Hi Dots,

I like your room! Other things to do with it? Hmmm... Have you thought about using a rug to define a conversation area maybe in front of the fireplace, and maybe make the dark chair on the left background be a reading area? If the dark chair already is separate, oops, I can't tell from this pic. Have you thought about maybe painting the ceiling one shade lighter than the walls?

I have tons of curtains in my files and can probably make some suggestions for you. But first...

Your sofa appears pink on my monitor. Is it?

What are your favorite colors? What colors are in the rest of your house?

Are you looking for something casual, formal, or somewhere in between? Masculine and tailored, or more feminine?

What colors do you think you will have in your chair after you re-do it?

Do you want curtains or drapes, or don't you care?

Sounds like you're going to sew your curtains (good for you!) so have you looked at the Southern Living Patterns/Pate Meadows site? They have a couple of new patterns out for full length panels now. I also suspect some of their toppers could be lengthened into full length.

Well, here are a few things I played with for you, and I'm posting the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope this will at least give you some visualization.

#1
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#2
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#9
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#9a
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Oceanna, I like 9a! Great job. Your family room reminds me of my old home and I think a nice warm floral print fabric might work. Take a look at these from last house. BTW, the paint was a much warmer yellow that what is showing up on my monitor at least. I also had the ceiling painted the same color as walls and it definitely made a difference.

Wow, Oceanna, great curtains!

I have nothing to add to that selection.

But if it were my room, I might think about an area rug to pull the seating area into focus...?

A paisley print would look nice with the plaid in the chair.

I don't necessarily think you need an area rug to pull a conversation area together. My personal preference is not to use area rugs over wall to wall rugs. I think you need to pull your seating into a conversation area. Is that a corner TV cabinet?

I was hoping oceanna would see this. She's the queen of window treatments!

polkadots - can you tell me what wallcolor you used in there?

Laurie

I like the #1 treatment that Oceanna posted. The others seem too formal, and I like how the green brings out the greens from the painting over the fp and the plaid in the chair. I think everyone seems to be saying the furniture grouping needs to be more defined somehow. Not sure about the area rug idea, but everything seems a little too spread out. I realize the room is used for TV watching, but it appears that if a few people were in the room to chat instead of watch TV, it might be difficult. You might play around a bit with your furniture arrangement.

I think some solid tab top panels that match the color of the frame on the painting over the fireplace would balance out the room great. I'd like to see an area rug,with a slight pattern in it with browns and corals and a pillow and or a throw on the brown chair with some color in it that matches the sofa.

Thank you so much everyone! It's going to take me a few minutes to digest it all, but I really appreciate your comments.

Oceanna, I'm sorry I couldn't get back to you last night. The system was down so I went to bed. The sofa is actually red but it never photographs well. It is a chenille, and it tends toward a berry red I guess (not a rusty red). My house is generally in the reds, greens and golds. The kitchen next door is Olive Branch with red valances. My style is generally pretty classic. Probably relaxed traditional. I prefer for the window treatments to be more tailored than frilly and I am planning on full length panels. What I do with the chair totally depends on the fabric for the WTs. Unfortunately I am not able to sew these, so I have someone who will make them for me.

Thanks to everyone else for the comments. I have considered an area rug, but right now it is further down on the list as I'd rather spend money other places (but maybe I should move it up!). I think the seating arrangement photographs worse than it actually is, but I agree. It is a very large room (there is a whole space on the other side of the sofa), and it is difficult to arrange for conversation and TV watching. I will work on it some more. Thanks, again. Any other ideas are welcome!

Oceanna, I didn't fully express my gratitude for all that work you did! THANK YOU! I think I am drawn to the fabric in #9, maybe in a slightly deeper bronzy color. I had been looking at silks, but seeing the pictures I'm not sure if they are right in the room. It's my main/only seating area, so I guess I want somewhere between casual and dressy. I can also see where the idea of #1 might work. Do you have anything darker like even something with a black background? I have looked at one with black in it and I like it but wonder if it will be too heavy. It was upholstry weight. Thanks again!

Is it possible to get a few pix of the whole room? I agree with the comment about the arrangement of the furniture - it seems like there could be better use of the space, and I would do that before you decide how you want the window treatments to work.

I think that I can see the top of the window casing on the left corner of your pix, which means the valance sits right about at the top of the window. You have lovely tall windows that deserve to be uncovered and will balance the weight of the angled ceiling better when you can see their height. The idea of panels on a decorative rod with rings, perhaps, is a great choice. No valances, no frou-frou stuff, just full, clean-lined panels. I would think something with some subtle pattern would be nice, but on the casual side. I am thinking that because of the height of the window you will have to have them made?

This one might work with the couch color, and would be kind of casual and still bring some color to the walls.

miss kitty brick

Colors can be deceiving, so it is always good to get samples, but this one intrigues me for a bit more of a formal feel:

zorba muscadine

Les, thank you for the thoughts. The tratemtn you desribed is what I am picturing, full panels on a nice rod. I like both of those fabrics, expecially the 2nd one. It is busier than I originally pictured, but I like it. Here are a few more pics of the room with the old paint etc. I need something to fill the other end of the room - I am contemplating a sitting area with two chairs and a table OR a baby grand piano. Thanks for the help.

Polkadots, great room - great windows and your foyer looks great with the wood floors!!

I agree...simple panels 2.5 x width on each side - you do not want them skimpy on a pretty decorative wood rod with rings. Hefty, not skinny!!

An idea for behind your sofa - my mom had a looooong narrow den - we put a gorgeous desk behind her sofa with an accent lamp - interesting looking desk chair. It was the 1st thing you saw when you walked in - like in your room.

You could then add two smaller chairs in front of the window that you could pull around for additional seating. Or a real pretty bench to place in front of your windows.

Okay, now I am wondering what is on the wall opposite the Fireplace? Could the TV armoire be moved there and the 2 chairs placed across from the couch in front of the windows??

I like the fabric #1 that Les picked out. She always finds great fabric!! I could then see you plaid chair reupholstered in a khaki linen or something neutral with texture. Let the drapes and windows have the spotlight of the room!! Which are fantastic windows!

Smiles:)

Smiles:)

Johnatemp, thanks for the compliments and for your response. Directly across from the fireplace is a little wall that houses the bookcase you see in the second picture. It is a small wall and to the right of it is another large opening to our kitchen (like the opening to the foyer). The previous owners had their TV on that little wall and did like you described. The problem was it left a big opening on both ends of the room but without enough room to do much there. I need to reconsider it I guess although it may be an issue with the TV connection.

I love the idea of a more substantial desk behind the sofa. That gives me something else to think about and look for! Thanks!

Polkadots,

That sounds like that might work for the TV. Your armoire looks a little small in that corner(you are lucky to not have a DH insist on some humongo tv and entertainment center!!)

Once you get the drapes big and full it will really fill up that wall. You could put the 2 club chairs opposite sofa but get a large round table to go in between the chairs...like 28 to 36" wide. You might could even hide an extension cord under the carpet for a lamp. My MIL did that in her den= no problems....just a snip in the carpet for the end to come out.

Smiles:)

I had the same trouble deciding in my family room and finally decided on white plantation shutters----it solved all of my dilemmas! For you, I think that wood tone plantation shutters might be nice. Here's a link:
http://www.smithandnoble.com/sn/product_detail.jsp?sch_cat=3-1%2F2%22%20%20Louver%20Wood%20Shutters&prod_oid=242902&nav_cat=-18004
I ordered mine through Smith and Noble and was very happy with the quality, etc.
Good luck deciding.

I was really rushed this morning and didn't get to answer all the questions, sorry. Thanks again to everyone for the help.

jerseygirl1, no it is not a corner cabinet, we just put it that way. It's nice there because I can see it from the kitchen, but there have been some other posts that talk about moving it and maybe I can try to figure that out.

msrose, the color is Tobacco Road. It's a Duron color I had mixed at SW.

Thanks everyone.

Got some additional perspective on the room today when I saw your chandelier post.

I am assuming that the leather chair and the plaid chair/ottoman are straddling the large opening to the kitchen that matches the opening to the entry hall. It sounds like you enjoy having the TV where it is.

I don't know what is the preferred seating for TV watching in the room, and that can affect furniture placement (especially the official DH seat! LOL).

It is always hard to make suggestions without seeing the whole room at once and getting a better perspective, but I think some moving around might help make the space more cohesive. Don't know what you have tried as far as furniture placement, so maybe you have the best set up already?

I would be inclined to move the couch to face the fireplace, with the sofa table behind it.

Take the bookcase that is on the little wall there and move it to the right of the fireplace, kind of a balancing piece for the tv cabinet on the other side. Use that little wall for artwork, etc but no other furniture, so that you have a comfortable walking space behind the couch.

Move the plaid chair and ottoman to the corner where the leather chair is now. The chair plus ottoman will have more breathing space, and they will help fill the empty floor space in front of the window a bit better than the leather chair does alone. Be sure you have a table and lamp there.

You can leave the wicker chair by the fireplace as it is. I have to be honest, tho, I am not crazy about that chair in the room. I think you have too many different chairs in that one area - the plaid, the leather, the wicker. What could help is that when you get the plaid chair redone, have a cushion and lumbar pillow made for the wicker chair from the same fabric. It will give a better sense of belonging to the wicker chair, imo. The other thing you could consider is using a stain on it to get it darkened so that it feels closer to the color of all the wood cabinetry.

Move the leather chair to the right end of the couch, angled just a bit so that it has its back to the fireplace wall, kind of the same angle the wicker chair is at, but not pushed so far back to the fireplace. Then use the coffeetable there to create a grouping with the couch. Some kind of lamp by the leather chair would be nice, on the side closer to the fireplace. Perhaps use the floor lamp that is by the wicker chair.

Down at the foyer end, you should have enough room to comfortably place a small round game table and chairs in front of the window. Or, you could put a rectangular partner's desk coming out from the window, and put a chair on either side of that, with a nice lamp on it. Or, a pair of overstuffed cushy chairs angled to each other in front of the window with a table and lamp between them. Having moved the bookcase to the fireplace wall down there, you will have the feeling of a reading area, I think.

I would also think about staining the mantel to a darker tone, and painting the brass fireplace surround out to a matte black or dark grey.

Les, WOW! Thank you so much for your thoughtful explanation of how to rearrange the room. You really are amazing with your talent and your generosity to help. I have never tried the arrangement you described, but I am very intrigued by it. As you sensed, I am hesitant to move the TV for a variety of reasons, even though it might work in that other location. The furniture was all purchased for another house where it looked great and we didn't have the leather chair (= less chair confusion). I have thought that maybe the wicker chair should go at some point, your solution is a less expensive option.

All of your ideas are great and I need to play with it and see. Thanks again!

Thanks everyone for the kind comments! Polkadots, you're very welcome. When I didn't hear back from you I deleted all the files so I'd have to repeat a lot of work I did all over to show you more. But I'm very glad I helped you to visualize things more accurately so you can move forward with your ideas. Now I'll go look at your new thread. You sure got some great suggestions here.