It really depends on your furnishings. Is the rug a pink tone? It looks like the fireplace tile just frames the fire box and then it is bare wall. You might want to add wood pilasters to the mantle. By the way, I like the cornice which means you can have a traverse rod to open and close the drapery - very convenient.

You cold paint the wall up the stairs one color and the opposite wall, while the great room gets a neutral color. See this for an example, but not nescessarily the colors:

Another idea is wallpaper up the stairs like this: (Also, notice the great runner.)

For a grey scheme, think about Cape May Cobblestone 1474 for the hallway and up the stair wall. Cumulus Cloud 1550 would look good in the rest area. For the trim, try Dove White. For tan tones, look at Northampton Putty HC-89 for the hallway and Manchester Tan HC-81 for the greatroom. For a blue and green combo, look at Polaris Blue 1649 for the hallway and Aganthus Green 472 for the greatroom.

The color you choose you could continue on the ceiling or use another color instead of white.
This space was done in Putnam Ivory by Benjamin Moore: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/what-color-are-the-walls-dsvw-vd~83631

I can't really tell the color of your carpet from the pictures, but a nice neutral, go with everything color is Revere Pewter HC-172 by Benjamin Moore. It would be helpful if you could post some pictures that show your carpet and the fireplace closer up. Sample the Revere in a few different places, I think you will like it. This pretty room is painted Revere Pewter...

Hope this helps. Charmean Neithart

HI - Yes, " Revere Pewter " is a great color that goes with everything --- And another, go with everything color is "Florentine Plaster CC-520 "by BM OR best advice is just primer paint until you see when your furniture is in and then you can pick a color.

I LOVE your mirror, where did it come from?

The mirror belongs to the seller so it is not mine. Sorry I cannot help with where they purchased it...

You have a lot of large open space and the right colors could really warm the place up. I see you have some red accents, maybe red in the dining area...it encourages conversation and makes everyone look beautiful.

I would not focus on paint until you have put together your room in a manner that works proportionally. The art over the fireplace is much to tall given the lack of height with everything else in the room. You have diminished your window completely with the art. You need to find a high point in your room that has nothing to do with the ceiling. So, you need to work off the height of your window when you are planning art in the room. What is hanging over the sofa currently is much too small (short).

Also, you need to move your upholstery off the window area. It's too close and crowded. I also cannot recommend the introduction of the leather two-seater, left side facing the sofa. A chair or two would be more suited to the space.

When you do paint, use about 1/4 the formulae for your wall paint and apply that reduced formulae on the ceiling. It would make your room more intimate to visually lower the ceilings a little and also tie them in exactly to your wall color, but breaking down the formulae, as I had mentioned.

I love the mirror as well. but I agree I believe its way to tall for that space. I love the idea of beefing up the area around the fireplace seems to flat .
Warming up the paint color would really be a big help with your furnishings. Moving your furniture around could be a big plus. Is there room to move your sofa, angling it toward the fireplace and using as sofa table behind it. The chair then could be moved to the sofa area and just might make the room more cozy . The tree then could be used to the left of the slider and building up around that area to give it a more welcome look.

Clean the carpet and walls before you move your furniture in. Live with the existing colors for awhile until you get a feel for the room with your belongings in it. Do you have an ideabook on Houzz? Go to your favorite layouts and color pics, then buy some sample pots of paint and try the colors out on your walls (let dry overnight, then pick out your colors. Don't be afraid to experiment. Congratulations on your new home.

i think i have seen the multi-colored mirror over the mantle at pier1

We just moved into our new home a month ago and still sitting here deciding on what we want to do take your time its all so worth it. I agree with Ann on getting a good feel with what you have , then play moving things around l love Houzz look at different rooms or the many magazines out there are so helpful. If you don't to buy then go to the library so many wonderful books on decorating but in the end its all in what makes you feel right in your home. I know if something I have makes me uneasy I take it away and ideas start to flow. Good luck. Keep sending us pics love it .

Is the Tv a Plasma ? if so moving the sofa would not be a problem then as you would be able to see the tv at most angles then. I think the furniture the Tv sets on is nice looking . In my opinion I am not big on hanging flat screen on wall but in this case it might be the thing to do. Or some nice art work behind the Tv would really help make it all come together. When we all move into a new space it really does take time to settle in and find what makes it all work and makes us happy with our space. you will find your happy space eventually just takes time . Have fun with it and you will make it your own.

The two things that clients always want to do first are paint and window treatments.... and they should not be decided first. They are both best considered as part of a total scheme and flow of the house. What is your upholstery? Are you buying new items, or will all you have now go the new house? Do you have leather? Do you loooooove the carpeting, or would you prefer a change to something more interesting, or even hardwood as the entry?
How open are the remaining rooms and what are the cabinets in the kitchen? What is the rest of the flooring on first floor? Don't get the buggy ahead of the horse, and first move in.. Look at your own possessions against your new backdrop, and relax....then decide what, if anything you would like to change, refresh, renew. Ps.... the mantel is wrong for the size/ stone surround. Don't even try to make a contemporary thing traditional.... ditch it before you paint. It looks like an afterthought... because it probably was.

Jan I was thinking same thing about the mantel seems wrong size for the fireplace maybe beefing it up and painting it and the cornice as well, once other things are decided 1st..

I don't mind the shade it is now. I would personally put money into hardwood flooring and beefing up the mantel. This pic from Season 2 of Sarah's House reminded me of your fireplace area.

http://www.sarahrichardsondesign.com/portfolio/project/sarahs-house2/living-room

As others suggested, live in the space and wait until you know how you'll furnish it before committing to a color. It likely wouldn't look as good painting first - you can find any shade of paint to match a couch but not vice-versa!

One thing I would consider, is doing a bolder color on the dining area wall beneath the ledge. If you are doing neutral in the large open space it might be fun to add some color here.

I'm in agreement with moving in and giving your new home time to tell you what it wants. Also, I have found it is most important to address the bones of the house. Your fireplace is a focal point and needs to become an asset. That generally takes a little time to sit and stare and it, cut out pictures of what you like and then you will find a solution. Also, the flooring should be addressed. Hardwood or a porcelain tile that looks like wood are two good choices. I just completed a project using the very narrow tiles that look like wood and had them laid in a herringbone pattern. The residents of the building thought it was wood.

A friend of mine did that tile that looks like wood and it is beautiful.

As painters, we love to have customers paint before they move in. Not having to move and then protect all the furniture means a quicker (ie cheaper) paint job. Doing a ceiling in an empty room is much, much easier than working around a clump of furniture in the middle. Plus, maybe you'll call us back when you're ready to repaint after you live there for a year or two...

With all due respect, dear Painter,
The poor woman should paint twice in two years because it is easier for you? How many EMPTY houses other than new build, and flipping rentals could keep a painter in business? I would choose a painter who doesn't mind "the clump in the middle"

Sorry, my sense of humor didn't come across to you. We very rarely paint empty rooms except for our own rehab projects. I was acknowledging your comments about customers being too hasty in picking paint colors may end up not liking the result.

Last week we painted a master bedroom for a client who lived with a color she hated for five years. In that case, we had painted all the public areas of the house and the master suite at one time. That client might have chosen some different colors originally if she had split the project into stages. Instead, she picked all new colors, left on vacation for two weeks and came back to a completely different house.

The paint colors I use are Pratt and Lambert "Toasted Wheat" in velvet for the walls, "Platinum" in enamel for trimwork, and "Balsa" in velvet for the ceilings. I have received lots of compliments on these colors. They serve as a neutral base for use of colors in carpeting, soft hardgoods, and accessories. You can't go wrong with these "brown" tinted colors. Maybe the greys of the Benjamin Moore colors are more to your liking.To each his own!

A warm neutral almost always feels right. My advice is to purchase several samples and paint patches on the wall in different areas of the house. Let them sit there for several days and observe how they look at different times of the day. Choose your favorite and then paint all the areas that same color before you move in. Moving furniture and covering belongings is much harder to do. Later, you can come back and paint a feature wall a different color or add wall paper.

your ceilings are high so this means you can go bold - I have 11' ceilings in my dining room and 9' everywhere else - I used a cape cod blue and it looks beautiful - I also had crown molding installed all around - lots of white moldings so the blue looks great. see attached photo

I just purchased my first home and painted the entire thing a valspar paint called "tempered gray". What's so nice about the color is that it is soft, yet modern and looks great against white trim. Also, depending on the time of day and amount of natural vs artificial light present, the gray takes on different hues of blue and green.

The morror that appears up top pic , I have one from "Per Inports One" if you gos under my photos you ill see the mirror, and looks different because I changed the colors i wanted. It is Beautiful!