@sondramartina-I meant more of a cinnamon stain like your floor, the picture makes the shelves appear more of a natural maple finish. A little darker is ok, but what I meant about the wood is warmer in tone like the floors.

@Abbas My Pages program is not that great for that. I'll try darker shelves once I paint.

I just did 2 coats of Barren Plain. Not sure I like it with the sofa. And I see too much purple.

The brick is tricky. Depending on the light sometimes it goes from pink-ish to grey-greenish.

Let it dry for a day. I like it with the sofa, if you get some accent pillows with color, it could be a really good combo. Also its harder when doing this in pieces because it doesn't really click until everything comes together.

I think your main accent colors will be black and red (if you keep the current rug). Otherwise, you will have too many competing colors. The wall color looks good from this side of the Internet! I could see some mud cloth pillows on that sofa that would help tie things together. You can control, through your selections, what color you want to emphasize and what color you want as the prime accent.

Here are a few choices.

MUD CLOTH Pillow Case By Becky Bailey, 30"x20" · More Info

Bayo African Mud Cloth Pillow, 20"x20", Zipper, With Insert · More Info

Authentic African Mud Cloth Patchwork Lumbar Pillow, Down Insert, Zipper, 18" · More Info

Rug is orange/rust with navy,green, blue and cream.

If you cannot get a longer wire so there is enough slack in the cable to the tv to have it go horizontally off the brick and down the side rather than down across the front of the brick, you need to find something for beneath the tv to hide the wire. You might consider that or a floating shelf below the tv anyway to hide the wire between the tv and the side of the brick.

One deep drawer in the indent would be useful storage -- the frame for the top of the drawer would be one shelf, then add another shelf above so the top of that shelf is even with the top of the tv.

Wood sides likely will be needed to add shelves anyway. Would paint the back of the alcove a medium gray -- the darker of the gray color from the brick -- and paint the drawer and shelves and vertical sides black.

I have Oxford White walls in a large, west facing bedroom and it looks awesome. White,clean, no blue. However same colour in another smaller, north facing bedroom looks dull and blue. :-P

So this living room is also pretty big, west facing and it gets lot of natural light so Oxford White should be a safe choice but I will definitely consider other options.

I decided to change it to Balboa Mist. Here is the result with the morning light. The wall behind the sofa is still my old yellowish white, so ignore that one.

It look better than in the pic. I'm not too crazy about this one either but at least it does not bother me with a blue/purple undertone.

Well I am going to buck the trend and say no to the shelves.

I forgot to mention, you should think about putting a puck light or LED strip light in side the niche with the selves. I liked both paint colors BTW. You cant loose with either so start planning for your shelves (what nice vases or chaskis do you have to go there?) your accent pillows, and wall art or mirrors you need to put up.

So the shelves are done and we have to decide on stain.

Hubby suggested just a clear coat , I'm as usually very indecisive :(

PS. I just randomly put some items, it wont't be like that.

One of these?

@Flo Mangan Once I went to a store with my brick sample and the best looking wood with it was ebony.

The room itself is pretty wide, almost 20 FT.

It's my cr..y phone camera

@Abbas I can't find anything similar to that brown stain. :( I would really like to test it.

I tried these two. The one on the top is Kona, botom one is Ebony.

Sit them on the ledge of the niche and take a photo please. I feel the dark color is going to be too stark a contrast on such a light textured wall.. Could be wrong, but my gut and my design eye tells me you should go with more of deep brown rather than black. Are any of those stains that you posted available?

@sondramartina- I meant to say take the photo from the back of the room so we can see the overall with the shelf stain- sorry

Ebony

Kona(very dark brown)

Miniwax stains

If it's not too much trouble for you.... Try Provincial 211, Jacobean 2750, Coffee & Early American 230- These are light to dark shades- if nothing else you'll be able to make a clear choice on the spectrum of light to dark concerning the shelves. I imagine you'll know right away which feels the best for the space- Same as the paint colors. Good luck! :)

Shellac (one lousy coat)

We could make it darker orange/brown shellac . It would complement the hardwood floor.

But we are leaning towards more contemporary look so we'll go with ebony or kona. We have to make up our mind and finish this :)

That doesn't look like there's anything on it.

Click on the photo, it will open the whole picture.

Almost done!!!

What's left is

- to hide the cables,

- shelves decor

- paint the rest of the room and the fireplace

- new coffee table

-art and lamp

- get rid of track light

Hubby did a great job.

Thank you all for your input and suggestions.

Here it is . Just have to decorate the shelves and hide those cables behind the receiver. If anyone has some shelve decor ideas please share. I would like to keep it uncluttered.

The last pic is before.

Thank you all Houzz friends!