Thanks forum pals… great fun reading the posts! There is something about adding more blue to the room… it just feels like too much, maybe because blue is the dominant color in the rug? Or maybe I just haven't found the right blue?! Will continue looking at damask, but i was trying to inch away from the heavy traditional look. Not easy with my very traditional furnishings. The rose stripe sofa is pretty, but since I've lived with stripes for so many years, I'm gravitating towards less pattern and less busy. I HAVE thought about rose/red! I have a dining room that has a lot of red, which I love. I actually thought about reupholstering the 2 small chairs in a rose!? I'm thinking about something in the green family for the sofa? It's one of the colors in my rug (pale green with touch of blue) Thought about a shade slightly darker than the rug's green elements. Any thoughts? (thanks Deedee for the inspiration) I think the glass and brass table idea is super!!

Yesterday I stopped by an upholstery shop, went in and looked at fabrics and at some of their current jobs. I got a quote, based on a photo of my sofa. It would cost $900.00, not including fabric. I've decided I don't hate the fabric quite so much anymore! The guy did say that the brand sofa I have is high quality and worth reupholstering. I have heard the same thing about Rooms to Go furniture as was mentioned. NSM, love that sofa and soft blue wall color. So after work I went home and added some pops of red (I shopped my house, mostly the linen closet) to pick up the red in the rug and to add another color, as was suggested. Thank you to all who responded and gave opinions and advice. It is greatly appreciated. Here's what I came up with for now (Billie approves):

I agree that the style of the brown recliner is off for the couch and the room, but to your questions, yes, grays and browns can work nicely together. Just look at a forest in the winter. Understand that I have been using gray for over 30 years well before it was trendy-- since way back in 1987 when I painted my kitchen cabinets and the trim work in the kitchen, breakfast room and adjoining den a greige called "Norwegian Wood." In my new house, I am using gray couches (smililar to the one you show) with brown leather chairs (in fact two different browns, one a grayer brown and the other a bit redder Brown, inspired from my fireplace stone that has grays, browns, rusts and camel (or a caramelly yellow color). I did bring in more colors and warmth from the rusts and caramels in the stone with a rug, but also a bit of blue with the rug, blinds, pillows and other elements. I am not a pro and others tastes may differ, but the look pleases me and I find it serene.

Hi Laura- I am not sure why you are showing us the bird pictures. Is it because you want us to see the shades of red you like? Are those the pictures you want on the wall? I too favor light curtains, especially as your room is painted that darker gray and the sofa is that same gray. If you want red as an accent color, you can add a vertical red band to the edge of the curtain panel. See below. You can buy a light-colored curtain and have a red band sewn on by the person who does your tailoring. As for art work above the sofa, the horizontal dimension should be 75% of the width of your sofa. You could get one piece that is that width, or get two pieces whose combined width including the separation between them adds up to that. If red is your accent, have some red in your art, and have some red in your throw pillows. But don't have them necessarily solid red. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. You can use a print or stripe or textural weave with red and gray (is gray the color of your sofa? or whatever the color of your sofas, that color plus red). I would not have the coffee and side tables from the same set, that is too matchy-matchy. If your end tables are round, then the coffee table can be square. If your coffee table is square, then your end tables should be round. In any event, you do not need or have room for end tables on both end of that sectional. The side near the door has no room or need for an end table, people at that end can use the coffee table. You can use a smaller end table at the end with the lounger, and please carefully measure that space (maybe move the sectional a bit closer to the door?) before you purchase an end table. Another thing to think about (and what do you think Houzzers?) since that far corner is so tight, instead of having that floor lamp there, what about a wall mounted sconce? You would get two, one for either end of the sofa. They come in many styles, and some even are adjustable to slide up and down. You could get one that is a plug-in so that you don't have to pay an electrician. You can also get a plug in hanging ceiling fixture. I love this contemporary fixture by Torre and Tagus which is pricey, but you probably can find a less expensive version that is plug in or can be converted to plug in. I can't tell how dark a gray your walls really are. I would favor a lighter shade of gray for the walls. If red is your accent color, then I would consider a red ottoman as shown in the photo above which is also shown with a sectional. You can have a lovely large wood tray to put on top for serving, and the ottoman can serve as extra seating, and you can even find an ottoman with storage inside. As for rugs, it depends what your tastes are. If you want to go contemporary, you can get a swirl design in red, black and white and gray. Or a handmade Oriental in either a Persian or nomadic style.