Have you thought about installing sconces on the panels beside the picture? You could also use a picture lamp to highlight the picture. I agree that you should not use small items. For the hearth you could add nautical themed items, like a boat oar to add height or some fishing balls. I would also add an area rug in blue and white or blue/beige to tie your color scheme together.

your room is beautiful !! You have it great as it is. Just 2 ideas come to mind, remove little orchids sense they are not working there, Either replace the painting with a tall vertical mirror, maybe even an oval one with a hefty nautical frame, OR add another painting above this one (same theme) as it is gorgeous !! Leave the mantle alone... less is more !! Love the idea of adding an orr, or other sailing accents.

Just got home and I thank you all for the wonderful ideas...keep 'em coming! Marybraue, the paint color is Dunn Edwards Floating Feather. The area above the fireplace was done with a little more dark tint of e same shade.

In your picture, which is excellent by the way, try to see what I see-- two long/tall windows and long/tall wall above the mantle. If you see that then isn't the shape, direction, and size of the picture out of place?
Second point is your trying to draw the eye with the white flowers and vases. Your correctly trying to interest the viewer. These items aren't accomplishing that so take them out for now. Think about drama on the floor with an area rug under the glass coffee table. Things look to be solid colors, so think of design and or muti-colors. If not the floor then put you statement on the wall above the mantle. Polishing off a great room is always the hardest part because you can go in so many different directions and so many are great ways to go.
last, perhaps a thicker mantle. I glued (well, the handyman did!) I beautiful wood on top of a flimsy mantle once. Doesn't have to match.

I would have the urge to paint the two column-like walls and wall above the mantle all white, something to tie in with the mantle. Then the mantle and walls would stand out more. have fun!

Every time I see your lovely room I think it needs drapes to help soften the overall feel. Right now it is beautiful, but is too perfect. It doesn't look like you could just walk in and sit down.

I am going to back up to what I said earlier: I believe it is because of the symmetry. An odd number of items on the mantle would bring comfort to the room. Three tall slender candlesticks grouped at one end with tall tapers to draw the eye to the picture would would beautifully. Especially if you used two identical and one that was slightly different. They would add interest. You might consider using a few narrow books stacked horizontally; perhaps with a small white bowl or plant placed on top. This would balance the 3 candle holders.

And, as others have stated, a rug to make the room feel finished.

I hope you will post updated pictures!

Beautiful pieces in there but like I tell my clients...you need to step out of your box! You obviously are a very symmetrical person and that's fine but if you step out of your box even just a little, your room will come to life and warm the room up. A colorful print rug under your table and under at least part of your couches would liven things up. The mantel...keeping the picture, I say an architectural piece (keeping with the theme of the picture) above it to help raise the eye up. Also, LOVE the shutters but to help warm the room up even more how about decorative panels out of a beautiful fabric on either side of them. Remember to hang your nice size rods about 6 " above your window trim to again raise the eye. One orchid if any on the mantel is plenty. Maybe 3 candles of different heights on one side instead. Have fun with it all...you are almost there!

If you could all have the opportunity to meet my friends and read your comments regarding symmetry, they would laugh out loud! Very true...and sad, because the quirky side of my personality is not coming through, but the orderly part of my personality is. Let me see what I can incorporate quickly and get some revised photos out in the next few days. My sincere thanks to all, and feel free to add more comments should you feel inspired to do so!

Some more questions for you....thoughts on adding a garden stool or other small table between two blue chairs? Also, thoughts on adding a sofa table behind white sofa and also changing out the coffee table? Ideas? Help is appreciated. :)

Some more questions for you....thoughts on adding a garden stool or other small table between two blue chairs? Also, thoughts on adding a sofa table behind white sofa and also changing out the coffee table? Ideas? Help is appreciated. :)

Looking again at your fireplace and I've changed my tune. The raised detail on your fireplace is trim not wall and should be painted white.

And for your quirky side, change the coffee table. It is quite traditional.

Nice room. I vote for drapes (of course :) and the patterned rug under sofa and chairs, and "expanding" the fireplace by painting the side columns the same color as the brick, and above the brick too. Love the idea of nautical hurricane lamps but just 1, not 2. Get some funky "personalized" accents to let your freak flag fly....just kidding :)
PS pull in a bit of another color.... yellow, orange, coral?

How about three identical sunburst mirrors, stacked one over the other, on the wall over the mantel? Maybe in a metallic silver or pale gold.......nothing more except maybe a line of small candles underneath, to add to the shimmer at night....The round shapes would soften the other hard lines on the wall......very pretty room already, enjoy it!

You could extend the mantle to the colums, and the shelf-part of the mantle could be made to overlap the columns. This would create a visual break in the vertical effect.

Hi greenangel, I hope you don't mind but I am training myself on a new computer program and I used your room as my sample image. I put some things in and moved some things around. Might spur some ideas for you....:)

if you click on the picture above you can see the other side of the room

I like the turqoise vases as a nice color accent--perhaps move those and put something in a similar color on the mantel and add some colorful pillows or a throw in the bright turqoise will be enough to add a little punch to your room. Make the pillows less symetrical to go with the assymetry on the mantel.

Bellagio, thanks for the visual. I struggle with seeing things, so your "photo" helps.

I am trying to find a turquoise rectangular pillow to break up the two pillows on the couch. I can't seem to figure out what kind of pattern would look best. Any thoughts?

I think your mantle is very nice and so is the painting, all you need is a new coffee table...

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Aggie, what is your thought around (no pun intended!) a round or oval table? Also, I noted that you are in NY metro area...hope all is well.

Janishill, candlestick idea...were you thinking crystal, silver, mercury, black? ..........I went to Pottery Barn today during lunch and I could not visualize which ones would work well above the mantel.

I think I would move the picture off center, then find 3 interesting nautical items of varying height to put on the opposite side. This is a (not very good) picture of a mantle I did for a client in a similar theme. All of the items, except the sailboat picture, were purchased at either TJ Maxx or Homegoods.

greenangel...I was thinking classical blue and white; similar to the ones I posted.

And I can almost see a mirrored coffee table. Target has one for $135!!! (see attachment)...but if you don't like that look PB has 2 that would look beautifully in your room: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/benchwright-reclaimed-wood-coffee-table/?pkey=ccoffee-side-console-tables or http://www.potterybarn.com/products/rebecca-wood-metal-banded-trunk/?pkey=ccoffee-side-console-tables

A rectangular table would work best in your space. The table you have looks awkward because of the shape. Add curves with candlesticks and decorative balls in the existing round metal basket. If you add lamps the shades will add more curves. Repeat the rectangular shape again with books and the shape of the rug.

Speaking of...this one will look good: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/chunky-wool-jute-rug/?pkey=crugs-by-material It repeats the wall and the sofa color (I have one myself) or this: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/eva-rug/?pkey=crugs-by-material or even this: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/bird-medallion-rug-blue/?pkey=crugs-by-material

I love the idea of a garden stool and was going to suggest you put it at the end of the sofa, but I see a striped something there. A soft, watery seafoam green would add a little zing.

If you could post pictures from different angles so we could see what else is going on in the room it would be helpful.

Depending on what you do for a coffee table your firebox would look fantastic done as the one in the attachment.

Oh...and I like the fact that this room speaks maritime subtly. No nautical paraphernalia.

Hope you will post updated pictures!

I like a square or rectangle for the room, because it anchors the space, a round would be my choice before an oval.

Thank you so much for your concern, we are absolutely fine here, apart from some inconveniences with transportation and power outages, compared to a lot of people who are homeless at this point. Trying to do what we can with donations and labor, but some of the badly affected areas are hard to get to without a car to help.

Janishill, you are correct that I am looking for a subtle, not overt, nod to nautical with the colors. New Again, thank you for the ideas. Aggie, hope everything gets better for everyone soon. Photos from another angle of the room are below:

A console table on the dining room wall would be nice. You could put the ottomans under it for easy access to extra seating.

Will the round table work beside the sofa? If so a nice lamp would be a good addition.

Your plants need to be set down into decorative containers. Putting 'feet' under each container will make them appear more expensive and should give them more presence in the room.

Oh...and the garden stool would beautifully between the chairs.

I am attaching a photo of my favorite blue& white room, just because I think it is lovely and may give you some ideas. :-)

Funny thing, Janishill....I have seen that room before and absolutely love it. I should have mentioned that we just bought thr plants and haven't decided what color pots would work best.....sensing a theme of confusion? :)

Funny thing, Janishill....I have seen that room before and absolutely love it. I should have mentioned that we just bought thr plants and haven't decided what color pots would work best.....sensing a theme of confusion? :)

Your mantle doesn't have to be inside of those drywall columns. You can use more of the space. And ideally, you could drywall the space and flatten out the wall. Then your choices are unlimited

I also think those people that zeroed in on the coffee table are right......it would make a world of difference to change it to a larger rectangle with some modern style. Then your room is finished

Distinctive, thank you for your thoughts...I am in total agreement on the table.

Build your mantlepiece out and extend it so it is the full width extending over the vertical members on each side. Keep it white. Beautiful room!

Build your mantlepiece out and extend it so it is the full width extending over the vertical members on each side. Keep it white. Beautiful room!

You can't go wrong with white containers. :-)

Navy, white, beige. Perfect palette. Silver, white, or blue & white patterned accent pieces work well. Like your pillows, just change the scale.

The 3 candlsticks on the favorite blue room coffee table is what I envisioned on the right side of your mantle. On the left side I can image a stack of narrow books (all with faded red spines perhaps) topped with a little something...or tied as in the photo. I have a stack I should take a picture of to show you what I see...but mine is topped with an old dog figurine. Not that you can't envision it, just that I am rather fond of this paticular stack for soem reason. :-)

Janishill, I have been searching for an hour or so for the blue and white candlesticks online! Have you seen them anywhere? You should post the book photo. :)

Lovely room. I would beef up the mantel instead of trying to accessorize to solve the problem. Can be done fairly inexpensively by a carpenter. Bring it out to a depth of about 9"-12" and extend the width so it comes to the outside of the little side walls on each side of the fireplace. This will really solve the problem of the awkward proportions. Then accessorize however you wish to complement the fireplace and the decor of the room.

Etsy. There are 3 pages to scroll through. Some are identical, but the prices vary, so take your time looking. :-)

A couple of my favorites:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/112004739/vintage-delft-dl-candlestick-with-handle?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=blue+and+white+candlesticks&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

http://www.etsy.com/listing/112633360/vintage-pair-blue-onion-candle-holders?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=blue+and+white+candlesticks&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all

Ok, so I slept on all the great suggestions and am thinking that the first place to start is the table, since hubby and I had already agreed to have that changed out. Open to your suggestions and will see what is out there and get your thoughts also....

Such great suggestions. I also have a narrow mantle, which at the moment seems stark with an Orrefors bowl, crystal figurine, and small picture frame. Keep the tips coming!

Joni, nice to know I am not the only one trying to figure this out!

There are so many wonderful ideas listed, I don't know if this suggestion was placed out there, but what about painting the wall the firplace is on (including the two verticals) a blue compliment to your picture. I really like simple so wouldn't suggest you add or change anything to it other than maybe some type of low and wide floral piece under the picture rather than the orchids on the side? Or could you extend the top piece of the mantel to include the two vertical sides? Shouldn't be too expensive or complicated for a carpenter or if your husband is handy.

greenangel...I had posted links yesterday for coffee tables. PB has a couple that will work well, but i really like the idea of a mirrored table for your room.

Janishill, I just saw the photos! I, too, am inclined towards mirrored table with border in the darker wood of the staircase and flooring...or were you thinking no edging in wood?

Janishill, I just saw the photos! I, too, am inclined towards mirrored table with border in the darker wood of the staircase and flooring...or were you thinking no edging in wood?

Either way, as it depends on your budget.

Thanks for letting me play in your room!

Like everything above mantel!

Here is some ideas for the mantel decor

Too much on the fireplace mantel.

This room is too bare, too set. Do not like the 2 dark chairs.