jerseygirl, I love your green chairs, they are beautiful. I have done some rearranging and what a difference a minor adjustment of bringing the chairs closer together makes; the room feels more intimate already. We will add built-ins in black as teacats suggested, to fill up the space on either side of the f/p. We have been fixing up bathrooms, kitchen & basement during the two yrs. we have been living here, and there is a room upstairs of artwork and packed boxes of ornaments and personal objects that are crying out to be unpacked - finally we can get to it which is the reason for the furniture arrangement. I have included a pic looking into the dining room, which I mentioned also needs tweaking. We have been on the lookout for a new DR table; something more in the MCM style with a dark stain and I am planning on hanging 3 pictures of a similar theme on the far wall to break up the boxy space. We also need a new ceiling light. Back to the living room - anele, I like your idea of the chair in the corner. I think that could work nicely with the right table and reading lamp. Must get shopping!! I have decided that the icebox needs to be moved out of the room entirely, it really just doesn't work. I will try it in the front foyer. The shape of the room and the furniture we have has made this project such a challenge, but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to all of you. P.S. Please ignore the bit of mess and randomness of knick-knacks; nothing has been strategically placed yet. Here is a link that might be useful: New LR pics

Your ideabooks don't give much of a clue to your style, but what you've done so far--painting the walls lilac and that dining chair--are not very modern or contemporary. And painting always comes last. There are infinite paint colors, so we match paint to furnishings, not the other way around. That said, what furniture do you need? If you're trying to furnish a living room, can we have photos of all walls of the space with it empty, please? From what little I can see so far, I'd say get rid of the blinds and count on replacing all the light fixtures.

I think what bothers me most about your room is the coffee table and the rug. Plus I find your room quite matchy matchy. Everything is angular, very hard looking and high contrast. I would replace the coffee table with something minimalistic in wood and glass, and perhaps round. The rug is the same colour as the floor. I'd replace with something with colour. Perhaps choose your large art first then take a colour from there for the rug. The large black pillows on the couch look like tomestones lined up. I'd switch those out for colours & patterns. Your room has no lighting, how about a floor lamp with a big swing arm that hangs over the coffee table? Don't do plants. They won't jive with your modern minimalist style. You have good bones here. The couch & chaise go well together.

I think it's lovely just as it is. Adding anything else to the wall will create a busy, cluttered look in my opinion. The eye needs a place to "rest", and you've got that now with the current configuration. Also, I like your existing rug and think it works well with the other elements.