Firstly, your room is beautiful, serene and live able just as it is! I love every single thing about it. My suggestions for it--- although you know I have different inclinations with respect to color and accessorizing :) ----are these: Move the table back behind the long axis of the sofa. Do a few taller, substantial lamps (maybe with metal or ceramic bases as a contrast to the wood? Or perhaps blue and white Chinese export porcelain ginger jar lamps in a large scale?) on it that would give task reading light to someone on the sofa at night or on a dark day. And have you tried the small chairs on top of that table? As to the corner, I agree that the bookcase from your former house is too formal (but it is completely fabulous!). The sewing table is too small. We had a similar problem situation in Florida. The kids need a computer, but they also need, or will need, a place to write as they're reading on the Internet, particularly for essays and term papers. One kid with schoolbooks needs the same amount of room as three kids :) We solved this with a custom table (not expensive, there are places you just pick the top and legs, and you could do a distressed (or not) gray or white or taupe or a wood of your liking. It was NARROW-- about 20 inches--- and very wide, so they could all sit in a row or one could spread out the books laterally. You could then use two or three of those armless blue leather chairs from your previous home, if they would fit, or get inexpensive leather parsons chairs if they won't. I love the pale rug! A "winter" rug with blues and reds might be a nice change....maybe a very worn out Persian. Finally, you can get a custom runner from Maslan or Stark carpets. I would not have separate ones sewn together as they will wear differently at the seams. Stark has some lovely patterns in blue and white or cream that look sort of rustic but not at all country, iykwim.

I think the rug is fine, just pull the sectional away from the wall so you don't have that expanse of space to the left. Furniture shouldn't really be smack against the wall anyway. Another suggestion- Have you thought about painting the back wall of your shelving unit another color than brown? Right now it looks very dark. Why not take some posterboard/chipboard, you can buy huge ones for a dollar at the dollar store and paint them them different colors and cut them to fit the back of the shelves (not the shelves themselves.) Also see what you think about your wall color, some of the colors in your carpet, too. You can also use the same chipboard and cover it with wrapping paper, fabric or wall paper, something rather neutral so your children's artwork will shine. This way, it will be temporary and you can change it up any time the mood strikes, and you can involve your children in the project, too.

celerygirl and mrykbee I think you nailed it with the blue and white rug!! I need to start saving up for it. Maybe a large green palm sort of plant/tree?! I am so touched by this site - the fact that folks take time to research and play with my photo really blows my mind.

@Patricia Colwell thanks! Our TV is in the corner in the bottom right of the bottom picture (you can see our daughter there). We’re doing a corner fireplace there as well. So would you suggest leaving the sofa where it is and doing two chairs where the loveseat is now? Like this pic?