I think the mirror could be wider with a bronze frame to add some contrast on the wall and tie in the other bronze in the room. A wider frame will help reflect more light in the room. I also think you need to add some accessories in front of it, not to many though. Look around your home and try different items like candles or vases.

I just came upon this thread and found it interesting since I just painted the wall and trim around my fireplace and added a mirror ($45 @Walmart)

I feel like you are going to hate me for saying this, but I loved how your room looked in your first photo. It looked lived in and cozy, now I feel it's too cold. Maybe you could add back in a few more of the items that you love and fit the personality of the room?

Stefanie Chase..the book shelves look great now. you did an excellent job rearranging them.

At the other end of the room the pictures are not quiet right. The giraffe picture needs to be centered in the middle of the wall. Now it appears to be closer to the door. And it needs to drop down a few inches. The bottom of the frame should be about an inch below the bottom edge of the lamp shade.

If it were my room I would take down the clock an dthe 3 pictures above the TV. They are all competeing for attention.

Next I would put a slipper chair at each end of the sofa facing toward the coffee table. This will get some of the light color at the other end of the room. Right now with all the white being concentrated at one end it looks unbalanced. i would probably spray paint the lamp base white and add a tray to the coffee tabkle with a group of 3 white candles a small hardbound book and a live plant. I would add a chunky cream, off white, or white throw to that end of the sofa as well.

I would put the stripped arm chair in the far left corner with a dark green throw folded neatly over the left arm.

We have already mentioned adding hurricanes to the mantle. Put dark green (is that your sofa color?) candles in them.

If you don't have the funds to buy hurricanes they can easily be made from dollar store items. Here's the link: http://www.decorchick.com/dollar-store-hurricanes/

Hope to see updated pix soon!

Bookcases do look nice color coded, however, I must ask a question. How do you find a book when you need it? I guess you figure it out. I love what bsoder61 did with her FP using the rocks. The only thing about using the mirror it what it reflects. Looks to me it's reflecting the ceiling fan. I would simplify the mantle decorations, maybe get two coordinating pictures to hang or leave the mirror. I would rework the bookcases and incorporate some textural items such as baskets, pottery, something like that. Less is more!

I really do not get the whole color coded book arrangement! Sorry, it just looks so OCD to me! Too "planned". I guess I'm just a fan of easy, under thought decor. You can spend way too much time on this, you are getting so many suggestions you have to be confused! Just do what you feel and if you are happy that's all that matters!

I have to agree with Rhonda. I hate the look of color coded books. It looks as if the people who own them don't actually read them.

Stephanie, you are so right but I was afraid to say anything. The mirror you have is gorgeous but I do believe you need something a little more in keeping with that beautiful fireplace screen, by the way I love it! If you don't want to go as ornate as that at least pick a mirror that has the same finish or just as dark. I can't tell what style you are leaning towards but if you love the fireplace screen then you should play off that! Good luck dear!

Sorry, I did not see the opposite wall until after I wrote that last post. An ornate mirror would look lovely above your fireplace, it works with the wallpaper you have in your other room!

I'm sorry I just keep popping in, I noticed your ceiling fan is a great match to the fireplace screen. But the mirror that you have above the fireplace matches all of your other picture frames. You have two different looks here and that could be throwing you off. Your frames are modern/traditional and your screen and fan are more old world. Just ONE more thing for you to be confused about! Lol!

Stephanie, listen to your "gut" feeling about the mirror. I think a darker mirror would be fine IF you want to use the mirror. I personally liked your second photo. I LIke the vase on the left, just scoot it toward the center a couple of inches. On the right side large/thick whitewashed candle holders or a large hurricane vase (for pillar type candles), maybe get some of the battery operated pillars and put them on a timer so they will come on at a set time each evening for you. Again, bring it in a few inches from the edge of the mantle. Should you decide to do a mirror, dark framed for sure, maybe round to break up all of the square edges. I think a larger dark colored charger would look very nice in the center. You could possible lay a stack of three books in front of the charger.
I like the color of your walls and the fireplace. Beautiful space!

Now you're getting somewhere! See what I've attached which is a marriage of rustic with classical, masculine with feminine and will work with your pieces.

Those are perfect! you could leave them propped...but if you decide to hang them, hang the scones low and make sure the top of the picture frames doesn't go any higher than the bottom part of the projection that is over the candles.

Oh...the dark scones help to balance the dark firebox.

No sure what you mean riffing to height of pictures as it relates to sconces? Hang picture in a line or with the middle one up a bit?

Decoenthusiaste- should I not hang pictures and leave propped? If so, then how high should I hang sconces/candles?
I could always change frame of pictures.

Am I crazy, I loved the first pic

Rivers300- you mean at the top of this chain? Oh no.

I'm liking the pictures and propped would be fine. Not so much the sconces. They're not formal enough for the gold pics. Would they work over a foyer table or sideboard in the dining room?

Looking at your pics, I would put the zebra in the center and if you have patience and time to wait, try a black undermat - Hobby Lobby or Michael's can do that.

The sconces are actually more in line with room.. It is a very casual family room. I'd prefer the change the picture frames if u think they are too "out of place"

This is fabric of two barrel chairs that will go in front of fireplace.

It felt like a cozy room, I would want to be in. Consider painting the mirror with black paint and small artist brush if you think you would like it better in black.

I like the sconces but think the gold picture frames are too heavy. I feel that you need to pick up the white from the painted fireplace and bookshelves, whether it is in the background of the pictures or even in the picture matt or frame. Im not a fan of the gold frames I think it is too much frame for not enough picture in this space. You need more light in the painting. :)

What material are the sconces? You might match that color in a frame for the pics. Do you have kids? I don't usually suggest family photos as a focal point, but since this is a family room, some black and whites of kids or family could work well. They'd need to be taller to balance well with the size of the sconces. Or, have you tried your original mirror, maybe reworked colorwise, and flanked by the sconces? See bamamom's post above.

Sconces are bronze metal.
I did not like the mirror because all it reflected was the ceiling fan.
So, I think I will reframe the pics at Michaels. The actual painting is only 5x7

5x7 is a little small. While you're at Michaels, see if they have something larger you like. I agree about mirrors - they need to reflect something beautiful. Propped ones never reflect anything we'd want to see unless there is a mural on the ceiling. I saw your earlier pic over the mantel was a giraffe. Is there an African connection here? Didn't notice the theme in your furnishings. While you're waiting for the re-framing, work on the bookcases - they could use some decluttering and some open space. Good luck!

I don't have a mantle but this is what I visualise with yours. Simple and light.Obviously keeping the theme with your more earthy approach!

I have de-cuttered bookcases a lot. What do you think? I mentioned the size of the paintings just saying that is why the frames are so big. I will look for something more earthy, rustic, yet try to pull in some white.

I have de-cluttered bookcases a lot. What do you think? I am going to look for a more rustic, earthy frame for pics, matted so they will be same size as they are now.

Its looking great! Well done.

Why not just paint the frames!

Wow! Looks awesome. I like the arrangement on the mantle as well. The dark frames will be great.
I love your wall color too! Is it more gold or buff?

Wall color is more tan/buff.
I could paint the frames! Much cheaper, too.

Thanks Stefanie on the wall color update. Trying to find nice neutral for my den.
Yes, try painting the frames. I'm a huge fan of spray paint! I did that to the big mirror over my couch. Went with an oil-rubbed bronze. Only regret, it is not as matte as I would like. Was MUCH cheaper than a new mirror.

I think the bookcases are much improved. Would put darker books at the bottom, rather than on the top because they tend to make the shelf look top heavy and unstable, although we actually know that is not the case. Just a visual trick thing! Paint the frames a bronzy brown - can't hurt - and if you find something you like better you can switch. Do think I might want to hang them to balance with the sconces. It won't look right if part is hung and part propped and they'll be too short for the visual "weight" of the sconces if propped.

I agree Hung will look better!

Agree with everything...stay tuned!

I have started to paint around my bookcase the same color and finish as the trim. ( alabaster, semi gloss). Should I continue? I then thought I would paint the back of the bookcases in the darker shade of my wall color. What do you think?

Stefanie...I love your tan wall color! Personally, I would leave the fireplace wall as is, tan, so the white fireplace surround stands out. Paint the inside (back) o fthe bookcases the darker color. Sorry!

I know you've gotten a huge amount of advice, but I agree with bamamom above - the tan wall color was fine and made the white mantel stand out nicely. Sorry that you have already started. Also agree about painting the backs of the bookshelves the same tan color, which will make your book cases stand out nicely as well.
For the wall above though, those pics are quite small for over the fireplace. It needs a single large pic (3/4 size of the mantel) and you can keep the sconces. Since there are many small things in the bookcase, you need 1 large piece in the center, over the mantel. The gold pics would look good inside the book cases in different shelves. If you can move the actual shelves so they're not so identical and even, it would look even better. Good luck and keep posting!

What is that Tan color? What name and Company? I love it!

Thank you. It is Sherwin Williams sands of time.

I like the tan colour. I think the Pictures need to be hung center of the sconces and in a straight line. The frames would look better either darker like the sconces or lighter to match the bookcases. I do think slightly larger frames would be better, 2x using your pics with a broader matt would do if you can afford it later down the track. I just think it looks a little cluttered with 3x. Then use the other somewhere else in the room but again using a frame the same as the new size! This is just my opinion as I am into symmetry, I find it so much more calming.

Your mangtel is fine. The problem with your room is that too much of the furniture is facing AWAY from your fireplace - very awkward. Try positioning sofa so it faces fireplace. Place two small chairs on either side of the fireplace. Reposition you other chairs accordingly. Your two slipper chairs might look good by the window, which I assume is on the right side of the picture.

Your mangtel is fine. The problem with your room is that too much of the furniture is facing AWAY from your fireplace - very awkward. Try positioning sofa so it faces fireplace. Place two small chairs on either side of the fireplace. Reposition you other chairs accordingly. Your two slipper chairs might look good by the window, which I assume is on the right side of the picture.

Thank you. I know I need to redo the frames. Right now I am painting the interior of the bookcases to see how it looks. Trying not to
Change too much at one time. Thank you very much for your comment!!

Thank you. I have two chairs coming that will create a separate seating area facing the fireplace. I'll post an updated photo soon.

Thanks for sharing. I apologize for not having read the previous comments as there are so many!
I'm not sure how far you want to go with this mantle, but if plans include a renovation, and your ceilings are a traditional 8' to 9' (even better) height, a beautiful custom overmantel would work with the bookcases. A good design can incorporate the two. Since your bookcases extend to either wall, suddenly, a painted (enamel to match the bookcases) overmantel gives you a instant and gorgeous focal point and a rich, stylish custom look that's also functional. Find your favorite family picture, measure it and have the carpenter incorporate a suitable moulding to double frame the piece once on the wall several inches out from the frame in your art. Imagine the windows in this ie. picture are your bookcases.

Updated photo.