What is your budget? What has to stay? Are you willing to have the FP and built-in removed? Then you could get a nice wide TV console and hang the TV over it. Get lighter color rug. Change the brown curtains to white or natural linen or do roman shades.

Take a picture with the entire room in 1 shot. Looks like the wicker chairs are behind the main seating area?

Sometimes it works to start with a blank room. Clear it all out. With a critical eye to 'less is more' begin putting things back one by one. I would rethink the iron work on the walls, let go of all your art between the curtain panels. I would start by removing the mantle. Find a great piece of art, perhaps your portrait? Maybe have the hearth removed. Have you considered converting the fireplace to gas? A sealed flat glass front would give it a modern look and remove the drafts. Lighting is a way to make an impact and update..the sconces and fan.

Thank you for advice. I Walsh to keep the built in. And Fireplace. I could get rid of the mantle, altogether. The fireplace has gas logs. I wish to keep sofas. Want a lighter look, I have taken down iron, and shelves between the windows. Budget hmm, low. Paint and window coverings. Do something with ceiling which I painted same color as my walls.

I wish…

And new rug

Maybe some better lighting, this room has suffered from darkness at night. Don’t know what I would put. I like the fan with no light kit. I don’t think a chandelier is what I want.

Do you need all of the seating? If it's seldom used, I'd either get rid of the chairs or one of the sofas, and a couple of the small tables. As others suggested, you might remove all of the tabletop, mantle and wall decor and then reassess what stays/goes.

I recently had my living room ceiling repaired which required packing everything up and moving furniture out of the way. I took that opportunity to purge some pieces I'd been packing around with me, house-to-house, for years. I also got rid of about 2/3rd of the decorative items in the room. What a transformation! Although the room wasn't crowded before, it now feels lighter, and more contemporary. And passing on some treasures to new owners felt liberating . . . I heard my mother's voice in my head "You've enjoyed these things for a long time, now let someone else enjoy them." I'm so glad I took the plunge.

Here is the living room. Getting rid of some wall things, removed fireplace board.

Well if I get rid of wicker chairs in corner, will this room feel naked? The big Magnolia picture is a Kirkland’s piece. I have Goodwill nearby, or Habitat restore. I have lots of my mothers chotskies. Ha ha!

Should I have cherry stained cabinet painted? My bricks smeared or painted? This fp use to have no mantle

My mother n fathers portrait could go where magnolia is. I would like to paint the room and do something with ceiling, has heavy popcorn and old water stains.

(Not a decorator) I'm always amazed at the difference a fresh cost of paint on a ceiling makes in a room! A different rug would lighten and freshen up the room.

Yes, the ceiling needs fresh paint and is the popcorn a huge no no? I have a lot of it in this old house.

Sharon - You're fortunate to have some very nice things to play with. I think if you temporarily take a bunch of stuff out of the room it will unleash your creativity. Maybe invite a friend or two over to provide different perspectives.

For me it required living with empty spaces for several days then slowly adding things back in, a layer at a time. First came the main furniture pieces I knew I wanted to (or had to) keep. I experimented with different layouts which was helpful. Then I brought back my rugs, which had been sent out for cleaning. I placed big plants in newly empty corners. Artwork and decorative items were the very last to come back in the room, one piece at a time.

Don't be afraid to let things go, or to replace things you no longer love. Make the room reflect who you are today. Go slow and have fun. It's going to be lovely and you'll be so happy you did.

Is the popcorn ceiling a no no? It's outdated & has its issues. But, removal is a project I've avoided! lol!
You have a lovely room but you are ready for something different! As others suggest, take everything out, bring in your basic sofa & comfy chair and then slowly add things back in. It will feel odd to have open areas, but give it time. Lighter rug and drapes would make a big difference and the mantle is abit overpowering.

Thank you, yes, remove as much as I can, that will be. Job! And let go. Thank you! Ready for a change, love big house plant idea also.

let go can mean packing them up for next fall/winter

The portrait has to go....to another room.

I think if the TV was over the FP you would be able to have a better furniture arrangement. And if you could take the top off the built you could breathe easier. The dark rug is ok because the floor and furniture are light. Get lighter curtains (as I suggested earlier) but the rods should be wider and the curtain width should be 2X the window width.

Fuller on window panels. Rods are too small, light weight looking?

Sharon - Do you even need the curtain panels? I usually love panels but in your case the windows make an architectural statement and are now partially hidden. See how it looks with just the shades -- I have a feeling you'll like it. If you need more light control, you could upgrade the shades, although they look pretty darn good in the pictures.

These are blinds, about 20 yr old. Room feels cold to me, bare without. My young new neighbor just put woven wood shades in her home. Stained brown….

And it is actually drafty in winter, hot in summer, south facing windows

Or plantation shutters? Expensive though