IMO you need to pick a style , I see not advantage to painting that brick if the elk is staying the brick as is is a much better backdrop. The railing is now quite modern and IMO does not work with window grids or your decor. The mantel is too cluttered and I do not like familt photos in public spaces I love them displayed in halls going to bedrooms or maybe at most a couple of framed ones on a piano. So a nice piece of art where your wedding pic is would be nice as for the mantel delete the clock and add another piece of art and thats it for there except at Christmas when you can add a bit of that decor . Make sure all the lighting is LED 4000K then see if the wall color stillworks it is hard to tell what it is now .

Other end of elk?

I do agree with @Patricia Colwell Consulting about not painting the fireplace brick & the cluttered look of family photos. I would gather all of them up & create a gallery / collage of them on one wall - maybe the wall at stairway landing if you want them close to view & not hidden. Make the large wedding prtrait the centerpiece & arrange around it. Then yes, a great piece of art over the couch that complements the space - a landscape or nature piece. I’d change the clock on FP too for appropriate art. Making that one change of gathering up ALL of the photos & adding single larger art over couch & FP will, I think change the look of the space from too busy to more restful & relaxing. Easier to focus on each item.

Millworkman, the elk was from one of my husbands dear friends who passed away, so has sentimental value. Patricia, I agree with the photos needing to be moved and a larger piece of art on the mantel. And I appreciate your input on the railing, but I like mixing styles so this is not an issue for me. KW thank you for your input on moving the family photos to one wall, that makes sense, as I know I would appreciate them more in a public space.

@lbur1999 What I didn’t say about making a gallery of the family photos is that viewed together, they take on much more importance. To make the arrangement appealing to the eye - the arrangement, not the photo subjects - there should be a common theme that unites the individual pieces. The easiest or most logical is a style of frame - limit to 3 styles; colors of frames, at least 2, maybe 3. I have a gallery wall along stairs & have red & black frames only but 3 different styles. My arrangement is a combo of photos of family & dog, special meaning cards (all given to me & with hummingbirds in art) & a couple of word signs with sayings. Very casual but guests stop on the stairs often to take a closer look. I also use 3M picture hanging velcro for the lighter pieces because I rearrange when adding. This helps avoid a wall looking like a dartboard! So, gather up all your photos, fold a sheet the size of wall space you'll use & make a mockup. It's harder than ome thinks to create a great arrangement!

Is it possible to completely remove carpet from the stairs? It isn't an enhancement, IMO. What are the treads and risers made of?

I believe they are unfinished pine.

Grey carpeting seems good, along with grey hearth, black tv.. imo, it's a 'blend'.

Elk "has the stage", so maybe a mild/soft watercolored nature scene, not a dressy frame.

Original Watercolor "Ice, Fog" by Henry Brown, 2010 · More Info

THUNDERSKY Nautical Landscape Fine Art Gallery Wrapped on Giclee Canvas, 36x48 · More Info

Seems like wood color - 39"

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To my eye, this space has a couple of challenges: 1) conflicting styles and 2) scale. I understand the appeal of mixing styles. Most people do it to some degree. But things have to work together and not fight. I see tiny Victorian windows, tiny framed photos, modern stair railing, mountain cabin elk, and traditional furnishings. I think it’s too disparate to read as cohesive and planned. If you want to mix things up, I’d paint the railing black, clean up the mantle — maybe set 2-3 pieces of white, matte pottery on it — get a large ivory and black rug with a modern/transitional vibe, replace the windows with larger ones, remove the half circle window entirely and Sheetrock there. Then get a huge piece of canvas art to hand on that wall that ties cabin elk to rustic modern. I’d probably paint every, too, probably a fresh but warm white, including the window trims. I’d remove the stair carpet and add new treads and a runner. Agree with consolidation of all the family photos to a halfway gallery. You can add in other color with art and pillows, side chairs, etc.

*hallway gallery, not halfway. Goodness.

What a lovely home! A few tweaks to the decor and it will be so luxurious and restful. I agree with what has been said above about the family pics/ art etc..please don't paint the brick it is nice looking and makes the space. The Elk is amazing.

I would want wood treads with a carpet runner up middle.

in the living room I think a properly sized creamish color rug with some new throw pillows and light colored throws over the leather chairs will finish out the space and give you a nice refresh.

Uncle Buck Cloud Feather Down Decorative Throw Pillow, 24x24 · More Info

Search for “family photos up staircase” in photos and you’ll see lots of examples. Then you could group the family photos and use that wall.

How does anyone watch the tv in this room?

Look up rustic elegance get some ideas it would look warmer if you painted walls white and brought texture in with pillows and throws in lighter colors

idk what this is like in person - my question is would it look good at mantel height, and elk way above. Cables are metal too? This is metal.

"Red Leafs B" UV Ink Print on Brushed Aluminum, 40"x40" · More Info

@Valinta -see those 2 big, really comfy looking recliners with the table & lamp between them? That’s how anyone watches TV in this room. Someone else might stretch out full length on the equally comfy looking couch and watch TV in this room.

Warms over the sofa?

Henri Le Sidaner Small House by the Eau River at Chartres Gallery Wrapped Canvas · More Info

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"Last Boat in the Bay" Digital Paper Print by Katherine Gendreau, 50"x34" · More Info

Stairs - might 4 smaller ones look 'neater' than 1 - 3?

Original Vintage 1925 Fern Print Framed, Set of 4 · More Info

Stairs -- this type, arranged just like this?

Original Vintage 1950's Botanical Fruit and Pine Trees Framed Print, Set of 3 · More Info

everdebz - thank you for all your examples of art! I do like the MIST IN THE FOREST art. This would be over the couch correct? Also I like the Western View I, would this work over the mantel?

Rawketgrl - Thanks for your kind words and ideas! I'm trying to gradually improve this room to where I want it to be but it has been a challenge.

Those rich abstract paintings breathe so much personality into this mostly white space.

http://www.pooviartgallery.com

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Beverly is on your thread, and good thing, cause I can't tell if Western 1 is large enough, yes on fp wall.

What does it all measure -- from mantel to edge of elk's 'frame'? width of entire brick structure?

If MIST were over sofa, it would look very drab, with mostly muted colors, not large enough.

What is width of sofa?

Here's another til tomorrow... such nice house, wood framing... in a way a tiny bit more wood is nice. I gather you don't want much rustic... ?

"Kortoba" UV Ink Print on Natural Pine Wood, 60"x40" · More Info

How about lowering the mantle and thickening it, and putting a frame TV above it that can show artwork and looks like a painting when no one is watching, along with some pottery items -- including candleholders -- on the mantle? I also agree with taking the carpeting off the stairs, to highlight the woodsy feel. Perhaps Mission or Shaker style furniture would be a nice transitional type of style to pull together some of the divergent styles in the room? I generally love cable railings, but perhaps given that the house style is decidedly not going to be modern, it would make sense to replace it with something more wooden? If you dislike the brick, I wonder if a stone facade would keep that feel yet provide something more neutral/more natural? What a wonderful palette to work with!

Found this artwork today... some before and afters. Still a work in progress, next up the carpet on the stairs. :)

Before

After

@lbur1999 Love the fern prints! Perfect because they’re so simple in subject yet also very strong & dramatic with the black background. The size is very good too. Also like the look of the hearth with fewer items on it - and ’stronger’ too. Love the basket.

ETA: have you begun playing with an arrangement for gallery wall yet? That’s a project!

KW - no I haven’t done anything with the family pic arrangement yet. I still need some art over the couch so I will be doing that next. To tell you the truth that will probably be last as I’m kind of nervous about doing that project…lol. But I feel like I’m making headway with this room. What a difference scale makes! Definitely needed larger items in this room.

@lbur1999 Totally understand about the gallery project! It will take time but really should be fun..easiest thing to do is tape off wall to proposed size to get a feel for that space. Then create that size space in an put of the way place so you can lay out frames & decide which work, I see a trip to buy some different frames for some pics! As for the art over couch - that takes time too. No rush to buy a decorator print - when you see a piece that makes you say - That's it! I love it! then you buy it. You did really well with the fireplace so you do know what works

Thank you :)

I would not touch the fireplace…it’s very nice. Maybe arrange the framed photos so they aren’t so regimented. A few throws on the chairs and sofa would be nice on a chilly night.
An area rug from the hearth and reaching under at least the front legs of the sofa. A matching or coordinated rug for the leather chairs (also under the front legs). And yes, some more art in the stairwell.