Pull furniture away from the walls. Create several cozy seating areas. Ambient lighting. A dog or three-teehee.

How nice to be able to add on! I've never had a large house but two houses ago we had a living room that was like a skating rink--miles of dark hardwoods and a wall of big windows, it was like a big boring echo chamber.

I hung a vintage quilt on one wall to make a large graphic statement and cut down on the acoustics. I used groupings of large houseplants instead of my usual small ones. And grouped artwork together instead of having one here, one there, scattered around the room. And two rugs--one for each "area" to divide up the space and muffle more sound.

I like warm-color metals on lamps and light fixtures, antique rugs, and baskets for dogs and magazines. But those are my idea of charm, yours may be very different and equally charming!

I agree about ambience lighting. A little lamp here or there, and some houseplants on tables really help.

I always think colorful lap quilts thrown over a chair or sofa adds instant charm & color. I use one for the Winter, then change it out come spring.

It might take some time getting used to the new addition. It's been almost a year since we added on our large room and did the remodeling in the rest of the rooms, and it still doesn't feel like "home" to me, even though I like it a LOT better than it was before!

Here are a couple of discussions that i started, close to that topic. Some people gave great ideas:)

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/decor/msg0812424516834.html?20

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/decor/msg1216253616049.html?22

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/decor/msg0123440630190.html?12

Here are some pictures from a house that seems very charming to me - could be good inspiration for you?

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of My3dogs home

Thank you for your responses, and yes I love pictures of my3dogs house, it feels very cozy and charming. But it's a small space easier to fill up then my home.
If anyone has any other ideas I would love to hear them.

Post some pics!!!!! I wanna see your reno!

Like the above posters said--lighting, fabrics, rugs, warm colors, etc.

We put an addition on our 1920s Colonial a few years ago and I was afraid of the same thing happening. I was a major PITA with the architect and contractors in insisting that the trimwork, floors, etc., all be the same as the existing house. However, it is still an obvious addition. Here are a few things I did to try to make it feel more "cozy" like the rest of the house (in which every other room is small):

Painted same type of warm colors that are elsewhere in my house.
Painted trim off-white instead of white (don't know why, but it made the large space seem friendlier to me).
Use the same mix of antique and new furniture that I have in other rooms. Antique/vintage furniture goes a long way in the 'charm' factor IMO.
A mix of things on the walls: a couple of regular paintings, but also an old printers box, a wood thingie that used to be part of a piece of furniture but now is just an interesting 'plaque' on the wall, and a big papier mache moose head (okay, that last one wouldn't work for everyone, but my family loves it).
I also have a lot of shelving with books and 'stuff' displayed around the space.
The room is one large space, but it is divided visually/functionally into 4 spaces: kitchen, eating area, sitting area, and desk/home-office area. So it can almost feel like 3 smaller rooms -- or when we have parties, it acts like one big space.

I'd love to see pictures, too.

We added onto our 1940 Colonial, and one of the things I was intent on doing was maintaining a sense of the charm and scale of the old house (while opening it up and creating better flow and larger spaces). My architect was several steps ahead of me--she designed built-in bookshelves in all the new rooms, as well as built-in cabinetry and window seats. These details help create "nooks" and charm, the way older houses were built. She was very careful about ceiling heights and continuity between the old and new parts of the house. I didn't want the addition to look like a big "box" appended to an older house, so we gutted the older part of the house, moved walls around, and now it blends quite well together. Of course, some of these are things that must be done during construction.

We also have plenty of ambient lighting, and everything has dimmer switches. I have a fairly extensive art collection, and created groupings of pieces, which adds a lot of interest and warmth. So do books. I mix fabrics and patterns to get more interest and visually "fill" the space, create groupings of furniture, and beautiful rugs (we have hardwood floors) help a lot, too. And I always have cuttings from the garden, or fresh flowers in vases; it's surprising how much charm that can add!

I have attached photos. The first set are of my living room/family room. The room size is 22 x 17 to the front edge of the fireplace.

I have more photos of other parts of the house but want to know if these download correctly.
Let me know what you think. Oh yeah. I didn't pick up first sorry.

I added photos

Linda, it's a very pretty addition! But my first thought after looking at your pics is that the furniture doesn't work together. There's nothing tying them together . . . or tying them to the room. You have a brown leather sofa, I believe two gold print chairs and what looks to be a large gray chair and ottoman. Perhaps two coordinating prints for throw pillows to tie them together, but I'm just not seeing the seating fabrics working together even with that. There seems to be too much furniture in there. Is it an option to remove either the two gold chairs and slipcover the grays in a stripe or print that will work with the sofa and your beautiful gold walls? Or remove the grays? Gosh, I really hope that this suggestion doesn't offend you. I love the bones of this room, the fireplace, the beautiful walls, floor and crown molding. I just think that the furniture is working against it all. I can see adding a coordinating fabric with gold, white and brown in it, as I think you need more white.
Lynn

The large chair and ottoman are actually a green color. That matches the green in the 2 side chairs. But I appreciate any input.

I think you need to create groups....it looks now like you have a char......then another.....then a sofa...
Well you get the idea...move some of the seating pieces closer together to create groups. I somehow can't see anything "cozy" about people sitting in each of those chairs trying to have a conversation...nor a comfortable spot to watch TV.
cuddle those2 tan-ish chairs nearer to the sofa and move the ottoman to the chair it matches and put the table which is next to the sofa, next to the big chair....
Great fireplace by the way....but I would paint the white pieces a warmer color....or trade them out for wood.
Oh and get some green plants in there....all that lovely light coming in the windows and no plants....a big ficus will go a long way to cozying up the place.
Linda c

I think you need color and textiles. And for some reason, I just see this BIG WHITE CEILING. Could you paint it a color similar to your walls? That might help cozy it up a bit.

I love your floors, your paint color and beautiful trim, and your fireplace and mantel. I also like the rug, leather couch, and small chairs. I think you just need a little work on your furniture arrangement and a little tweaking of art and accessories to get the feeling you want.

Here are a few ideas, take them or leave them:
1. Move the matching chairs together. I think you could put them in front of the fireplace on either side, or put them together opposite the TV, with the square side table in between them.
2. The big chair and ottoman don't seem to have a good place to go in the room. They are hard to fit in-- I know because I have one very similar! I would move it to another room, and look for a bench or chaise to put in front of the fireplace.
3. I think a bigger square coffee table or ottoman would work better. You maybe could use the one from the big chair, with a big tray on it for drinks etc.
4. The white furniture seems a bit more cottage style, and your other furniture a bit more Mission and transitional. I think you either need to bring in more white with fabrics or paint the white pieces a softer color, like the stone in your fireplace.
5. I would clear out all your accessories and decide exactly what you want to use. I wouldn't put anything but the TV on your stand. I think that gorgeous fireplace could use a big mirror or piece of art, and then add a few photos or candles.
6. I like the idea of painting the ceiling the wall color! I think it would look great.
7. Your map is cool. I like it, but don't think it relates to anything in the room, especially color wise.
8. You could do some fabric valances, or roman blinds...
9. I would move the wall clock to a smaller wall. Hang up your game boards above the bookcase, and space out your fans so you can see them better.

:) Jen

As jlc says above, something about the white furniture isn't working for me. I think with the darker furnishings, the whites (the furniture, the trim, and the ceilings) are too "White." I'd paint the ceiling a shade lighter than your wall color, perhaps. Then paint the white furniture a different color -- maybe a deep, rich sage green. Similarly, the map is too light and bright for the room. I think you need artwork over the sofa that is warmer, either a large landscape, maybe, or some reproduction vintage posters. I see your globe across the room. We have a small collection of vintage globes in our living room, and we have a series of 3 repro. travel posters over our sofa (which also happens to be dark brown leather!).

I like a lot of the elements in your room; it just needs some tweaking! I think you'll find that if you adjust some of the whites, the room will warm up considerably.

I agree with the others that the seating is too spread out. Also, move the rug closer to the sofa so that the front legs of the sofa are sitting on it.

Any suggestions on window treatments?? The windows face north so I don't get to much light from them.