Really like the sheer panels. Brightens up your space. I would choose a rug that is lighter as well. Your room has plenty of dark furniture and wood in it. The contrast would be nice.

Thank you. I will keep the sheer panels. Debated if I should use a jute rug with some texture.

Jute or light rug- but a larger size?

I think the rug size looks like the correct size, but is it possible to pull your sofa slightly back? It looks a bit crowded and too close to the fireplace/mantel. Only the legs of the sofa need to be sitting on the rug-the whole sofa doesn't need to be on the area rug.

Thanks for your feedback. I will see if I can find a rug with colors in it and I will also pull the sofa back to the edge.

What other colors would you use to coordinate with this room?

Modern twist to traditional

This is a pic with the jute rug.

Beautiful room!!!

Can we see some more pics of the room in daylight, and possibly without the heavy drapery panels. Those need to go away soon. Are you keeping the jute rug? I thought you were going for something lighter and with a pattern. This room desperately needs some "color and movement". Your things are gorgeous..just dark and heavy. We just need to tweak it now to make it truly commanding. Find a rug first....pale background with some color...muted is OK...or you could also go for rich, brighter colors. From the rug you can then pull your accent colors...that will bring the life up onto the furniture.

I did a quick search on Wayfair for rugs, and came up with these...any of these would add both light and the much needed color. If I remember correctly, there is a painting over mantle with some blues in it? The rug withe blue/brown background would look lovely with that. The first one is more modern looking, but the colors, while vibrant, are soft looking and it would be spectacular in your room....VaVoom! Think I can post only 3 photos at a time so here goes.

The last ones:

I still have both rugs but wanted to show it with the jute for feedback. I plan to go look for a lighter rug with color. As for my drapes, I rotate them per season. Sheers for the Spring and Summer and something darker for the other seasons. Thanks so much for your opinions. I will post a pic when I have found a better rug.

Hi OldGrayMare, I like the pics of the rug you sent me. I'm laughing at myself for changing the rug I originally had in the room.

The YI think it would satisfy the need for color. Long story short, we got a puppy and I didn't want her to destroy the rug. Give me a few hours and I will put it down and post some pics.

Awe, love your puppy. So cute. I do like the jute rug. In fact, I have that rug underneath my kitchen table-love the texture it provides. I do understand the point that OldGrayMare and londonvon are making about adding some pattern to the room, though. Try searching Pottery Barn-they make nice some really pretty and affordable rugs that have subtle colors and patterns, and I really like the lighter, sheer panels. It lightens your space up significantly. The heavier panels that were once in style, are not so much anymore. Linen is another nice choice if you want something heavier than a sheer.

I'm wondering if you are married to the color burgundy because spruce/blue accents could be beautiful in your room. Just a thought.

O.K., here are some rooms with brown leather couches and blue, cream, and beige accents. Will take you in a different direction but would really lighten things up. Something to consider.

Hi Karen,

I love the pics you included but I think those areas get a considerable amount of sun. I have a covered deck that blocks some of the direct light that I so need. With that being said, I have included a pic with the rug I initially had in this room. Is this better? Also, I am not married to burgundy. I just want to add life to this room, so I'm willing to try other colors.

Lime the image below: dark/cream contrast, with elegant subject

I know everyone is encouraging you to add a rug with pattern, but I really love the way the first rug lightened your space up. While this one is lovely, and it certainly provides lots of pattern, it feels dark and heavy in the room. See what others think. I attached both pictures next to one another.

A lighter rug for sure and with color.

You have beautiful pieces but you're on the verge of having too much stuff. Too many pillows on the sofa/chairs. Too many vases and decorations on bookshelves and on tables. Scale it back and see the more up-to-date version of your home. No fake flowers or greenery.

I guess when you are living among the clutter you don't realize it. Also, it's difficult to give away items you consider collectibles. I hope I'm not a hoarder! Anyway, I'm trying to think of some alternatives without driving my family crazy. It appears lighting is a big negative for my space to include my heavy pieces. I thought about getting my ceiling painted a bright white to see if that change the "dark" feeling. I figure it's cheaper than the money I spend on rugs and my ceiling is in dire need of a paint job. I am heading out to Rug and Home to see if I have any luck. Will post pics.

3345navy-if you are at all daring, you may consider painting some of your dark pieces. Several years ago, I found my home had too many dark pieces. It's not practical or economical to go out and purchase all new furniture, so I decided to paint some of the pieces. Annie Sloan makes a great product-it's easy to use and doesn't require sanding. She offers many different colors and a wax to add for the final step to make the furniture look old. Some of your pieces would look amazing painted in a lighter color-not all of them, of course-especially your 2 round tables. Go to Annie Sloan paints and watch a video on how easy it is to use and how you can transform outdated and dark furniture. I know you are trying to achieve a lighter feeling to your room-this along with a lighter rug and lighter panels will make a tremendous difference. Good luck shopping for rugs. Keep us posted! If you are interested, let me know, and I will post some pictures of pieces that I transformed. If not, please pretend you didn't read any of my suggestions. Your room is lovely.

Hi Karen,

Please send me your pictures. I hope it brings inspiration and motivation. I've taken the fun out of this process. It's normally more enjoyable and rewarding.

As for visit to Rug and Home, it wasn't successful. However, I stopped at a flooring store and I got some ideas. Pics are attached for feedback. As for the patterned rug, I can use it in my dining room.

Yes, those are nice, but isn't that rug similar to your jute rug that you already have? I really like the pic of the first rug posted by londonvon. It provides both a subtle pattern and muted colors. Also like the 2nd rug posted by leelee-it has lots of blues in it, but if you are not married to your existing pillows, your could really change the room dramatically by making blue the accent color. Blues, brown, and creams are beautiful together. I noticed you have blues in your painting above the mantel and the linen sheers would look great with this particular rug. Light blue would really brighten up you space. Just a thought.This rug is from Pottery Barn.

Here are pictures of furniture that I have painted using Annie Sloan.

The first table was stained in a dark brown wood. I used an off white paint and then used wax over it to tone it down and distressed it a bit. The bathroom cabinet was a very dark brown stain and I used a color called cocoa to first paint it. In the 3rd picture, I ended up finishing the piece with a metallic paint so that it would sparkle a bit. Sorry, I don't have the before pictures, but they were all stained in dark brown. It's been a process, but I have slowly been lightening up a lot of my pieces that were once dark wood-but I'm the type of person who loves change, and I constantly am looking for ways to update my home. Who knows, I may end up re-staining all the pieces back to dark wood one day.

Sorry to keep reposting your pictures, but I have to see the images together.

See what others think....

I like several of the lighter rugs from the first picture you posted. You are not a hoarder! Ha! but I think it would "lighten" your room to remove (maybe just to another room?) some of the pieces. White or very light panels instead of burgundy

Add some up-lighting on the tops of your bookcases. You wouldn't even see the fixtures just the light.

Hey Karen,

I think you did a fabulous job on your pieces. You are a creative and savvy lady refinishing your pieces. Thanks for sharing. I hope I can make some changes to my ceiling, etc. before making changes to my furniture. I lack patience when it comes to some projects. Most times, I'm fortunate and everything comes together.

With regards to the first picture you posted with my pillow that wasn't my first choice. It was the biggest size in the sample which also worked with my colors. There is a similar look but with red (berry). I'm more attracted to that one. It is attached again. I'm going to bring the samples home so I can see it in my home. My intent is to take my time, because some of these changes can get costly. I hope to have the ceiling completed by the end of the month. Stay in touch...

Good luck with the ceiling. If you want to keep things light, I would stay away from the berry and go with a rug that has a cream colored background-as other suggested. I still like the very first picture you posted. Keep us posted!

Karen,

Rest assured, whatever I choose will have a cream/light color as its primary color. I was thinking of the cream with small berry designs. I'm making sure it works for my space. Also, if the rug in the first picture had a design of some sort, I would have kept it. While it coordinated with my furnishings, it didn't do anything for my space. I was hoping it would work.

I like the idea of jute. You have beautiful floors and I think the texture of jute makes it a little less formal and cozier.

Hi Cathy,

The idea of the jute was appealing to me as well but it wasn't enough contrast between my furniture and the jute rug. This was another rug I liked but it was too small and I didn't care for the quality.

Surprisingly, while the color was darker, I thought the contrast was perfect and it brought out the color of the fireplace.

Hey Karen, my ceiling is complete and my room appears brighter. It's not sunny today so I don't know what my room looks like on a brighter day. The work was completed late yesterday afternoon. What do you think?

Looks really pretty. Also love the sheer khaki panels. I still think you could move your sofa back a bit. It looks a bit cramped. Do you have the space to do this?

3345navy, your family room is so pretty and welcoming! Congratulations!

Karen, I'm having a party tomorrow so I have the two chairs facing each other. I plan to flank them on each side of the fireplace so that should open up the area.

Great space. I would go with a light rug and sheer panels. It will lighten up the room a lot. Best of luck!

Could you recover the throw pillows on the chairs in a light linen fabric? Then maybe add a light color throw instead of the dark one on the sofa.

Hey Leelee, that is possible. I know of a wonderful gentleman that can make some for about the cost of buying some. I'll also check at Home Goods, Marshalls, etc.

I know I'm jumping in late, but I really like your room. Your pieces are lovely. And the cream with burgundy floral rug looks great. But the burgundy drapes definitely look better to me.

My opinion is that the lighter panels make the room look larger and brighter. Burgundy is my favorite color but it really does look dated and heavy. I relented and went more teal for accent vases, etc and it gave my room a more elegant classy look. Try a touch somewhere. I went fighting and clawing, giving up the burgundy but really like the teal touch (maybe a light teal in the rug).. Best of luck.