Maybe the sofa and loveseat could be changed from Moss to a blue leather.

Mont Blanc Storm. It seems to work better with your new rug & we know it will work with the floor and fireplace.

Having had 5 children under the age of 13, I would never have chosen such light fabrics~the solid aqua slip is just begging for some spills! It's like wearing white pants or a white blouse. While the prints are also pretty, they're sooooo light. Would you be opposed to microbiber chairs? They can be found in a variety of colors. You could then use your light color fabric as pillows. Just another thought.

I was thinking something more like these for the chair upholstery...

Just for example.

Since I am ordering a green leather sofa for my living room, I like your choice of leather!

I wouldn't worry about the ancillary fabrics until you've finalized the big stuff.

Could I use my original fabric choices as pillows/cushions for the window seats if I went with the blue sofa? I really like those.

The aqua slip is sunbrella...supposedly pretty stain resistant. I'm open to a different fabric choice but is rather have solid and stain resistant than busy print and non washable.

sue, what other options are you talking about for the tv? It's a 50" flat screen that, like I said, doesn't get watched that much so I don't want it front and center necessarily.

Here's an alternative from West Elm. Not quite the aqua, and there is a darker blue color. Not microfiber, but the fabric reads to be heavy duty and can be spot cleaned easily.

http://www.westelm.com/products/paidge-chair-h215/?cm_src=AutoCatRel

Here are blue leather sofas with a swivel chair in a pattern

Can my family room look like this? These are the colors I want.

the blue leather is a good sugg'n to go with the sort of floral prints that you like--it feels much less weighty. Also, the lighter blue print fabric, lower left above should hide most stains. If you end up reconsidering leather, i can testify to the resiliance of microfiber, esp microfiber slip covers

Q T Pie!! I think you can go ahead with the sofa and loveseat from Casco in either the Moss or Storm, but since you only need one lounge chair you can wait on that and select it later. However, once you ordered the rug,,,...............I think you were somehow leaning toward a blue/grey solution for the room.

I like the blue leather and think it looks better with the rug and your previous fabric choices than the moss... i wouldn't put slips on the loveseat and a chair- i would just get a slipcover for the chair if you want a removable cover... i would find something with less white in it than the striped one because i wouldn't want to have to be fussing with it regularly!

Yes, your family room can look like that! Never as cute...but similar color scheme :)

Honestly, I like the armoire! And the blue...and the floral patterns. What I don't like is that dark brown leather...or those stripes (not with the flagstone).

As for the floor plan, you need something informal that will work with active, growing kids. And there will be times when you want to watch TV, but if it's mainly the kids, then I would do this...

Use a loveseat or chair and a half (larger chair) for kids to sit in and watch TV. You need enough space to walk around it, since this is such a major traffic pattern for the room. Notice there are no end tables there? Just less for kids to knock over :)

This might be a good place to add a slipcover....maybe in this fabric.

And have the sofa in something lighter, but still leather. Maybe like this?

The blue armoire will look great!

Maybe with this fabric on the chair? It depends on how much pattern you want. This could be moved to the benches and have a solid chair, either fabric or leather.

I added the swatches because the yellow background is really more gold.

I don't think that aqua color fabric matches, but a darker blue, the lighter blue or even that turquoise shade might be fun for pillows.

And don't forget the hydrangeas! Even silk might work, but bring those lavenders and blues into your space, too:)

What about a navy blue couch? I could change the rug to a non patterned faux sisal if I need to.

Nice choices! Where are you going to put the florals? I like the wreath, too :)

PB has a slipcover english roll arm loveseat and matching swivel chair and a couple different "performance" cream fabrics to choose from... :)

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/pb-comfort-english-roll-arm-slipcovered-swivel-armchair/?pkey=cpb-comfort-sofas-sectionals&;

Oh Lavender, I haven't thought that far ahead. They are just items I had saved in my OKL app that I could pull up easily that seemed to fit what I was looking for. I will eventually have a mantle and I'll likely need something green in the space between the built in benches and the hearth.

I may get the wreath for my front door though.

Yesterday I bought a big fake orchid from Costco and a nice older gentleman stopped me on my way out of the store to tell me all about how to care for orchids and how to put ice cubes and high nitrogen fertilizer to keep them blooming. I didn't have the heart to tell him I'm awful with plants and that's why I picked the fake one so that I didn't have to worry about such things.

I buy fake flowers from Goodwill and the Dollar store. I really do :)

Some look very realistic, but they always add a little color. Yes, you have to dust them off (when did that become such a big deal for some people? LOL) but the cats don't chew on them and no one gets sick....and no water knocked over on my table.

I have MANY lovely flowers outside. I have real plants, too....but not poisonous ones. Those are replaced with fake ones.

echo blue marlin?

Or maybe Beverly is right about Mont Blanc storm :)

Or navy?

A big blue sofa is memorable! I'm all for color, but I'm more comfortable with lighter colors (not just neutrals) on larger pieces. I like darker colors on smaller objects....like cushions, lamp bases, maybe an area rug.

Some people are afraid of color. I think I'm more afraid of very bright/dark colors. I usually leave these on items that are easier to change if they become too overwhelming for the space.

That being said...it's your room :)

Wanted to add that I'm more comfortable with the color of your blue armoire. That would be pretty on the sofa, if you decided on a wood or cream armoire. It would be very inviting, not too cold and easy to use with your other florals/colors.

Your fabric swatch is close, but it looks a little "off" with the florals. Maybe that's my monitor?

Look at Bev's post of 9:48 Tuesday. See how the patterned chair in the upper left ties the red of the floor stain and blue leather sofa (that color is great - don't know where she got it) together? It all looks great with your rug choice, too.

You can DO absolutely anything you want to, but Just IMO - the floral fabrics that you chose are too 'lightweight' to go with leather. Just check to see that the leather you get is 'protected'; I hope that isn't a term used just by Hancock & Moore. I have FOUR dogs, and an H&M leather Chesterfield sofa, and they have not scratched it one little bit - it's miraculous.

I know you don't want to do this, but if you had your wooden floor refinished in a soft gray, something like the ones at the link below, you could easily use all those soft colors and florals that you like. It would also go beautifully with your fireplace stone. The red floor is the odd man out. LINK

I agree with my3dogs about the florals. They remind me of fabrics from the 70s in that abstract floral technique. My chair was from Crate & Barrel, and I used it for the fabric. A larger cushier chair that swivels would be better for the room.

I believe the floor is Brazilian Cherry and I don't think that floor can be anything other than red.

Yeah, I think there's nothing to be done for the floor aside from ripping it out or covering it up. The rest of the house is sort of plain oak, so goodness knows why he put this floor in here.

I'm just so frustrated. I know you are a professional, Beverly, and you have been so kind to help me for free on the internet. Your ideas are so tasteful and nice - for someone else.

The fabrics I picked reminded me of the pretty Japanese papers I used in my wedding invitations. I'm young enough not to remember the 70s, so maybe that's why I didn't see it.

The room as it is feels so heavy and dark to me. With the dark floor, dark fireplace with lion heads staring out, dark brown walls, heavy dark brown fan, and heavy trim which is currently painted yellow. It's got a lot of windows and the ceiling is high but it feels like I'm in a tobacco stained cigar lounge. I'm pretty sure there was taxidermy and rifles on the walls before the house went on the market. Despite a chimney cleaning, the stupid fireplace smells like wood smoke every time I walk in the room. I hate this house and wish we never bought it, and I want to go back to my old house.

That chair fabric, being so brown and tan and a heavy ornate print, just seems to me like it fits well with the elements of the room that I dislike.

I'll cancel the rug if I need to. Maybe I'll just install carpet over the whole thing. My husband would be happy.

Oh dear. I think you were just having a bad moment. It will take some time for you to get used to living there. Since it bothers you I think you should paint the walls right away. I can imagine it is intimidating sitting in the brown with the lions staring at you. Sorry you are so down. :(

OK probably time to press the pause button....................I do hope you have the luxury of taking a break for a bit.

So when are they taking down the wood? ( I am getting all the wood parts removed and probably adding a bluestone mantle.) That seems to really bring a heaviness to the room. I bet you'll feel pounds lighter once it's gone.

I'm with emmarene. After having read this thread, just paint the walls a lighter colour but don't agonize over the colour. Just pick something lighter and try to get rid of that oppressive feeling that you are experiencing. I suspect you're probably trying to make too many decisions right now. I happen to like the rug that you have chosen. I also like the navy colour scheme that butternut posted.

Reality is, you have two young kids and it sounds like you are young yourself. Make your decisions based on a 10 year time line rather than anything longer than that. Your needs will change at that point and your tastes will have evolved over that time frame as well. I know mine did.

So, paint the walls and buy the rug and then see where that takes you. Get rid of that oppressive dark feeling.

Check the fireplace to see if there is a metal thingy hanging down from the chimney that closes the damper. Usually, it's a handle that moves forward and back. If it is open (as you always want to make sure it is when you build a fire) it could be causing a draft that pushes the wood fire smell into the room. Try closing it and see if it doesn't make a difference.

Your house is going to be wonderful; you have great ideas and taste. I love all the florals you selected - they are fresh and youthful to my eye. And I DO remember the 70's. I agree to get some light paint on the walls, get the lions out of there and you'll feel so much better about it.

Butternut- I don't think your fabrics look like they're from the 70s! LOL I was a little girl, but I remember them...and your fabrics are far from it. No giant ladybugs or heavy shag carpet? No daisies 3' across? I don't think you're in the 70s :)

It's a family room! Your family room. Have some fun with it. Start by painting the walls and getting rid of those posts around the fireplace. Get the armoire! That's lovely and very much your style, from what I can see.

Go furniture shopping and see what these leathers look like, in person. Get a feel for them (literally) and see if it's what you want. Many people THINK they want leather, until they sit on it. Some people love it, some people run over and buy the chair instead....just to make their husband happy. Then they get fabric on the sofa and loveseat.

I used to sell high-end furniture and what I can tell you is that if YOU don't like it, you're never going to be happy with it. Make sure the sofa is comfortable...that's the most important thing. Then ask about the construction...then find your fabric. Most designer furniture stores will have quite a selection.

Don't rush this! Have some fun. My one piece of advice is that if it's not a slipcover or something you can paint....go with something lighter and neutral. It's not just the 'safe' choice, but it will make adding your colors and prints so much easier! Those are the items you can change, as your needs and tastes change. The sofa is probably going to be with your for a while :)

Lavender lass.........flower power was the 60's unless you lived on The Plains.

This is the 70's fabric on sofas.

I agree with above suggestions ... get the wood on fireplace out and paint your walls a lighter color (maybe your current ceiling color ... it is hard to tell). It is going to be a beautiful room.

That was before my time....but I remember seeing these fabrics in the 70s. Maybe I saw the reruns, but "The Bugaloos" came out in 1970. You can't get more flower power than that! LOL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bugaloos

The Plains? Ouch! I didn't live on The Plains...but I also didn't live in New York. And I believe network TV shows were all shown across the country, at the same time :)

Did you see my Wikipedia link?

And none of those sofas look anything like Butternut's fabric selections. Are those late 70s/early 80s? Thanks for sharing.

Butternut, have you considered a coffee table that's oval or rectangular with rounded edges? Or perhaps an ottoman with toy storage?

Will your benches have built-in storage? I've had young children and you always need more storage.

I think your armoire is very appropriate for your style. The color is very neutral in a way, so it will go with many of your fabrics and colors. It makes a statement, without being overpowering.

Florals bring a lighter mood, more garden-based, which is my favorite style. You can't have too many flowers or plants, as far as I'm concerned.

Indoor/outdoor fabric is very practical when you have small children. They have a tendency to dribble food, drink, and other items.

With children, comfort and practicality are much more important than style of eras. Go with what you like.

Ah, doing better now that it's not the middle of the night up with a sick and coughing baby :)

Rob - I have hired a handyman service to take down the wood. I think they come in 2 weeks. I am optimistic about it, but I'm currently demo-ing closets and think this guy put this house together with gallons of construction glue. So it may be a mess once gone.

blfenton - I'm thinking of SW Antique White and Dover white for the trim. Seriously, the trim and ceiling are yellow. I need to schedule the painters. I have a gallon of Antique White that I'm painting in the closets to see if I like it. I don't know what to do about the yellow ceiling.

Olychick - yeah the flue is closed. Current theory is that the house is otherwise so tight that we are backdrafting down the fireplace even with the flue closed. Supposedly glass doors will help the problem, and would be nice anyway so the kids don't climb into the fireplace (which they've been doing)...but of course it's a non standard size opening. So the circle of find a problem, try to fix it, be thwarted, and get frustrated continues...Meanwhile, wood smoke is not what I want to smell when it's 90 out.

lavender - LOL at those fabrics! My grandma built her house in '69 and I think she had all those as wallpaper. And kept them til she sold the house 2 years ago! I did promise my DH a leather sofa, though...he doesn't care about much, so I want to honor that.

Beverly - those sofas wouldn't look quite so bad if they didn't look dirty and worn out! ;) I would love the luxury of time, but stupidly, we gave away our old furniture since it wouldn't fit here, so now we have a bare empty room. Well, it has my college-era futon in it. But DH is wondering when the new furniture is coming and we need something to sit on!

Garden-peggy, the benches do have storage in them. We had a leather ottoman as coffee table in our old house and it was very comfortable and safe. But it's not as good for cocktail parties.

I found this photo on the PB site and modified it with "pillows" of my fabrics and my rug. It shows a combo of cream walls, white trim, navy blue upholstery and cream upholstery in the same room. I know it won't match the floor, so it won't be perfect, but maybe it'll be good enough.

I know, I know, not soon enough! Looks like you're biding your time pretty well.

Hope you are feeling better about things today. Moving and starting from scratch can be overwhelming. I like what you have chosen so far. I prefer the navy sofas to the olive. The bluestone on the fireplace is going to look great, and removing the shiny beams will be a vast improvement.

Until you get the work on the fireplace completed, I'd try opening the flue slightly, and placing a strong fan in the fireplace opening so it blows room air up and out the chimney. I know it's a waste of energy and AC, but it will get the odor out of your house.

I think the color/finish of the floors, although they have very nice detail and look new, is fighting with what you like and what you want to do with the room. While the room is empty, I'd get them sanded down and refinished in a browner or lighter tone. Much better to do it now than deal with it later! I think once you deal with the fireplace and floors, and repaint, everything will come together much easier.

It would be nice to change the floor.., but I think Brazilian cherry can only go darker, and would probably still be red. And since in exclusion of what I want it is a nice and pretty floor in perfect condition, it just seems excessive to take it out or whatever.

And maybe in 10 years I'll want a red floor! Not kidding about a large rug to cover it up though.

Butternut, I'm a huge fan of SW Antique White. Got it everywhere in my house, including ceilings. It's light, but warm. Hope it works for you.

Book the painters, paint the walls, paint the trim, then see what happens with the colour of the floor and the ceiling. Then paint the ceiling if you have to. That floor is very reflective and changing the wall colour may help to tone it down in relation to what it is now.

Do you know how old the floor is? My brother moves into houses, redoes them, sells and then moves and does it all over again. For years he put in Brazilian Cherry wood, it always darkened over time and it varied in acceptance (for me - I happen to detest the colour red) depending on the colour of the walls. Oh, and I just remembered, for a couple of houses he had a navy blue leather couch and it looked nice with the floor. It looked put together.

Blfenton If the floor is original, which I would assume it is, it's about 6 years old. Don't know if that's old or new in the world of cherry floors!

If it's 6 years old it means that the colour has settled down and what is there will be the final colour. It can take up to 2 years for the colour to settle.

I like your PB picture with your pillows but... It seems to be getting farther away from your goal of a British Country/Coastal decor for your room.

Butternut, my suggestion would be to take another look at the garden photo and stay true to your vision. You have something you like and I think you are getting closer to it than anyone so far. I think your post with the PB photo and the one that began with the navy blue couch are taking you in that direction more than anything else here, but you can do some editing. I would probably only use one of the florals -- they are too similar in pattern and scale. I like the one with the linen background -- it plays well with the other elements in the room, especially the stone and doesn't wake up the orange in the wood floor like the predominantly yellow one (though I do like that print for another use).

Leather doesn't have to be paired with tapestries and heavy things. Sure, it can be - if you want a club or lodge look, but seeing leather only that was would be like only wearing the balck dress to a funeral. You can play with other textures: linen, chunky knits, faux fur nad more. Do keep in mind the dye and finish of the leather. Not all will wear as well for family use and some are more rustic looking. You want the family friendly finish without a lot of the rustic (the room has enough of that unless you want the lodge). If you don't go with leather, slipcovers, outdoor fabrics like Sunbrella and Krypton. I've had microfiber and liked it (cleans with distilled water), but I wouldn't put it on the main piece in a family room with kids. It is still fabric and wears. Main issue we had was snags from pets or possibly other things. I haven't done slipcovers except one I bought to go over a sofa when we were about to sell our house. Using them all the time seems like a pain -- taking them off, washin, wrestling them back on -- wishing they looked pressed. Maybe that's just me, but leather held up to 13 years of boys and pets growing up and now my son is taking the ends of the sectional to grad school to be his sofa. That's durable enough for me.

I like the blue sofa or sectional idea. Blue and red are complimentary colors, so it's going to work better with the wood floor and it compliments the grey stone in the fireplace too. The Mont Blanc Storm goes flat for me -- acts more like the backdrop. That's not what you want when you are tryng to change the feel of the room. The blue stands up to the wood and stone and still commands attention without shouting. It is also one of the main three colors in your photo. Go with it for one of your major pieces. I like it as a sofa (and loveseat if you like them matching) or sectional, but the slipcovered sofa and blue smaller pieces look good too.

If you are open to changing the rug, you might find a way to bring in some of the greens or purple in your photo. I'm out of time, but I'll check back......

I like that last photo you posted Butternut.

My personal note on floral fabrics, I like them. I am not one to try and chase just what is most in style this week vs what makes me smile. If those are the fabrics you enjoy, use them. They do not look like the 60s 70s 80s etc to me. In a few years we will all be "yucking" over ikat, chevrons, greek keys etc. Pick what you like!

Lasca- thanks for weighing in! Apparently moore and Giles will send big 8x10 samples of their leather out for free, so I have a few blues on the way. My DSs room in navy and white is looking so good though I almost want to replicate it :). I always kind of wanted a layered rug so maybe once I get furniture and everything I'll look for a rug to go over the indoor/outdoor sisal. My DH hates the feel of all microfiber things so I probably won't go that direction anyway.

Kippy - I'm already kind of tired of that morriccan trellis design on like every cheap rug on overstock!

I went through months of looking at leathers and going back and forth between blues and something more neutral (found a grey I loved, but it was a bit too light to go with everything else. The leathers I liked best were all Moore and Giles -- we ordered in Kipling Dolphin. It is a very close match to the night sky in a painting over our fireplace and matched the darkest color in our rug. They have so many gorgeous colors and everyone I talked to spoke so well of their leathers. Hope one of the samples works for you.

I like your last mood board with the white slipcovered sofa. I agree with lascatx that the floral fabrics are too similar in pattern and scale to work well together. That was the first thing I noticed when you originally posted. I'd use the floral with the linen background and then find a coordinating non-floral fabric. How about the IKEA Ektorp slipcovered sofa? I think it's a great choice for a family room with young kids, because you could purchase extra slipcovers very affordably.