I posted an extensive reply with picture suggestions earlier. Don't know where it could be. Did you post more than once?

I"m re-posting. Would play with the blue from the persian and upholster the dining chairs in paisley or IKAT. You don't have room for an adequate sized rug - 4 feet bigger than the table on all sides - so focus on the chairs and take the same fabric into the living room with pillows. Agree with kimconley38 about painting one wall or even upholstering it to match the chairs. You could use an updated light fixture and some lamps I think. Pick up some ceramic pots for the plants to bring them up to par with your space.

Thanks so much for the quick and indepth responses. Love the idea of the turquoise, as that is the color I do want to pull out from the rug. Also, pillows are definitely on my list for the living room. Thanks again.

Oh, which wall should I paint? Assume the one facing the camera w/o the window, correct?

I have two suggestions: consider putting a very large sisal rug where your couches are and then place the red rug on top. That will layer the look and prevent your couches from floating on the edge of the rug. This will also tie the living room to your dining room. Second, I would get a wide range of patterned pillows in multiple fabrics, sizes, and patterns. Turquoise yes, but also bring up the reds and greens from the rug. Consider a long bolster in a cool pattern to bring color up off the floor. Personally, I wouldn't do the accent colored wall unless it pulls a color from your wallpaper. The strip is your accent I would think. Trick with this space is layering interest with texture. You have a great, clean, neutral palette from which to start. i would also put a tray on your coffee table, stack a couple of books and some objects you love in the tray to give the space personality. i do this in my house and the tray serves to frame the objects and prevent it from seeming cluttered. I would also consider slip covered dining chairs to give that space some sense of comfort. Check out Ballard designs for some ideas: this one might work: http://www.ballarddesigns.com/parsons-slipcover-greek-key/chairs/parsons-chairs/251249?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=10. I like the light suggestion above too.

I like the walls the same color. The accent wall behind the couch looks great. That being the busier wall, I would move the Oriental, if it the correct size to the dining room. Bring in the plainer sisal to the living room and chose some different patterns for pillows on the sofa.


I like this one with deco's Ikat suggestion.

Yes - always make a solid wall a focal if you can. Didn't see your striped wall before, but would still consider paint in the dining room. Personally, my Persian Qum would never go under a dining table, but it is an investment piece. I am not sure you have four feet more than your table to play with in that space without moving the table and then it won't be under the light.

Hi Lily,
My perception is that you have 2 spaces with a decoration based on bege. The curtains, the sofa, even the floor, and stripes on the wall have very similar colours.
On the other hand you have some Itens that floows through the space by its shapes, shuch as the table next the small "sofa", the back of those chairs at the dining space, and the rug. Theese itens are giving to the space a theme. "Marrakesh style" :)

My advise is:
1 - Move that center table to the corner between the big and small sofa. And get a new center table in the theme spirit.
2 - Change the wallpaper. Try to fnd another one with some similar curves of the chairs at the dining table and that allows you to add some colour. I attached an image with one orange one.
3 - Imagining you are going to do everything as I say (I am a believer :) You could also change the material of two chairs to the same orange of the wallpaper, allowing you to disposal the chairs like a 2 on 2 situation.
4 - Remove one pillow of the sofa and add 2 more pillows with 50x30cm with the same orange. If can add some pattern on these two.
The bad news on this option is that you would have to change the rug, but you would have a big pluis on colour and uau factor.


Neverthenless...
You also have the option of the keeping the rug and aplly a red wallpaper, pillows and 2 chairs but it wont give so much live to the space in general...

The final touch would be 1 ceiling lamp in the living room with a marroquian style...

Lukily Santas as seen this post and will give me a nice present next year :)
Hope these ideas are helpfull for your.

Have a great new year of 2013.

Thanks to everyone for your comments - I am going for a colorful british colonial/marrakesh look and feel. I have a 2nd coffee table coming just like the first (it is a two-tier with the faux bamboo look), so I will have a coffee table "pair" that fits the space available and hopefully the scale will be better. I am going to utilize several of the suggestions - change the color of the dining room chairs to incorporate some turquoise, I will add pillows to the sofa, update the planter. I love the idea of adding a natural rug underneath my persian as well to add layers. This has all been really helpful and much appreciated. I will update once I've made some additions/changes and the space is closer to complete. Thanks again.

hello

cowhide rug is a good options (a big no for zebra prints)
or go for turquoise blue color rug. even that will give a good appeal

infact you can also change the hanging light above the dining to nice crystal chandilier

regards

I would replace your dining chairs with a completely upholstered chair. To me, they look very matchy-matchy and a bit dated. Then you can be also more dramatic with the upholstery colors for more of an impact.

Love all the color ideas above! One fun thing to do in the dining room - shift the table 45 degrees - so the chairs end up on an angle instead of square. Will help with the small carpet issue. I think the chandelier is too high? I'd love to see a bigger one, too. Not that expensive from stores like Home Depot. I had a lot of fun decorating the chandelier in my living room - to give it more presence and an "oh wow!" Focal point! Picture attached....

I think you're on the right track - here are my suggestions:

1) Get another oriental rug for the dining room, similar in color to the one in the living room;
2) Make ONE (and only one) wall a feature wall by painting it a darker, more mustardy gold color (I don't know which one without more photos);
3) Animal prints somewhere could work but don't do high contrast zebra, do something with more browns and blacks, like a leopard and go subtly & gently - animal prints get loud real fast.

One idea for slipcovers for the living room would be pulling from that blue in the rug. A rug for the dining room in either the blue or red of the rug and zebra or a cowhide print for the seat covers in the dining room. I think I would have the wall behind the couch painted the same color as the rest of the walls without the stripe, and add art instead. With the mirror over the fireplace reflecting back, you need some art behind the couch or something to add more visual interest to the living room than is there now.

I would agree there's no room for a rug but the cushions on the chairs and a accent wall of either the red or turquoise would give the color you need. I do hope you will now accessorize the rooms with over scale less is more approach. repeating the color scheme with toss pillows and table top decor. Lighting ,tourchere's table lamps add that in the living room and wall art on the striped wall.

An easy and inexpensive color boost is to add a flower arrangement to your dining table. Pull in colors through vase & florals. The big window needs drama added to it.

I think a nice picture in the living room & dining areas would look exceptionally nice. Also, it would help in defining each separate space.

Hi, I saw your comment today about the warming drawer, what kind of wood floors are in that photo? I am presently planning a kitchen remodel and putting wood throughout my downstairs, totally opening kitchen into the living room/dining room.

Want wood floors, would like something with interesting color, not overwhelming because of the large space, not too boring either! Thought about American Walnut, told too soft. Now leaning to red oak but can't make the decision!

Any thoughts? Thanks!