View from top of stairs

Beautiful space; really well done. I'd like to just move in! You already have a lot of small decorative items (frames, etc.). so I would do a really oversize piece of art on living room wall. I love the picture on your mantel. I would move it slightly to the left, remove the smaller items on the left. I would take the topiary on your side table and place it on the left side of your kitchen pass through (remove the smaller items there and find another place to plug in whatever is on there).

Done and done. I'd love to get a huge piece of art, but they are sooooooo expensive!

I like that much better. As far as art, why not make your own. You can staple a large piece of canvas over a frame (you can even use painters cloth). Paint it white or a light grey just for a background. You can paint something as simple as large horizontal stripes maybe in shades of grey and taupe. I'm sure you could find lots of examples of DIY art on Houzz or Etsy.

What is tooooooo expensive? Perhaps we can help find some large ideas that are budget friendly.

I would wait on the art, until you find something you love and can afford. I would not hang an inexpensive large piece, unless it really speaks to you. I'm a painter and only hang art I love.

I would try your sofas in an L shape and move the large cabinet to the right. Then angle the chair between the cabinet and fireplace.

Interesting way you have your drapery rod across the fireplace. Was this a suggestion of your designer? Just wondering.

Bcbman, all the really large pieces I find are at least $1000.00. I definitely cannot afford that. My top would be $4-500. Are you an artist?

Sandy, all of my walls are empty (dining room has nothing) because I never see anything I can afford that I LOVE. I don't want something that's just okay. I look all the time at home goods and the like, and websites, but I can't find a website that has art that screams to me and reaches into my soul. Is that too much to ask?? Although, I'm getting really tired of having blank walls. Everything looks unfinished. That's why I finally posted on houzz.

As for my drapery rod, it was suggested to me by a decorator. She quoted me $2000 for the rod, and I made it myself for $50. I've also seen it in restaurants, and I liked it, so I did it! I'd like to have an art piece that hangs from the rod above the fireplace that better fits the space, and darker frame, I think.

Lila, I would not dare attempt making my own art. It would be ridiculous. I can't even paint a door without messing it up. I know I'd like something abstract, but with color...hues of blue, orange, and a little green and yellow. I'm always drawn to black/white/gray paintings/sketches, but I've decided to branch out and bring color into my life. I love love love the Chagall above the fireplace, but...can't recreate a 6' by 8' one of those! Lol! The only other art that I have is by the front door, mark Rothko. Blue and brown.

Er612, I can try that. Then what would I put to the left of the cabinet? There'd be a huge open space. I put the sofas like that because I always like that arrangement when I see it.

The rod is clever, but I don't like the way it casts a shadow when the light is on. I agree with er612 for the furniture arrangement. Since you don't have DIY qualms, try a wall hanging you can make yourself. Remember, you really only need to decorate below the window and door frames, but if you feel compelled fabric could add color, pattern, softness and sound dampening to your space.

I LOVE my sofas and shag rug, but I'm not tied to anything else. I was thinking of two brown leather slipper chairs with small table between them. I'm not crazy about the chair that is there now. I like the chair, I just don't feel like it fits there...

Decoenthusiaste, love the orange! I really don't need to put anything above the door/window lines?

i don't like the shadow, either. Even if I change the angle, it still does it. I've tried. I didn't consider that beforehand...

Lovely space Mariellen. It is very pulled together now. I don't think you need 6' x 8' art for your sofa. Have you looked for a triptych? Some very nice ones are not expensive at all. You could make your own with three frames and wall paper too.

I really like your home! I found a wonderful large painting on Etsy in acrylic. It looks great in my living room. What is great about Etsy is that you can contact the artist and ask the true colors. I also had one color taken out of mine and the artist added another.

IMO the placement of onedrapery rod is wrong and should be separated into two separate rods. The Chagall print above the fireplace is undersized for the space. I don't think the medium blue color adds any zip to the room and I would removed those throws and replace them.

Can tell from your photos is there is room, but I have moved over the lovely glass doored display cabinet to the left, added ceramics to the top of the cabinet & a large piece of art to the back wall. Red doesn't have to be the accent color, but I took it from the color of the Chagall print.

No Mariellen, I'm not. But I've noticed Houzzers love to shop.

Beverly, how is the Chagall undersized? It won't even fit with the new drapery rod you suggested.

I agree about breaking up the rod -- the effect above the fireplace is to bizarrely bring the ceiling down there. It's really an unfortunate effect. Agree with Beverly about the general scaling of the art over the couch -- you want to decorate the human-scale space and then leave the higher realms (including over the fireplace!) as places for your eye to move freely. You don't need to force your art up into that scale.

Here is your original picture with the actual size of your print................next to it is the same size picture with an enlarged print. I don't know that a large print is available, I'm only saying that art over the fireplace, IMO, should be a bit larger as illustrated and extend beyond the height of the drapery rods.

Also, you shouldn't let the cost of art keep you from decorating the way you like -- you can get many wonderful reproductions as posters and then have them mounted simply at little total expense. My home has original art, but one of my favorite pieces is by Franz Marc, and I'm surely not buying his originals! :) The framing place cut off all the white and mounted it with no glass, just a simple frame (I think it was previously drymounted, so it had foam for support), and it looks fantastic. A couple hundred dollars total.

Thanks Beverly, I just misunderstood.

When I need a larger sized abstract painting and funds are limited, I purchase a canvas and get out the paints.

Since I brought up the curtain rod, I know you weren't asking about that, but if you are able , I would change it to 2 rods as shown above.
Your eye is immediately drawn to the focal point of the room above the fireplace and it would look great with a larger piece of art.

Bcb might be right about Houzzers, but it's difficult to shop for art for someone you don't know. I prefer Etsy to the poster solution (examples below). It's like real flowers versus a good fake. Maybe it's just knowing they're real, but they add something special to the room.

Does anyone else like the curtain rod? I like it. I really think the only thing missing in this space is art.

Lol yea, Lila, I do. It's why I got confused earlier. I thought Beverly was suggesting one rod because I think it looks so much better that way.

The curtain rod is fine, but it should not extend over the fireplace, there's really no logical purpose to install it over the fireplace. Besides it cuts the wall at an awkward height.

A wide (48"+) chandelier hung so that the bottom is a few inches above the curtain rod would bring the eye down and would be beautiful from upstairs, the entry and in the space itself.

You really don't have to decorate above the window and door frames unless you have the exact right knock-out piece to do it with. When the space where you and your stuff live (usually the bottom 8 feet) is done right no one notices the upper volume. Maybe you'll be aware of it when the HVAC bill comes in, but as a place to decorate it really isn't necessary.