The furniture, tile and rug are all neutral. I would suggest a bit of color on the walls. Or at least a little darker color to make the room pop a little.

Maybe a blue-gray or a creamy yellow. I'm sure you will get lots of great ideas.

#1 - Promise you won't put the boat picture back up above the opening in the wall? Looks like you could create a great gallery wall on the wall behind the couch with some favorite paintings and family photos. (Frames don't have to match but some complimenting is nice)

#2 - Make sure you paint the whole wall behind the couch that runs down to the jacket hooks.

#3 - The white trim will be just fine!

#4 - Consider geometric pattern area rug. It will warm up the floor and the feeling in the room!

Finally, our paint suggestion. What about Tony Taupe from SW? It's a great neutral. These images attached show it with white trim in low light, which is how it looks in your room.

HI -- Try - Nelson Blue cw 635 by Benjamin Moore paints --- this looks good with white trims .

I think you either have to paint the walls a colour more sympathetic to the colour of the brick (hard to tell, but the colour you have looks too yellow) or you have to ignore tte brick colour, pick a colour you like, and then paint the brick in that colour

But beyond that, to make the room what it should be, think of the blocking of spaces -- which means no little bits stuck here and there. A big picture here, four smaller pictures in a square configuration there. Five decorative items in this place, of various heights; three somewhere else; one big item in another position. (Who knows why, but uneven numbers for groups of items often work best -- maybe because you can arrange them in triangles?)

I've just simplified one of your images for you to demonstrate what that kind of thinking can mean. The two vertical (pictures) and horizontal on the left work as a unit, the big picture on the right wall does the same. I'm supposed to be working or I'd play with putting a single tall item on that little table -- perhaps a vase pretty enough to show off whether or not is has flowers in it.

Must work. I'll be reading this thread with interest. :-)

Click on pic, or you won't see what I'm talking about. :-)

Eric, I'd love to replace that curly-legged little table with something more substantial -- maybe if your parents love it you could find a nook for it somewhere else?

PS and I'll go away. I love that window, it deserves drapes. Any chance of working that into the budget? If not now, later. Good luck.

Just an FYI, take everything off the mantle under the TV. Also everything on the hearth, in front of the hearth and hanging over the hearth and on the FP except the TV. Also on wall next to FP.

Take everything off the wall with the pass-thru, everything on the floor by that wall and everything off the window sill.

Once you get the room painted, take photos and we can suggest some décor for the room.