Different perspective. .

Ceiling

Exposed brick/built ins

I would change the wall color. Maybe add some color with curtains, too. You could extend the rods to make the windows look wider. Add some interesting new wall decor.. Maybe a nice area rug in front of the couch and a coffee table type table in front of the couch.. Look around at thrift stores. Lots of neat tables and such to paint in your choice of colors. You could really have a beautiful room..

Thanks Susie. Unfortunately I'm not open to painting unless I'm ready for divorce :) The paint is new within the year. Coffee table, yes. That I can do. I'm open to all new furnishings. This stuff is going in the basement for the kids to wreck.

What a lovely room!! Could the TV be put on a larger stand and placed in front of the brick? I think that the windows need some treatment....I always have fabric rather than shades.

I do not have any suggestions for furniture. We all have differing needs...sofa, loveseat, recliners, tables, lamp vs overhead lighting.

It will be fun to see what others suggest.

Can you tell us the name of the paint color. Is the rug grey? Do you have an accent color you want to bring in?

You have a great space. Love the ceiling.

With the neutral color rug and was, I'd do a darker color sofa, maybe a navy or deep red.

Here is more my style, and I'd like to carry this style into the living room, but the space is so big I don't know where to start! l already have a leather sectional in the room adjacent to this. Mabe a couch and fabric club chairs....This is helpful to break it down, though. Fabric window treatments, great feeback. Sugestions for good accent colors to go with the light grey walls and charcoal rug? The rest of the main floor has blue/grey walls and lots of linen/beige/white..

The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore grey...can't remember exact color name. Sorry, not very helpful. It's a light grey with blue undertones. White trim throughout. The carpet is a rich charcoal grey with flecks of silvery and darker grey. Looks terrible with the current couch color. I think you're right, dilly - I was thinking Navy too! Would you keep the same furniture placement?

Thanks Susie. Unfortunately I'm not open to painting unless I'm ready for divorce :) The paint is new within the year. Coffee table, yes. That I can do. I'm open to all new furnishings. This stuff is going in the basement for the kids to wreck.

Do you have a clear idea of how you will use this room? Other than to watch TV of course. Are you calling it the "living room" or do you have another LR? Do you plan to entertain there or is it a retreat for you and your DH. Will you ever need to use it to sleep overnight guests?

I agree with Grapefruit - "Could the TV be put on a larger stand and placed in front of the brick?" IMO that would be a good use of that brick wall. Unless, of course, you want to have a fireplace there.

Love your chosen style and it suits the ceiling, beams, brick. There are many choices in furniture and since you already have a sectional elsewhere perhaps 2 sofas, or a combo of sofa, loveseat, and chairs.

Would it be useful to have a table and chairs to enjoy coffee, a snack, or even a romantic meal for the 2 of you?

Have you checked out Pinterest for ideas?

Hi,
TV placement is challenging...I'm wondering how it would look moved to where the table is currently located? Or in front of brick wall?
If you move it in front of the brick wall, if the room is long enough you can you divide the room into two different zones, if you want to do non-TV activities. I'd play around with some grid paper, noting room and window dimensions on one sheet and cutting out furniture from another sheet and just playing with it to figure out layout and sizes. I'd worry about the curtains last.

I like the paint color, looks similar to the BM Coventry Gray that I've used for a guest bedroom...more of a pronounced blue undertone than I originally wanted but goes great with white trim, dark wood furniture, red, blue or yellow accent colors.

Have fun, you're lucky you've got this space:)

Are you purchasing a new couch? Do you have specific ideas for colors or features you'd like?

This post was edited by yayagal on Fri, Feb 6, 15 at 1:08

I like the combination of gray colors to the white trim color. I would add more white elements. Do you play board games? Cards?

This is one of my favorite rooms, you could probably get some ideas from it. It has a relaxed feeling and is very tasteful.

Here is a link that might be useful: [favorite room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cozy-living-room-traditional-living-room-burlington-phvw-vp~382919)

As this room is giving a rustic look so you will not remove the velvety flooring so it is worth not discussing it. I cannot see the proper ventilation in the room so it will be difficult to survive in the rainy seasons or winters when sunlight is not frequent. Well, your interiors are looking great by the way.

In terms of use of space, we plan to use as a family room - although we already have a living room with leather sectional, TV and fireplace. This is a great room for when we entertain (we just had a big superbowl party and it was great to have multiple TV rooms to spread out into). I was thinking of maybe a large clock against the brick with a round hightop table with seating in front of the brick for a spot to snack while watching TV - to get food away from the couch area. Here is an inspiration room, for funsishing style. Love the white slipcovers (they would have to be machine washable!) , and rustic sofa table. Maybe add some curtains and a patterened club chair or two.

Great idea clax - I will lay it out with grid paper, because if I put a round table in front of brick, where would I put a TV when current placement is not great??

Here is a link that might be useful: [Inspiration room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/model-home-starr-homes-llc-rustic-family-room-kansas-city-phvw-vp~16817208)

Also, would it look weird if I added a mantle to the brick wall? I gave up my mantle for TV palcement above the fireplace in my living room and miss having a mantle to decorate seasonally.

Kidrowlam, I'm not sure what you mean about ventilation and surviving the rainy season? The room has several windows including a large picture window. I do know what you mean though about the carpet not really matching the rustic feel. The whole rest of our home is hard wood and when it was used as a playroom we wanted the kids to be comfortable playing on a warm, soft floor. So, it's staying since it's pretty new carpet. I'm hoping with some more white elements like emmarene suggested with some reclaimed wood tables will help enhance the rustic-ness. (is that a word?)

Here are sightlines if how the two rooms adjoin.

Last pic...of the adjoining room...

If you aren't changing the carpet to wood, I'd get a large natural seagrass or other natural material rug to break up the sea of gray.

Love your ideas and inspiration pic. Looks like my kind of style too!

Just for now -- move the large sectional into the new space -- and then move the dining table in front of the fireplace .... then add a couple of cozy armchairs and ottoman in the current breakfast room ....

Just a quickie switch-around to see what might work! :)

That is a beautiful room! I think it could be made to be very cozy and rustic feeling.

I would focus on the nice brick and the shelving next to it. I'd mount the TV on the brick, but at eye level and use the shelves next to it for all of the TV components. Mount a hollow shelf under the TV through which you can feed the TV wires so they don't show.

Put a console table behind the sofa so that you can put a lamp and pics or other decor on it and give the floating sofa a finished look. Simply cut a slice in the carpet through which you can feed a lamp cord to an outlet.

Coffee table, shape depending on what you get for seating.

Then I'd create a square, enclosed sitting area in front of the TV, largest sofa facing the TV.

Is that an air return under the large window? If not, what is the box? Does it prevent putting a piece of furniture under the window?

I'm not a huge fan of seeing the TV in the corner as you walk into the room, so if it could be moved to the brick space in the opposite corner and float a sofa and club chairs in an 'L' (the sofa would be facing the entrance, the chairs with their backs toward the big window) without impeding flow into the room, I think it would look better. You might look for club chairs that swivel for easy TV viewing. Then put a tall bistro/pub table and a couple of chairs in the former TV corner.

I presume you are moving the white table near the entrance between your living room and this room. It seems to block the entry.

What a cool room! Honestly, if it were me (and I know you said no new floor!) but gah, it would look so incredible in there with wood floors the same as in your other room! I'd rather do that and wait on furniture myself. Plus, your existing couches would look better on a wood floor anyway.

I know I'm not helpful! Sorry! :)

aktillery, love your idea of a seagrass or seisal rug - that will also help me introduce more natural fabrics, whites and burlap table cloth/ round table I've been coveting from Ballard Designs to make that space more cozy.

Teacats, sadly that breakfast area is the main eating space for my family of 5. I currently have a nice sightline from my sink area to the table which I'd hate to lose. Kitchen was completely remodeled two years ago to achieve that open flow. If i move the dining area in front of the fireplace in that room, I lose that open concept feeling from kitchen to dining area. The picture shows that perspective. Slowly you are getting a full tour of my entire downstairs :)

A navy and grey rug over the carpet, and some crisp navy and white striped or navy white and grey floral for upholstery and roman shades or tab-tom curtains.

Instead of couches, comfy armchairs around a coffee table on one end for chatting and game playing (grownup games, like risk) that can be moved when you have a big TV event.

The TV looks like a hulking chunk of shiny black ... paint the base to match the woodwork? or the walls?

A faux mantel and surround on the brick wall would look cute!

And FWIW, here is the kitchen. There - now it's official - you've toured my whole main floor :)

Nini - wish i could do wood. I just can't ..my DH would have my head. We recarpeted less than a year ago after 10 years with kids eating/playing on our ivory burber in there. It had to go. And at the time we didin't think we were doing hte basement so we kept carpet for kids. oh the regret.

The vent is our heat. Furniture can be placed in front...and yes the entry table will be GONE.

Okay, so TV mounted on brick - that is a good plan. Sofa facing it with sofa table behind it for visual finished look, maybe some lamps, candlesticks, vase with flowers, two swivel club chairs to square that area off, maybe a round, rustic coffee table and a matching end table. But everything will sort of 'float' in the middle of the room, no?

So leave the area in front of the closet doors on back wall empty?

Lazy gardens, as you can see from my ktichen, I love crisp navy stripes. Love all things nautical. In fact, I was thinking an old rustic ship would look cool up on the ledge above the closet. There is a wide open crawl space there just begging for a focal piece. Love your suggestions, thanks!

Yes, leave the back area empty. You've got enough going on there with all the doors, which need to be opened anyway, to more than take care of that area.

I disagree with those suggesting you put a carpet over the carpet. It will look terrible, IMO, esp. after people start walking on it and it gets formed from weight into the indents of the wall-to-wall carpeting. Your carpeting is fine. No need to mess with it.

while I generally oppose round coffee tables (versus favoring round dining tables!), I think a round table in that room would be wonderful. I think something like this, in front of that brick, would be wonderful!

"Clawfoot coffee table"

{{gwi:2144677}}

I love your home and your style. I agree with @tibbrix that you should avoid layering a rug over your current carpeting. Our house was carpeted when we first moved in, and I was determined to use all our Persian rugs etc - but it just didn't work (either visually or functionally.)

I also agree with all the advice to place or mount the TV on the brick - it looks squished in the corner and the brick seems like the right spot.

Since you're open to buying new furniture and since you have a great room with a big sectional, I'd consider trying something that is explicitly differentiated from your current living room. Maybe skip the sofa for a some big comfy easy chairs (or swivel chairs) with a round coffee table in the center?

{{gwi:2144680}}

[Traditional Family Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2107) by San Diego Interior Designers & Decorators Robeson Design

Too many variables. OK, the carpet and the walls stay. Consider finding seating that you and your family find comfortable in a dark grey and then find out what components will fit into the room. Accent the room with large bright colorful artwork, some color coordinated drapery panels for the windows and you're done.

I don't know where you live, but I found reasonably price grey seating from Rooms To Go. I wouldn't do blue. It will make your walls look bluer and it fades in the sunlight easily.

Sorry to highjack, but could you tell me the color white you used and what granite for your kitchen.
I will be helping my daughter with a new kitchen and would like a direction to go in with the granite. Thanks.

Now back to the regularly schedule post…...

I don't think that you need our help.....your home is stunning!!

Graprefruit, thank you, but I can't take any credit because my home is the result of so many great ideas from all of you geniuses!

Ellen - my cabinets in the kitchen are BM, dove white, walls are BM serenety (a grey/blue) and granite is White Ice, or as I call it 'cookies and cream' because it reminds me of creamy vanilla ice cream with swirls of grey charcoal. Here is a better image to see the colors...

Now, as for my family room, general consencus is TV against the brick wall with grey and white furnishings and maybe a Navy (how about ticking stripe?) for accent pillows or roman shades. This feels like it will be a much more cohesive flow from the palette of the other rooms, and pretty attainable. Can I pant my exisiting TV stand white or grey and put it in front of the brick? This would eliminate extra costs of mounting to brick, and getting wireless hook-ups for components.

Beverly, love your furniture suggestions! I've never heard of Rooms to Go - I'm in the Boston, MA area. I will Google it. Also, I love that yellow accent with grey in the second to last photo...could be a really fun accent color to add a pop with otherwise neutral tones of blues & greys..