooring, chair and chest. You could either go with a creamier white, or glaze the trim so it softens it. If you can't paint the trim then use black accents throughtout the room to balance the starkness of the white. Remember ~ black is a neutral and it's your friend ;o)
I agree with mush about some black accessories. Every room should have a bit of black in it to ground it. It doesn't have to scream 'black'...something subtle works best.
A floor lamp, table lamp or wall sconce for light in a matte black will do the trick, both for accent and light.

I think you have the bones and basics of a great room and I really like your choices so far.

I love the paint color.

You need contrast. The chair blends into the wall. I like the fabric. Do they have the same chair upholstered in shades of brown or lighter. Don't get anything with red because that'll still make it blend.

I agree that the picture is hung too high. It looks like more of an accent than a focal point. If the two prints work together, you might try putting them on the back wall and sort of stagger them.

Add some other colour. Black should be in every room. Just by putting some vases, or picture frames in black would help a lot. Especially when there is red in it. IMO... that is.... I would take the yellow from the chair and match it to some fabric and make or buy some cushions. I think the yellow that's in the chair would make everything blend together just right.

As I was reading every response I was saying black, too. Try a black recliner, add a throw and/or pillow that has your red in it, get some red accents (candles, bric a brac), either paint that picture frame black or get a different frame for it and I'm sure you'll like your room much better.
Suzan J

I didn't read everyone else responses..I stopped at Monicas..because I some what agree...
My bedroom is about that color..my bedroom suite is in a honey oak...but the wood in my wall art pieces is dark as is the entertainment center that holds the TV. I like the dark wood on the walls and in the big furniture piece....
But I love that chair!!!!! I want it for my living room! LOL

I like the chair,I think the picture is what is not working.Maybe a throw over the chair in butterscotch might add some warmth.

I'd keep the chair, paint the walls and change artwork.

my first thought was that the pic was too high also. And I LOVE the chair. Put a lamp in the corner, behind the chair for reading, put a red pillow (wall color) on the chair, pick another color from the chair for the throw and to use for a rug, and around the rest of the room. something on the wall to break it up, also,

I think the chair is to orangy for the walls. I like the idea of adding black accents, and definitly lower the picture to eye level. In an area where you will be sitting most of the time, it shouldn't be much higher than eye level sitting down. Say, above a sofa back, but not higher.

Tami

I think the picture is at eye level, ladies. This room has red walls with an off-white rail and then taupe walls over that, so the picture isn't as high as you think it is. It just looks high because you can't see the whole wall.