I would get a beautiful oil painting over the small couch, get a bigger coffee table....maybe glass and get a new rug. Maybe sisal....something quieter. I would buy new pillows for the couches.

Are those your stools in the kitchen or from the staging photo? I like the contrast and color of the stools next to the dark island, and little color in decor and rug will help. You have a good size living room rug, but agree that something quieter might be better. Also a floor plant in the back might be nice.

Could use more wide pics of the LR.

@anniesantallidesign

Thanks for the advice. My plan is to get a oval glass coffee table, the rug is new, what color and style should it be? For the pillows, I was thinking about teal colored ones to sit behind the brown ones. For the painting, thats a roman blind behind the couch that came with the home. I was thinking about adding soild curtains.

If it helps I am 34, single, no kids, police officer and former Marine. I would like to keep it masculine but not 50 shades of grey. I want to make it still look inviting and comfortable

Sounds like you don't need our help. You are definitely on the right track. I like the stools and the kitchen decor you picked out thus far. I think you should run with a grey and blue color scheme there, with turquoise thrown in a bit. Is the backsplash tile or wallpaper?
I like your idea of color in the LR. Do you use the coffee table? If not, why not get something with more function like a ottoman that can be used as a table? You could get two square ones. You need more color and texture now, so add an nice floor plant, pillows, and change out the drape/shade behind couch.

What are the small items on the left corner of the LR?

What style are you hoping to achieve? The kitchen has a traditional look and having the stainless tool or white leather swivel stools with stainless or chrome legs will lighten up the kitchen. As for the living room, you can consider white blinds or California shutter. Whatever you decide, make sure the other window or sliding door also have the same treatment. A larger coffee table and as for cushion, teal would go nicely with chocolate brown. Hope this helps

this type of rug?

I think a wool rug will look better in your space and furniture. If you like your new rug, then I would keep it.

@steph.

what color rug? Im not glued to anything that I currently have.

I can also see a kilim rug in that space as well. The first might clash a bit with your couch, if pics are correct and they lean more towards a pinky beige.

I like your rug, but it doesn't seem to be friends with the traditional cabinetry or the prim coffee table. There is a lot of dark brown, but you seem to be introducing blues and taupes. Why not a traditional blue and taupe rug to pull some of your things together? I love the comfortable masculine space in front of the TV. To me, this room -- certainly this sofa -- does not want sisal.

I think you could go with a lot more color. Definitely get some draperies and let the light in, except at night! As for the rug, get something wool - your feet will love you for it. Wool is expensive, but easy to care for, and feels great. A glass table is a good idea, but go wider, possibly square or round. Oval beveled with wood might seem a little old fashioned; how about some metal on the frame?

I like your idea of red leather swivel stools. If you like red, get a rug with red in it. What's your budget? (Can you afford an oriental rug or save for one you like? Landry & Arcari, Dover Rugs, and many other companies have beautiful rugs and do have sales from time to time) Keep it in mind and approach your room as a picture. Your room doesn't have to be "done" all at once, but goals are good.

Is it all one large room with the kitchen at one end and living area at the other? Let the colors work together.

I agree with the suggestions to get a new rug, maybe one with browns and teal. I think the rug you currently have is too light.

I agree with the idea to get a larger coffee table.

I don't particularly care for the kitchen stools you currently have. They seem too casual for the space. They look like they belong more in an industrial kitchen, not the kitchen you have.

Since you just got the rug, I'd leave it, but get rid of that roman shade. What's behind the window? Do you need to cover it?

Here's some masculine art from my tree collection (all my work listed here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShoaGallery  -- they come in many sizes and colors)

Love the kitchen cabinets!

And this! Because of your service (painted from the flags that get posted on the Pepperdine University lawn facing the beach - on every anniversary of 9/11).

i would maybe do some nondescript blinds the color of the wall...no reason to draw attention. Make sure you do a chunky coffee table....nothing to delicate. I like the idea of teal pillows to pull in. I would do a simple area rug....as I said something like a sisal type.

@anniesantallidesign.

A chunky glass coffee table? glass top and dark wooden legs

@Cicley

These are the other stool options

my rug budget is $400 to $500

@step, they are a pinkish beige

Yes...for the coffee table with the wood. I like the stools Cicley suggested.

I would just get what you like because you've done well so far picking items. It's all a matter of preference, but I like the industrial stools you have now better, but that's just me. The only thing I don't like is the kitchen backsplash. Is it tile, wallpaper, or something else?

Yeah, a wool rug will feel good under foot and will make more sense with the furniture you currently have. I would look at kilim wool rugs for interesting designs, stay away from cheap looking modern rugs with busy designs, but solid might be your best bet.

You will need at least a 8x10 for you space, which isn't cheap. You might want to checkout RugsUSA or find the one you like and wait for a sale. I waited for sale, had a military discount (which you might be able to get as a Police Officer) and such and ended up getting a $680 8x10 rug for $26 recently from West Elm. Anyways, I would just pick something you like, because in the end you will be the one enjoying it, not us.

Here's another I like also:

http://www.westelm.com/shop/rugs-windows/rugs-on-sale/?cm_re=globalbanner--NaturalRugSale--slot2

Hi Clif,

From my architectural days, rooms need to be done in subdued colors. And that leads me to my main piece of advice to all people asking decor advice here on Houzz, artwork needs to accent the room. Just one or two pieces.

I have three pieces to show you any of them would be good. The skyscrapers you have up now are very good, but not much color.

Good luck in your new home,

Cheers, Dave

Hi Clif, I see you started following me on houzz so I thought I would look at your posts. Congrats on your first home, and thanks for your service. I'm commenting on this one because it has the most comments.

First off, of the colour schemes you posted I liked this one the best.

Of the stools you liked, I prefer the dark red colour, but teal is nice too. i think they are a better fit with your dark cabinets than the metal ones.

Now you can see the decor on the counter is too light. I found these inspiration photos on pier1 site. Decor and accessories in these palettes would be better suited.

For the LR, I don't recommend keeping the Roman blind. I feel it's just too bold. I suggest some linen type curtains just a bit darker than wall colour. If you like blinds, bamboo ones under curtains would be a nice look. Here is an inspiration photo with similar wall and sofa colours, and is a good representation of how your LR would look with neutral curtains and a few pillows that tie into stool colour.

@MarleneM. hi thanks for the Advice? I have a question, the kitchen pallet picture and the red bar stools, where did you find that? I actually picked that that picture and edited it and wrote kitchen on there and put it on my instagram and already chose the bar stools , the same ones from Overstock.com. the only reason I did not buy them is because I think they are $180 each. and I didnt want to spent that much money and not like them

Clif, you added a pic of those stools in this thread, and I used a photoshop app to add them into your kitchen.

@MarleneM

lol. I forgot that I added that, where did you get the picture of the kitchen pallet from?

The kitchen palette picture was from one of your other posts.

oh ok.I have to buy a couch for my loft, then I will invest in the bar stools. thanks for the info. also with the blinds would it be fine if I just bought tan/beige draps and left the shades. something like this

Definately try to work with the blinds if you like them. Having neutral curtains on the side and having them not pulled all the way down is going to soften the look.

I am also thinking about adding crown molding around the windows and tv nook

Yes I think anything you can do to make the tv nook look more like a built-in is a good idea.

Good lighting - dimmable floor lamps that add some panache and texture to the room. You've got a whole lot of tan and brown, so bringing in some contrasting but complementary materials and textures is necessary, and start with the basic necessities like floor lamps and move on to accent pillows and art

Also paint one of your walls in an accent color - does not need to be a bright color- should suit the overall color scheme of your home

And. Although I do really quite like your rug, that is also a great opportunity to bring in color that you are missing

Your selection is really very great, you can also check few custom rug designs and enhance your already great look because custom rugs could be created in any shape, size, pattern and style.

check ideas here

Hello Clif, congrats on your new home! I suggest you get a colorful rug first, for many reasons. What you choose will determine your style. You have beige sofas so you need color in your rug and artwork. Go to rugstudio.com and look around. Get a chrome framed glass, square coffee table from overstock.com. Replace shade with something plain, but movable to close at night. Add drapes. Pull a color from rug to add throw pillows and artwork. Tv cabinet should by painted white, same as trim, and/or be built in. Enlarge trim at later time. Consider painting kitchen cabinets white with chrome hardware and lighting. Bar stool color will follow rug colors. With tv and kitchen cabinets painted white, your home will be light! Here's a pic of my colorful rug, white cabinets and trim in background, metal glass coffee table (mines in antique gold). Good luck and enjoy your space!

Check out Greyson Living Natal Chrome and Glass coffee table on Overstock.com. There are matching end tables as well.

Overstock also has a Barricade wrap around drapery rod in chrome that's simple and contemporary. Get the matching rings to hang your drapes from. I have them in antique gold in my bedroom and they are quietly stunning.

I keep getting different rug Ideas. I have officially bought 3 different types of rugs and 3 different coffee tables. Haha

as far as the roman shades go, I kind of like them so far, not because of the pattern, rather that My dog can push it out of the way to look out of the window with out bending or breaking aluminum and wood blinds like in the past. as far as painting the kitchen cabinets I just moved out of a place that has white cabinets and every place I think I've lived in had white cabinets although they do lighting the place up I kind of like the dark colors for something new that I've never had before. so I want to stick to the darker colors for now. I think I will get a solid color beige or tan curtains and as far as rugs and table, I just bought these two iteams for not that much. if the rug dosent match I will buy something with a little more colors. (chocolate, beige, deep red, cream)

Abstract art would make a statement in your place! Check out my site for all my latest paintings www.sarahphelps.ca

@clif, everyone is going to have a different opinion, lol! You have to go with what you like and what works for you, and your dog.
I like your dark cabinets and the neutral choices so far, it sets the stage to add some nice artwork.

I actually don't mind your current choices, maybe update that roman shade to something a little lighter and swap our your pillows. Don't hate the teal idea, perhaps you could pull another color out of your art to coordinate? Be confident in your choices because you're off to a great start!