Beautiful cozy space. If u could share a floor plan (what is behind the sofs on the left & what is facing the fireplace)

sometimes its just a matter of shifting furniture just a few cms. I love the symetry in the space..

Here r a few suggestions:

-I would start with pushing back the furniture as much as possible but keeping it centred with the fire place.

-as much as I love the mantle.. I would remove it, or replace it with something less bulky (ur ceiling is not too high, I feel the mantle makes the space feel a bit heavey. I would keep the stone wall clean.. (Maybe a long decorative mirror or wallart) And u can move the objects displayed on the mantle, to the bottom, on either side of the fire feature . Maybe even sit them on a pretty tray (vase & candle & maybe photo frame.. in a rectangular tray)

-I would also consider changing the window treatment. I think curtains that match the wall colour would really help open up the space. Take from the colours in ur rug. (Maybe even something with a tone on tone texture.

hope this helped

Thank you! We do want to replace the mantle but when we had a professional come out to take a look he thought it may not look great because the stone would be much lighter since the mantle has been protecting it for 40 years and it would be obvious. We wanted to replace with a slab of reclaimed wood that was a bit thinner than that and he didn't think it would work. We don't want to paint the limestone because the exterior of our home is completely limestone.

Hi, Welcome back!

With your little ones, you might want to take away the glass things on the tables like the candle holders and the bell jar until your kids are much older. Those could be disasters in the making.

When you say light fixtures, are you talking about replacing the fan altogether with a light fixture, or getting a different fan that has a light in it or getting lamps and leaving the fan there?

Do you want to add any color to the room at all?

If so, how much and where?

Are you willing to change the rug? The throw pillows?

Are you willing to take down the family photos and put them elsewhere in the house and get some art that has some color?

The room is so monochromatic, it actually looks like a photograph in black and white or sepia or some special effect like that.

It doesn't look like the home of a vibrant young family.

Is that what you want?

The room would absolutely fantastic with a genuine Oriental carpet either a hand knotted Persian or a woven kilim or nomadic, and you could pick up whatever colors in it you like for cushions and in your art. The rugs are nowhere as expensive as you might imagine.

If you are not up for a change in rug, just thing about the pillows and art, that would make a huge difference.

Also you might think about going light (white or cream) with your curtains. If the sun is strong get the curtains in a tight weave and get them lined. You can even get them as a black out if you want that for when the sun is strongest. The other thing is, if privacy is an issue, you can get a film for the window so you can see out but people can't see in, that stuff is marvelous, we have it at work.

I do think you should be able to take off the mantle and see what is underneath.

Even if there is a huge swath of lighter color underneath, you can still wash the limestone like you would wash any wall, and then put up the mantel of your choice the is not as bulky as the one you have now.

I would remove the small things from your mantle, they distract from the picture which is very interesting.

I do agree with not painting the limestone.

Can you find a better side table for between the chairs?

The round shape is the correct shape that you need, but the one that is there is too small in proportion to the chairs and the coffee table.

Yes! I am replacing the fan with a light fixture.

We are willing to make some changes but not everything. My husband and I agreed we will probably go in a different direction when our kids are a little older and change entirely and invest some money into the room and work with what we have right now. Not opposed at all the adding some color if it looks good with most of what we have.

I had white curtains in the space but had to replace because I have two large black labs that linger at the windows and that became very obvious! The Rug is actually carpet tiles (super washable with kids and a dog) and we steam them and you can even replace individual pieces if they become stained. How much would an oriental rug be and how is that typically cleaned?

Yes, would be interested in changing photos to art and pillows and side table definitely . Please post specific links that you think would work. Really have mommy-brain and having a hard time envisioning exactly what to switch it with.

Is there a tv in this room?

I'm struck by the lack of lamps. Maybe you don't need reading lamps, but perhaps a floor lamp in that back right corner by the windows?

Beautiful room! I would add just a few minor suggestions: move the furniture back a little (the couch looks to close to the coffee table) and remove the plant from the mantel (it looks a little a Charlie Brown Christmas tree). The glass dome on the accent table between the chairs seems fragile and not child or dog tail friendly.

Lighter curtains might look better, but with black dogs, I understand the need to live with function over beauty.

You need tables and lamps, a touch of brass near the fireplace (an antique brass bed warmer propped there - lots on eBay). Plant and everything else on the mantle has to go - just leave the picture and hang it.

I'd paint the walls. Consider using Farrow & Ball's "Lichen" or get your local paint store to match that color. It plays very well with browns and will warm up your room. I'm not crazy about those dark curtains - they are heavy as is all your furniture. I do understand about the black labs and dog hair. Perhaps look for a print that is not heavy and would "hide" the dog hair.

DO NOT take things off your coffee table just because you have young children!!! Children are quite capable of learning what is a "no-touch" zone, and if they are too young to learn, they should be in a playpen and not allowed free run of your house. I hate it when parents turn their entire house into a day care center. You pay the mortgage and should have an adult space!

Thanks Anglophilia! I love that green shade for the walls!

We did all over Dover white for the trim and then grey walls throughout. I do regret doing the grey and wish we had actually done Dover white throughout for walls as well so I could change out more easily. Do you think that color would work fine with the current grey which is in the entry and halls?

Here's an issue we are having right now. The Dover white trim is appearing more yellow because the painters didn't paint the ceiling when we moved in. We are now getting our canned lights put in this room so right after the ceiling shade will be matched to the trim. I also fear that the bright white matte on the photographs of family and stark white of the longhorn photo are also making the trim look dingier. That is why I was thinking of moving all of those upstairs and doing paintings on the side of the mantle and on the mantle either a wreath & vases (excuse my photo, couldn't get it to hang) OR maybe a smaller painting. Was leaning towards a landscape with some blues and greens and whites.

Here's a comparison. The wreath was just borrowed from a door outside but maybe I need a larger one if I go that route.

Here is another with longhorn photo

Options are:

1. Wreath *maybe get a larger one and Blue/white vases (get larger ones that match sides)

2. Keep longhorn, on it's own

3. Get 1-2 new paintings (see below) although would likely not get anything with that bright white or white frame to avoid same color issues. Just do smaller sized ones displayed this way.

Smaller art pieces like this.

ac, yes I like that idea. I was thinking an inexpensive one to try out. Here is a brass one from Target. would this work with my decor?

I really like this artist. She is a friend of a friend and takes commissions. Was thinking something similar in colors and look to a landscape she has done for either the sides of fireplace or on the fireplace.

another one of tuscan hills she did, I love her work and think colors would look nice with the room, any opinions?

I‘d like to add that maybe adding some recessed lighting along with lamps and light neutral curtains will give you a better starting place to add color.

It's a nice room! I don't see much to do:

- I don't care for the wall art. It seems like "too little". I'd move all four "matching" pictures to one side and hang them in a two-over-two design ... then bring in something entirely different for the other side. Something not rectangular.

- Yes to changing out the items over the mantle. Change to something isn't rectangular.

- I like ceiling fans. Being Southern, I like them a great deal, but this one doesn't seem right for the room. I'd look for a dark brown model.

I second the move the furniture BACK. At the most put the front legs on the carpet. You need there to be room to walk between the coffee table and the chairs. Once you do that, one could assess if there is really any ROOM for more furniture. What is there looks very cohesive and calm. Color is a personal choice.

I moved it back! there is quite a bit of space. All of the furniture pieces are super big (8 foot couch) so it may look smaller in between than it is. It's about 2" space. Otherwise I can't reach the table, haha.

I think you have a beautiful room. I like your black and white family photos but I think for them to work you need more of them and they need to be closer together. I also like your ginger jars and the touch of color they provide but feel they need to be bigger to make an impact. Have you considered a mirror above your fireplace especially if you are planning a chandelier...the reflection would be pretty. I added a few things to your room that have jute rope...I feel like it adds another layer to your room and provides texture...