51 - no kids - so generally the place is presentable enough if someone stops by that I don't need a special place to direct them to. I can understand how that's different if you have small children though as I've noticed how their stuff fills up the living areas of my friends homes. Am I the only one who grew up in a home where you had to keep your stuff in your room or a designated kid stuff area? We had one living area and our toys were never stored there - brought out for use but put away in our rooms daily. (And we had an attic play area - nothing fancy - a largely unfinished attic but it had regular stairway going to it.). I do like two separate living areas though so people can enjoy two different activities at the same time - reading, TV, listening to music, conversation, etc. I just don't care for the spaces to be "formal" and the living areas don't have to be on the same floor. I just watched a program last night with Sarah Susanka - The Not So Big House architect. It was fantastic - I am definitely a "not so big house" kind of person.

Since you asked "what would you do" I'll answer what I personally would do. 1. Make a budget of how much I can spend on the entire room project. 2. Find some pics of LR's I love for inspiration. 3. Find a print I'd love to use even it's just for cushions. Or a framed print. Or something I have that I love that *must* be in that room. Looking at drapery fabrics in a fabric store is often a good place for inspiration and I might buy a yard of fabric to use. Shop my house and assemble any decorative colored objects I have to see if there is a color theme I love. Look at well loved items or art I own for inspiration. Choose a paint color (warm color for a north facing room) from the print/art/object and paint walls, do ceiling in a lighter shade of the same color. I believe it's easier to find an inspiration piece from which to choose a color rather than trying to pick one from the thousands (millions) that are available. Paint can be mixed, colors of other things cannot be. 4. Move existing furniture into the room and live with it awhile. 5. Find a large 'something' for the tall wall, whether it's a quilt, a print, or wallpaper applied to the wall and framed with molding. In one house I hung one of those cheap made in India cotton bedspreads which had the tree of life printed on it. Large and colorful and it was the late 60's! This could be done as #3 but it might take some time and I don't believe art has to match. I'd look at a thousand inspiration pics of rooms with tall walls to find something that inspires. 6. Recognize that a good room is never 'finished' - as I find new treasures to add it will take on my personality. 7. Try to get over the idea that I am creating a room for a magazine spread or to post a brag on a forum. What I am doing is creating a room that I will love and my entire family will enjoy living in. It doesn't have to be perfect.

I've been under the weather for the last few days, so wasn't able to act on any of the additional suggestions until today. Thank you so much to everyone for the feedback, pointing out both the good and the bad. Today I moved a few things around. I decided to concentrate my efforts of lighting, as I think this will help us to enjoy the room more. The new additions are just stand ins, while I look for the right lamps and plants etc. I will also look for better wall art by the love seat and go to Benjamin Moore to look for a warm neutral that's lighter for the walls. I also liked the suggestions to replace the several small accessories with larger ones. And also to try to incorporate the window seat into the room more somehow. I was thinking of trying more colorful cushions on it, to tie it in and make the eye travel back there more. I will keep the points about the tables in mind for when it's time to look at new furniture. Thank you again so much! I feel so much better about this room already! I will start a new thread if/when I have specific questions about lamps or pillows. Thank you!!

If this is your home, and you have the budget, do a built-in system on that end wall and eliminate the bookcases, moving the TV too. Get a reversible chaise sofa (you can flip the chaise part left or tight and you want to change things up) and a pair of chairs.