Accent colors that create a "Wow" effect really should come from an "inspiration piece" -- like fabric (perhaps for cushions or curtains), artworks, area rugs etc. That way those accent colors make sense -- and still work in the whole space. So -- do you have an artwork or fabric for the space yet? Perhaps a tall one that would go above the fireplace? For example (JUST some examples) How about: Benjamin Moore "Greenfield Pumpkin" (HC-40) or: BM's "Aged Bronze" (CC-231) Both deep rich colors that would make great accent colors -- and would work with colors in the sectional. Jan

I have not thoroughly read through the above posts but I wanted to chime in! I am occasionally asked to help friends pull together a room, my advice to them is to keep it simple. I like to keep most items neutral and add pillows, throws and accessorizes for color and personality. For your chair that you are looking at in a blue - consider a accent chair of dark wood with upholstered seat cushions in a beige tone that goes with the lighter tones in your rug. The brown of the wood to bring in the darker brown tone and your sofa. Add some fun pillows not matching. Keep the curtains a simple linen with a nice ORB rod and rings. Bring in your animal print in a throw or pillows. Nice thing with this way of decorating is it will be easy to try different throws and pillows and accessories to pull it all together with out committing to a fully upholstered piece that you may not love. For you ottoman I would use a rectangle one in a cream color using a nice tray and colorful print throw and accessories to pull it all together.

I like what Annie was suggesting, but if you have the room, I would love a round table and chairs and maybe a wingback or other reading chair in the bay (possibly a couple of swivel chairs that can turn either way in the area between the two parts of the room). Or maybe a pair of chairs and table between them and an ottoman. I'd start with that part of the rom and move out -- feature it since it is wonderful and unique and then move out rather than backing onto it as a limited afterthought. Then look at sofa or sectional in the main or older part of the room and go from there. I would keep the bookcases -- would love to have them myself and agree with keeping them wood and cleaning them up as needed if they are nice, consider painting if they are not. i am reluctant to paint brick and don't think you need to. You might try washing a section and seeing if it changes color (it can trap dust). I was considering painting my fireplace brick, but we discovered that painting the walls had a huge impact on how the color of the brick looked. Painting brick is a difficult thing to undo, so I would wash it, get furniture in the room and even consider changing wall color before I painted the brick. I don't dislike the mantel so much as wonder about it being shorter -- closer to the width of the arch -- maybe just outside of the arch rather than all the way across.

You desperately need some layering. I'd add another smaller area rug with some color and pattern on top of the carpet in the conversation area (sofa, coffee table) and add a smaller, swivel arm chair at an angle facing the sofa. (If we're looking at the top photo, the chair should be diagonally across from the top right hand corner of the coffee table.) You also need some large-scale art or multiple framed family photos in a gallery wall next to the TV--that wall is huge and needs to be anchored. And I'd also include some fixed drapery panels that coordinate with the rug. Add some pretty throw pillows to the sofa, too. As a side note, if it were me, I would have oriented the conversation area around the fireplace with the TV wall mounted above the FP. Then you could put a long row of narrow bookshelves along the current TV wall to warm things up.