You would have many more options if you did not have that sectional. Is there any chance of that?

That color should be pretty easy to work with. here are a couple inspiration rooms I found that might help.

I would be willing to get rid of the sectional, but it is super comfortable, so I would be a bit sad to see it go.

TCox - The sofa color looks so much better in those photos - thank you for the quick reply and ideas! Do you have the link for the second room? I'd love to know that paint color!

Great space. What do you love in the room? Any art you want to use?

I'd start by removing the valances and only use panels. Can you get something with a pattern? Can the blue tablecloth be removed completely? I'd also add something organic to the room...I love the chest as a coffee table suggested in tcox's picture. Also, you can refurbish the dated brass. I've done this before with spray paint and an updated lampshade. Add patterned throw pillows on the sofa to add color. Great space!

Well, if the sofa is comfortable and you would be sad to see it go, I would keep it. It was just a question to feel you out;)

Do you have a view out the windows? Looks like sun fade and glare may be problems. I'd think about top down/bottom up shades all around. Meanwhile, I see a lot of remnants of the 1980's here, so go ahead and get rid of the valances, blue table cloth, the short end tables by the sofa, the brass lamp, the oak table in the entry and the coffee table under the TV. You'll need new end tables. Here's a chart to help you size them right for the arms of your sofa, and to find lamps the right height. The TV needs to sit on a credenza (not a TV stand) 25% wider than it. A large round coffee table will counter balance all the rectangular windows. Don't make the mistake of buying a matched set of these items. Then end tables can match, but keep the other pieces individual for the most updated look. A photo of the entry will help us determine what to do there. Clary Sage is a good color for your space. Consider reupholstering the sofa pillows in imitation of the ones in these two photos.

Paint color in middle picture is very close to Benjamin Moore Constellation.

Can you take the valances down and retake the photos in daylight?

Also, it would be useful to match the sofa color to a paint chip, ditto for carpet color. Take a pillow and a scrap of extra carpet (or tiny clipping of carpet fiber - closets are a good place to snip a tiny bit of fluff) to the paint store, pick up the chip cards, circle the best matches with a Sharpie.

Thank you for all the advice! As requested, I'm including pictures taken at dusk for better lighting, and also of the front entryway. Gold everywhere, I know!

Oops, forgot the attachments!

ah, that's much more brown than it looked

You don't want everything to match but you DO want it to be in a similar style. I'm seeing contemporary, Asian, country and early American all mixed together. Also you do not have a focal point or inspiration piece and no color palette and the art you have is way too small and non descript

No wonder you don't know what to do!

It's a nice space and I like your sofa and your black table and chairs. That's all I would keep.


Remove ugly and outdated valances.
Remove the 2 pieces of art on walls. They don't work and are too small.
Replace early American side table with something black and sleek like your table and chairs.
Take off that tablecloth and let the table be seen with a plant or bowl as centerpiece. Tablecloth is a dated look.
Find a prominent piece of art as your focal point and color inspiration to hang across from sofa.
Use that new piece to give you your color palette for accessories and pillows.
A rug in the living room would help define the space, in the same colors as art piece.
A round black coffee table
This should be a lot of fun because your room has good bones and your 2 most important pieces of furniture are good ones.

I'd lighten and brighten the entire room. It feels very drab in sage green with your soft beige sofa. First ground the room with a lovely traditional pattern area rug to set the tone for color choices. Then you truly must remove the current window treatments and table cloth, end tables, etc.. then balance the room with adding some color in pillows and chair fabrics and add classic drapery panels with a complimenting color fringe or trim. Shop your local furniture consignment houses for some nice one-of-a-kind antique furniture pieces to fill your room with. Also, your room needs life with plants and greenery. If you do not have a green thumb to grow orchids or begonias indoors then look into botanically correct faux florals and plants perhaps from NDI or Windward Silks. ~ good luck!

Why match the color to the sofa...??? Find another color that will compliment the sofa and window treatments...it will become much more interesting!

found the link for the second pic.

Hi...art is nice behind a sofa, but what about windows behind a sofa? Say there's only new throw on the couch, more added with faded floral at window for something? with either green or grey-ish walls....but more photos and your comments needed. :)
http://www.jcpenney.com/windows/marthawindow-faded-floral-grommet-top-sheer-panel/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002940800&pageSize=72&searchTerm=window+panel&catId=SearchResults&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP0823201318041235C.tif


white/ grey walls.
http://www.jcpenney.com/windows/royal-velvet-ardesia-rod-pocket-sheer-panel/prod.jump?ppId=pp5003590794&pageSize=72&searchTerm=window+panel&catId=SearchResults&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP1212201317362575M.tif

Thank you for the thoughtful comments - I can't express how appreciative I am of the time you all have taken to think about my living room. In response to the overwhelming comments, I removed the blue tablecloth. Does it look too barren now, or will it look better with some accent color pieces (maybe that bright green suggested in TCox's comment)? (Obviously, the side tables and valances still need to go.)

Apple Pie Order - Unfortunately, I don't have any artwork that would fit this room, but perhaps I could find something with a bright green. I do love the comfort of the sectional and the ability to entertain lots guests (lots of seating, open space, ability to watch TV from round table while eating).

Barcis - I do like the idea of a trunk as a coffee table - something to sit on and use as a table! And yes, the refinishing brass is on my to do list... :)

JTBino - Thank you for the paint color - I love that shade of blue!

Decoenthusiaste - I do like the idea of the accent pillows - thank you for the pictures!

TCox - I think the lighting is hard to capture, but actually, the brown is a lot like the browns in the pictures you captured. I'm also super impressed you went through 57 pages of pictures for me!

Marilynellis - I like all of your specific suggestions - especially the idea to add a rug to the living area. I hope the room can one day look "new traditional" with some Asian accents. (My husband is Asian, and I'm half, so we have a lot of Asian pieces gifted to us.)

Leanne - I do have a love for gardening, so I love the suggestion to add some plants. (I don't know if you can see it, but in the corner by the front door, I have a small orange tree.)

Thank you all!

I often post these bamboo/wood roman shades, highly rated at jcpenneys.com. Since you have wood already, what about white at each window?
http://www.jcpenney.com/shops/back-to-school/jcp-home/jcpenney-home-bamboo-woven-wood-roman-shade/prod.jump?ppId=1d6e1c9&searchTerm=bamboo+blinds&catId=SearchResults&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP0711201215281545M.tif

or 1 beautiful rod for 2 windows / gathered between windows, or at night covering them?
http://www.jcpenney.com/windows/jcpenney-home-naples-grommet-top-bamboo-panel/prod.jump?ppId=1a09b3e&searchTerm=bamboo+blinds&catId=SearchResults&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=0900631B81AAFFD8M.tif

http://www.jcpenney.com/windows/serendipity-rod-pocketback-tab-curtain-panel/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002290448&pageSize=72&searchTerm=window+panel&catId=SearchResults&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=DP1116201217450666M.tif

I think the walls painted BM Sliver Fox, with pale blue acessories, pillows, throws, artwork

Take down curtain valances, nice drapes

Nice area rugs

Everdebz - I think some of your ideas are a bit more modern than I'd like to go, but there are 3 accessories you recommended that I absolutely love:
White JPC bamboo curtains
Nourison Chambord CM01 5'6" x 7'5" Green Area Rug 53834
Guinea Feather Throw Pillow, Burnished Gold, 20" X 20"

Blenheimnewzealand - I love that light white and blue rug!

It sounds like I need to decide on grey, light blue, or green as my color, and then go from there. You guys have provided some great ideas though, and I am SO appreciative!

By the way, I was in the wrong search when I went 57 pages! the greige sofa search was for someone else. Your search was brown sofa and it came up pretty quick from there. yes, those pics look pretty close to your color. This site is addicting :-). There are so many possibilities it's easy to get stuck.

vm3y, every shot of your room is a different color. Your walls go from light green to bright green to gold. I suspect the truest colors are those in the single daylight photo you posted. So my first suggestion is that you change your bulbs.

Look for a light bulb with a higher color temperature measured in Kelvins. Somewhere around 5000K will give you closer to daylight. Lower color temperatures produce the yellower undertones you're getting now.

Also look for the highest CRI (color rendering index) you can find.

I would get several bulbs and experiment a bit to find the one that shows the space in the best light (pun intended). Then I'd replace every bulb in the space.

Also, your sectional seems to have definite pink undertones which don't play well with the green walls. It intensifies both. After changing the light bulbs, consider repainting if you're keeping the sectional.

A warmer neutral on the walls will go a long way toward settling down the uncomplementary look.

Groveraxle - Wow, what a difference! I didn't even recognize the room. Do you think BM Constellation would work, as suggested by TCox and jtbino? Or is that too cool of a color?

BM constellation is too cool:

Look more toward something like Revere Pewter:

That is perfect - thank you!