I think your room looks great. I love L's!

I would add a hide, and I like the one you showed, too. I would just put it in the seating area, though (where you have 2 chairs). I think it would add to much to the TV area, since it is already visually a little crowded. If you wanted to add there, Id do it with a throw.

I wish the base of your wood coffee table was the I finish of your barstools. It would weight the area.

On the other side of the room, I love the chairs & coffee table, and you could add the hide there, but I would recommend a hide in a black/brown and white color combination. A beige hide will just be another layer with no affect.

Do I think the room needs the hide....nope.

There's a lot going on visually in the room already. I don't think adding a hide or 2 will help...but I do think in pic 3 that someone wants to go out.
So cute!

Agree with mtn- do a hide in sitting area. But also agree with beverly in doing a hide with more impact/differentiation. I did a zebra hide over sisal in a sitting room. Love the look!

Not sure where those accent colors for the pillows and throw are based, but I darkened the base of your coffee table to match the barstools & changed the pillows to something for crisp and graphic. Your room doesn't need the rug, but the trunk you're using as a lamp table seems a bit dwarfed compared to your chairs and the coffee table.

With 2 dogs myself, I know the need of a washable rug at the back door. No way to avoid it.

Janice, you have a very lovely room! I think it is perfect just as it is.

Wow... great recommendations!

Beverly - I like the idea of darkening the coffee table. It actually came in that finish -- and the more that I think about it, it would tie the rest of our house together nicely.

As for the trunk -- we just added that a month ago - it is from my Aunt who passed away. One of the few things I got from her... but I see what you mean about it seeming dwarfed.

I'll start my search for a hide... has anyone ever purchased one online?

I ordered from here: http://cowhidesinternational.com/index.asp

Had a fine experience.

Thanks, Mamorella. I remember seeing that site a while ago when I first thought about buying a hide.

I just don't know how dark to go.... here is the link to their darker hides

Here is a link that might be useful: hides

Personally, I like the dark brown or brown with the white sides. I like the contrast. I am not a huge fan of the reddish but it would probably look ok too. I think that comes down to personal preference.

Do you think this one is too dark for the sitting area?

I like it - and the size is good.... but I'm not sure if I should pull the trigger....

Here is a link that might be useful: hide

Ohhh, I love it! That is a great color. Will give a pop but still a neutral. Now, take that with a grain of salt. I love color and contrast and am somewhat daring with decor.

Love that one Janice! And like the dark color against the lightness of the sisal. One question, will you be using that existing coffee table? And if so, will it disappear on the hide? They appear very similar in tones.

Kellie --
Yes... I will be using that coffee table. It's hammered copper -- excellent point about it disappearing.

What about this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: another hide

or this....

I like that these are still dark, but have more variations in them. That first one that you commented on seems to read "solid brown"...

Here is a link that might be useful: another option

This post was edited by Janice742 on Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 10:11

Sounding good. Crowded or wonderfully inviting and interesting? Especially in winter. It's all in how it's done. I'm still trying to figure it out.

I do think if you're going to create an inviting coziness at the bottom of the room, you do need to carry it up. Pairing an airy spare look above with a cozily layered look below is likely to do no good for either look. Visual dissonance.

In your case, the obvious start would be at the windows. Simple curtain/drapery panels gathered on rods, which would also create a greater feeling of shelter over the winter. (Later, if you wished, you could hang a second, lighter or heavier layer.) Hang them from just above the transoms. Move the chairs at the end of the room in from the windows,and with them deepen the layers of focus in that area.

BTW, I do know that, in general, dark colors are easier to layer, but also colors that are similar in value, i.e., degree of lightness/darkness. Very generally speaking, lessening the strength of contrast (on a wall, say) even as the amount of detail increases is a way to make it work.

There are various ways to accomplish a layered room beautifully, though. If you find pictures of rooms you love, you can analyze them to figure out how their elements are arranged and why they work.

Thank you, Rosie.

Window treatments in this area will open up a Pandora's Box of issues... and quite frankly, are not in the budget.

The windows wrap the entire back of the house - 14 to be exact - and it is difficult to determine where to start and stop when it comes time to window treatments. While there are two definitive areas - we treat them as one from a design perspective. I'm not sure if the space would appear "finished" if we only did window treatments in that corner where the 2 chairs are.... It may look like we ran out of money - or steam - or both.

I don't particularly like ready-mades - and just from a length standpoint, we would need to go custom.

Just the hardware alone would be cost prohibitive.

From the view opposite of the sitting area where you see the corner of the sectional, I could totally see the zebra dyed cow hide in the sitting portion of the room. I am sure in real life the more brindled ones would look fine, but in my mind's eye I see more contrast working better. I feel that the brindle might just fade into its surroundings.

Here's the picture of one of the zebra's. I forgot it above.