a) I don't find neither brown nor gray a fad. Both these colors surround us day after day, be it in sky, sea, trees, earth..nothing "fading" about them, they're here to stay, and both can be used simultaneously and quite successfully in the same room. I personally prefer very warm, brownish gray, or greige as they call it..but then I like chocolate, tan, and whatnot. Decide whether you want to go on the "cooler" part of the spectrum, or the "warmer", rather then deciding on name of the color..it's very personal, since different people feel differently about colors, and their relative temperature, brightness, etc. Figure out where on the spectrum you'd like to be to feel the best-and "best" can be any thing too-more comfortable? more homey? more elegant? more refined? more relaxed? etc, etc. b) same thing with dark or light. Figure out what contrast you're comfortable with. More contrast=more dynamic room. Less contrast=the room is more quiet. How do you want to feel in the room? If the room was a music(i know, silly comparison))..what kind of music you'd like it to be? Then preoccupy yourself with the paint..paint can and should be(ideally) figured out last, since you can match paint to literally everything, it's endless..unlike all the other options in the room. you're going into a very right direction, thinking of the room as the whole, and not just the parts. your room will talk to you, in its own way of course. It might tell you things that you didn't expect, like that it wants to have darker walls with lighter floors..)) Beige walls with yellow accents can be as stunning as gray walls with yellow accents. If I find inspiration pics (I'm sure I have them but my Pinterest is a constantly growing mess)-I'll post them I do remember a space from latest Abigail Ahern's book "Color"..done maybe by Kelly Wearstler but I'm not sure..it was too gorgeous for words. In terms of colors. It had some darker touches as well-she's a dramatic designer. The point is though-you can take this combo anywhere, and make it into the one that brings you the feel you want to feel. c) I do like herringbone..I find it very comforting somehow. Not saying I'd choose it myself-I'm a person who's dream is sofa done in velvet by William Morris or House of Hackeney or Timorous Beasties or something else, impractical and unattainable..:) But I do like herringbone. Don't find it trendy at all. Why plaid, stripe, polka dots are not trendy-and herringbone suddenly is? Geometry is geometry..:) Chevron was trendy. not because it was trendy by itself, poor thing-but because they overused it to death..

I would think about removing the brick and drywalling over the fireplace. Voila, new big wall for TV, in the obvious place..... Or drywall over the wet bar area on the living room side only and keep the wet bar used in the dining room; or just get rid of the wet bar and install a steel or glue lam beam (spelling?) in the ceiling to hold up the second story. Or redo the window wall with side windows and keep the upper window and put the TV where the large window is now but remove the window and sheet rock the wall and keep the fireplace and put in a sectional.....lots of options, and they will probably all fit in the budget and enhance the room and give you a new look for the room....everyone wins! Good luck and think positive....also hiring a designer might be good too as you are looking to spend a few dollars here and you should be happy about what you are spending knowing you will get a look you love. But first decide where the TV will go and what size it will be. Windows on either side of TV/entertainment area.

that's exactly what I wanted to do! it is hard to do only because I need another eye. I am doing this all by myself which is fine, but I want to do it right. I have a lot of really good photos of the boys some I have taken and some professional. I really like the first idea you sent me and I like well all of them. I never liked canvas prints because I love the rich look of a frame and even better matted. I have expensive taste on a budget lol. I am going to homegoods tomorrow. I have 4 18 1/2 x22 1/2 light barn gray photo matted frames that fit an 11x14 photo. I love them, but thinking I need more and that's the only ones I found at home goods. maybe those can be used in the gallery or in my living room above my couch.

I like the darker one because of the contrast. Sorry, but I gotta say this. The rod placement should be the same around the room. The short window looks chopped and out of place.