Hi all....I have pasted the latest comments in words and will respond to each of you. As I stated before I had no idea I would get this many remarks so it's only polite to respond to each comment...stand by :-)

I love Bobbi's sepia photo framed idea. Also, if you like a little eclectic, I vote for an exoctic animal print rug. (and a more modern lamp).

beautiful sofa!. Definitely art, not a mirror. I mostly loathe contemporary art, so am in conflict with most postings here, but agree with most of them that art would work best. Buy a painting or print that you really LOVE. Pick up its colors in small accessories. As lovely as your furniture is, this piece will be the focal point of the room. Clearly you have great taste. I'm not worried. Good luck, I'm sure it will be awesome.

TXMAGCA

I am very familiar with the “DUMP” but never been there. My sister lives in Virginia Beach and she talks about this place all the time which is located in Norfolk, VA. In regards to the large German piece, I measured from the back to the front of the center piece and it is 18” and I allowed for the slight curve (if that’s what it is) and I added about 4” for a total of 22” in depth. My concern is where would I put the chairs and ottoman? I could put the chairs at an angle to each other in front of the bay window. I agree moving that large piece there could overwhelm the space. The room is not going to be used for anything and it’s not that large.

I checked Pottery Barn and saw nothing I liked. I get really overwhelm with all those patterns and afraid I will choose the wrong one. I just want it to be right and not purchase something because I need to right away. You can always tell when it’s right….the item speaks to you…TAKE ME WITH YOU :-)

Emgguitarist

I have now :-) and you are correct that is a lot of wall to try and fill up with art. A lot of sun does come into that room and for some reason does focus on that wall. Gonna get my husband to help me rearrange this weekend and see what it looks like.

First of all, those side chairs are killer. Do a mixed medium - artwork, mirrors in different sizes/shapes.

Great suggestion, Darcy, on the animal print rug. That would bring in touches of black (ie. leopard print) along with some neutrals plus add some drama & updated visual appeal.

Safavieh Martha Stewart Kalahari Brown Rug, Rugs USA. Luvthegoodlife - nothing wrong with a little drama and it would update the room. You could do it, really, you could.

Tx..i'm on the website but do not see the rug...there are so many. I type the name in the Search box but nothing...let me keep trying

Tx...is this it?

TX...I really like the one from Shaw Floors you posted. I'm going to try and upload my room

Dear Ms. Goodlife: AH-ha! I had to take my Mom's rug to the cleaners today (the RUG place) and they were having their annual Tent Sale. While these are investment rugs - I did think of you, asked some questions and finally came up with what I was trying to explain to you about looking in Pottery Barn at some different rug styles.

The rugs, I have been speaking about are called "WASHED or ANTIQUED" oriental rugs - VERY soft colors, all look aged. Just fabulous - although I have to say, I don't know many folks right now, on ths site purchasing $18,000.00 area carpets. - THUS - my further suggestion about the "DUMP" where they DO sell, high end- quality rugs at huge discounts. We have one in Atlanta. Soft golds, blues, beiges - whatever you think you might like - in these WASHED orientals - are just beautiful.

I could certainly see one of these in your lovely room. SO, IF you DO make it to the Dump, or another carpet and rug place - ask to see their Washed or Antiqued Oriental style rugs.

Perhaps moving one of the chairs to a position facing the German piece, then a nice sized custom ottoman, in the center? And a floor lamp, or you could pull the small table with the lamp closer to the single chair located somewhat in front of the windows, facing the cabinet? This might break up the cluster look and the chairs would be more singled out, and stand out better since they are so stunning?

I also thought about this: I mentioned Rejuvenation Hardware previously - they have fabulous high-end light fixtures, grouped in period and style. Have you considered adding wall sconces above your sofa? Please just look at this site for some ideas? I like the wall sconces as they are these days, so unexpected in a home - and add so much to a space with an architectural element. You can mix and match the hand blown shades, or globes, or whatever? OR just use it for some ideas?

This will still you leave you a space to add a beautiful painting over the sofa.
I don't know what you like to do in spare time - one thing I have always enjoyed are gallery openings? Gallery walks - in neat towns - where you go gallery to gallery - wine, friends, etc.
You can usually find listings for these things in local papers - or even in Southern Living Magazine (since you mentioned VA. Beach) - get some ideas of what YOU like in paintings and purchase one - it will always be special as you recall finding this piece and purchasing it just for your home.

Please let us know what you decide. Hey - its only stuff - and it should be FUN!

That's georgeous! see if you can also find one which looks like a giraffes body - it is the same idea - but the colors are in larger portions? make sense?

That was the style but I think you picked out the "sand" rather than the brown with the blacks in it. Remember, the colors on your monitor may not be what you see in real life in your room. I'll attach some images. Whatever you get go a shade down rather lighter from your tone if you cannot match. And listen to NexTrend about the black or espresso to anchor and balance with the German Mahogany and add drama. Here are some neutrals but flip through "animals prints" on Rugs USA. Click on the pics to enlarge to get a better idea of the colors on the rugs. Looks like you'll find an animal print with your color. There is so much there. A giraffe is included below as well as an animal print with a traditional border. All found under the animals prints category on www.RugsUSA.com. Back to your orig dilemma, art. Refer to NexTrend's tips in same one that she explains the hits of black or espresso for the rug. Or use on frames for your grouping of prints. You know, sometimes Houzz has uploads problems so cannot attach at present.

You're almost there! Just make sure your animal print rug has black in it. It'll remain a little too dull without the dramatic touches of some black.

Luvthe goodlife - The rug you posted I think has blue, not the darks and black. It is a different color selection of the same rug.The site keeps posting and won't delete answers so one of my answers is repeated endlessly. I can't get it to attach an image either today but that sometimes happens on houzz. Apologies. will try to see if site will clean up later.

rugsusa. just ideas. I switched to Chrome browser and could upload. Internet Explorer has quirks.

Ideas so that you look outside the box. One above is too gold. Wish the second one here had a black border but that can be done.

I like all three above. I am currently on Shawrugs.com where I have posted my living room pictures and trying on some rugs. I am going to see if I can transfer these three from Rugsusa and apply to my floor...may take me a month or two to figure out how to do this (just kidding) but I will figure it out. I see now where all of you are going with this. I never would have thought a pattern rug would work but it can. I've only been thinking about solids all this time. Let me ask you something...why black accent in the rug?

Ooohhhhhhhh...I wish this had black in it

Here's one with a black border

NexTrends covered it. Quotes here from her posts: "For example, if you go with art that has colors & images you love plus some black in it with a black or espresso (brown/black) frame, then your carpet would do well to have a dark border and a few hits of black in design of the rug. Then the accessories will be more easily chosen out of the colors in the art plus a few hits of black. "
And see Arlen Warda's room photo posted above. See how it has neutrals but has the black accents to punch it up? And you have the heavy piece on the wall that needs balance to the furniture side of the room. And Arlene's photo also shows the photo grouping arrangement that you could aim towards.
To quote more of NexTrend: "Luv, I'd like to see more drama to wake up your space, not just neutrals throughout. You've got plenty of "YIN" (feminine curves) in your seating already, so I'd opt for some "YANG" (masculine) straight or geometric lines in an area rug to balance it all out, plus some black. Arlene's photo shows the square/rectangular rug with more smaller squares in the design, which illustrates my point. "
You do have A LOT of yin. I'd almost feel like I'd need to change my outfit to something prim and wash my hands to sit in the room as it looks now. With the animal print and dark accents I could feel comfortable sitting in there in any current fashion (but I'd still make sure to have clean hands :-) The animal print will update the space and give it a bit of punch.

Dear Luv, you are in the golds almost but you are in the patterns!. Start with your size in rectangle and then head for brown, select and compare some. Then head for beige, select and compare.
http://shawfloors.com/area-rug/Rectangle/10_And_Higher/8%27_X_10%27_(approx.)

Chamelon Shaw

The above has texture to it as well. So much to compare. Have fun.
http://shawfloors.com/area-rugDetails/Chamelon_3P185-Multi

Hasta for a few days

tx...this is the one....LOVE IT!!! Im in Shawfloors website now...what type is this under? Contemporary...Traditional?? Also what is Hasta?

Great. Click the link above and it will take you there. My only entries were 8x10 rectangular and probably brown, maybe beige or black. "Hasta" is part of "hasta luego or hasta la vista, It means "until" in Spanish.
Hasta luego, Luv, off to the spa

...

More "Behind the Sofa" Ideas.

Thanks, Melissa! these are great ideas, very classy! I like the post with mutiple pictures, one post above!....

Thank you so much Arlene! Given everything else in the room was staying the same, I'd say I'd end up going with something most similar to that also... sort of the whole package there with added interest through color/subject matter and the shape of the grouping to balance out the room. :)

No problem, so are you studying interior design?

Studied fine arts and psychology in my college days and always try to continue self-study but really just a life long lover of all things architecture and design (both my first "loves")... have worked for others in the field in the past and have been lucky enough to take on some small projects in my area throughout the years - hoping to be able to grow and continue in the future! ...design has always been an obsession, and then I found Houzz, uh oh! ;) My current ongoing project (which brings me here so much) is the restoration of a single family folk victorian in PA... trying to bring it back from the dregs of a 1960's apartment conversion on a serious budget... definitely a challenge, but who doesn't enjoy a little challenge, right? :)

Thanks for you post! reach me anytime on my e-mail. awarda@aol.com!..

For you Luv, my 2 favorite rugs shown above (well done, Txmagca!) are the Chameleon Shaw & the Zebra Stripes. The Zebra has bigger hits of black which would look incredible, plus it looks like it has a few shades of your soft beige/champagne upholstery colors. The Chameleon rug would also look fabulous (I hope the beige colors have the right undertone with your upholstery and are not too yellow/tan). Chameleon has an added color that looks like a smoky teal on the photo... very classy. That immediately gives you the accent color to work with for cushions and accessories. Ideally, you'd want to get both rugs to compare with your upholstery and then return one (or potentially use it in another room).

Before you actually buy rugs, immediately start looking for art & take along photos of the 2 rugs. One way to begin your first art shopping trip is to just start snapping photos of art you like, no buying yet. Then come home & try to narrow down your choices to the top 3-5. Giving yourself some time to decide can help clarify your direction. Feel free to post photos here if you want more input. Happy shopping!

WOW - Ms. Goodlife & TXMAGCA - that IS EACTLY the disarticulated Giraffe I was talking about - and it comes in a softer color closer to Ms. Goodlife's colors. Well, i have even seen it in a soft blue! FABULOUS - that is it! I think I like this one, for the room, because the pattern is not so busy and dense as the spotted looking one. GREAT job!

I am going to reinforce the yellow undertones problem for you when rug hunting but you'll see it when you have the rug next to the pillow. Shaw has a sale Oct 1 - Nov 17. Type in your zip code and see which of their affiliates/centers suits your needs.
Great idea on photographing the art you see out there and bringing it back.

I agree with whoever said do not buy mass produced art from China. Please go to Etsy.com and look at their home designer items. People have shops on there from the US, Canada and all over the world. You can usually get custom sized items and can easily contact the shop owners with questions. Some shops also have repurposed vintage items you might want to look at. Just put what you would like to look at in their search engine. Paris photography or whatever. I have a photography shop, nancyhehmann on their. Have fun.

Love etsy

Mahogany mirror windows could expand the room and bring out the wood tones in the other furniture.

The above mirror windows aren't working for me with this furniture. 1: the grouping is too wide for the couch, 2: they're too boxy and lack curved lines which the furniture needs. The close up photo shows that they're quite classy looking & would reflect a lot of light & be a great idea in the right setting. Thanks for the idea... would like to try them sometime.

I still help with this room. HELP

Have you made any changes the last few years? Updated photos?

No...not sure what to do...at a complete standstill. Although I have been looking

Wow, your first post was Sep 2012 and still at a standstill? Maybe you need design intervention. (smile).

Is this a room you never use?

Here is a photo with a couple of easy fixes: Paint the walls and pull sofa out a few inches. Hang a large round mirror behind the sofa, add a rug to warm the space up and anchor the seating area.

You don't even need to paint. Just buy this rug: on sale for $321 from $660. 100% wool, 5 by 7 ft 9 inches.

Buy this mirror:

40 inches wide.

Have you found a rug yet? What style are you looking for?

No I have not but I appreciate what has been suggested but if it does not excite me immediately then I know it is not the rigut piece