I like the print better than the stripe

Your two large recliners make a statement in the room. I think anything you do to the room should reflect on those two recliners.....color, pattern style, fullness and a stronger thicker curtain rod.

For the kitchen fabric Roman Shades are very important now. I would do subtle in the family room again to align with the recliners and a more patterned but coorinated fabric for a Roman Shade over the kitchen window and simple full curtains on the Patio Slider.

lastly new modern drum shade type light fixture with all other light fixtures supporting the important drum shade over yhe dining table.

You love the damask, so I don't understand why you would replace it for a stripe. A striped drape isn't going to "visually enlarge your room" any more than your damask patterned ones. I also think the damask looks more sophisticated than the stripe. If you want to visually enlarge your room, paint the walls a cream color rather than the current yellow, remove your kitchen valances altogether, and update your lighting fixtures.

... good comments ... I wonder what it is about closed in: could the room feel too warm / in tone, temperature?....

Okay, the reason I am doing green is to tie in with my living room (which is large) and done in terracotta and green. I also have some green pottery on my FP mantel and Fiestaware in my hutch that can be seen from the familyroom. Plus, like I said, I am going to tweak some more things. Green just makes me feel good. The yellow on the walls looks a lot more vivid in my pics and is actually much more subtle in person. We did just buy a new light fixture for over the table, but hubby hasn't had time to put it up yet. I think I will rule out the stripe then and am putting up a pic of my old dark green curtains. I guess the reason I am still fussing over the damask partly is that they are expensive, so I want to like them for a LONG time and I have lived with my solid green (pic down below for so long) that I am having a hard time with change (my personality!). At the same time, I'm sick of the very dark green and the climate here is generally gloomy, so I wanted something different. Any thoughts on the old dark green ones? (The toile fabric you see in the pic is something I was thinking of having pillows made out of if I had kept the dark green--just fooling around with it). Also, my style has and never will be modern. I like a little mix of everything--country, eclectic. So, please keep that in mind, too. I am just so TIRED of the dark, dark solid--have had them up for 15 years. And, yes, I know the recliners are ugly, but this is our "hang-out" room. The LR is very pretty and does not include recliners. My husband is a big man and can't live without the ugly things! lol We also have two dogs that sit on them, so there is no point in buying new pretty ones right now. Sorry this is so long... But, I love the mix of opinions and would certainly welcome more!

"You have permission" to change from old dark to new -- from here, they seem great.

Isn't background about same as carpeting?? go for it..

I love your curtains now. Don't change if you think new drapes will "open the room"

Remove the valence. That needs to go pronto. While you're up there remove the stuff over the valence. Those are the sort of things that close in the room. Too much stuff causes the room to look smaller and darker.

BTW, the damask looks way better than the darker color. The ones on the left have a lighter feel.

Yes, about reducing items on walls --- even to try it for a while....

If you want to update the look of the drapes try adding new rods. Go for an oil rubbed bronze or iron. Rods like this will draw less attention to themselves. They are skinnier.

If you get new rods with or without new drapes, get them enough longer that when the drapes are pulled back, they are entirely off the window, right at its edge that is. More window, more light, bigger (feeling) room. In the TV room that is. Valances are a horizontal line and bring the ceiling down, which can make for a cozy feeling, or a claustrophobic one -- you decide!

I believe the vertical stripes (and the vertical lines of the drapes when pulled back) *do* add to illusion of higher ceilings. It's a visual trick known forever, in fashion and architecture. The light color of the striped fabric is more "enlarging" for sure than the solid green, and I think than the floral print, it has more white/off-white. Have someone make you throw pillow covers out of the damask!

Well, thank you everyone. I like everyone's ideas about new curtain rods. But, what I would LOVE to know is: do you think I should get the damask print curtains? If I'm not going to complete the set, I need to send these back. I still just get a gut feeling that I really like them. Are they going to look like "Grandma" curtains in a couple of years? Just please tell me if I should keep the dark, do stripe or do the damask. I think it sounds like a lot of you are leaning towards the damask. Yes, I really am sick of the dark solid ones. I just want to make sure that even if I pare down my valances and stuff on the walls, you don't think the damask will make the room seem even smaller since it is already small. I'm thinking a solid dark color probably has been closing the room in for the last 15 years anyway, right? I guess I just need a lot of reassurance. I think I'm getting premenopause brain and can't seem to make decisions anymore--at least that's what my husband says. Is all of this an age thing, too? My daughter just turned 30 and loves the print, but did like it when I removed a couple of lamps, etc. I think the older you are, maybe the more stuff you have collected and put up. I'm 50 and guess I need to "get hip", huh?

Um don't think I said ugly in reference to the recliners....I think they are quite nice. To clarify I think they are very 'clean and lean in design' and suggested that items you being into the room have a very clean line also. No ruffles or things that have a light pastel feel.

These rooms all have grey in them because grey is so 'in' now' but they do show design ideas you can copy in room arrangement, accents, rugs and color ideas. fyi

Bellevue House · More Info

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I'll take a stab. You show a room with vibrancy, seems to be personalized and welcoming- a place I'd like to sit in, for a nice visit. But?

There's a lot going on in that space. Personally, I think striped/patterned drapes will detract from the charm of it all. Grandma curtains- I belly-laughed at that. I also think that these patterns would make your space look smaller, not larger.

Just my opinion. BTW- I'm 53. You don't have to get "hip", and you have earned the right to do whatever the heck you want. But if your goal is to enhance the space with a bit of updated pizazz, then maybe look for a "tone on tone" striped fabric in a neutral (ish) color. Keep it simple, and let it be the "window dressing" that allows the personality of this space (and you) to shine. Eclectic and calm, with a spice of personality seems to be your style. Maybe stay with that look.

902juanita, thanks for the vote of confidence. I guess I just sit in this room so much that you lose your sense of being able to distance yourself from it and see it from other's point of view. You know how sometimes you just feel like you need a change? Frankly, I'm so, so tired of looking at different curtains, it's pretty much either the damask or keeping my old, tired green ones. I am going to go out this week and buy new updated rods which are longer, so I can push the curtains further off the window, either way. And get rid of some pics above the TV. Too tired to do it tonight. I don't know what it is about those darned print damask curtains that won't let me out of their grasp! lol Oh, and ripping valances down first thing in the morning. I do have a nice woven blind that pulls sideways on my slider, which adds some texture. And Susan Davis, I'm sorry. You didn't call my chairs ugly--I did. And Everdebz, you have been my "rah-rah" girl for the damask. Thank you for that. I guess my ultimate goal was to go on these boards and have everyone overwhelmingly approve the print damask and I could go confidentally spend the money and think that I wasn't the only one who thought (besides a few of you) who they would look stunning!! lol

sis boom bah.... yeh, and I wasn't the only one.... seems that reclaimed wood [however smooth or rustic] updates a room, am I wrong? and if you tire of expensive damask.... try something, anything, asking houzzers again... ;-)

not sure if I'm helping, but how at least one said remove some items -- I notice the nice bright green vases.... what if you altered into more green and light // no red..?

Does that 'read' traditional more so? and bring damask into as you said, grandma look?

I went onto PBarn and even they have green damask - Idk if you thought it a 'good' old-fashioned when you bought it, or are worrying/ second-guessing now they're home and up??...

OIC, I thought you already had the floral print on some windows. If they are ALSO new (a choice) and you love them, go for it! They are no-way Gramma curtains. I always favor something LOVED!

You are also going to love getting the drawn curtains off the windows. It brings the outside and the light, inside.

I love reading this post!

Looking at your room I adore the print curtains too, but I think if you want an update then a geometric design might be a consideration too.

I love the yellow walls; very cheery!

I agree that cleaner, fatter, curtain rods 10-12 inches off either side of the windows will make the windows appear bigger and will also let in more light and the room will appear larger.

In looking at your room I see red and green accessories in both rooms. These colors are opposide pretty much on the color wheel and when you put them together they intensify each other. If you want a more updated 'look' for the room try doing one color of accessories with a neutral shade as a backup. The neutral colors will enhance the one color and you can use the accent color over and over but in different variations which seem to be on trend now too. You can try this by first taking away all the red items and leaving the green items in the room and see how it feels to you; then switching to removing all the green and leaving the red? It will probably have more impact, but you gotta love it!!!

I love the dogs and and fruit pictures.....have you tried hanging a dog picture over a fruit picture on either side of a window; this would allow them to not be blocked and give them a bigger presence in the room.....again just suggestions to change the direction of the room. The clock is grogeous too, but needs a more prominent place

Your lamps could be all neutral, and in pairs to bring structure and balance to the room, end tables can be wood and metal for a more industrial look and to relate to to TV stand.

I love the floral drape but feel that an organic pattern might give you more of a different feel.....it is so easy to redo a room and end up with the same room in a different color. Go out of your comfort zone a bit and I think you will like the results.

1 Yelllow walls with blue curtains and blue accessories

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2 Yellow room with muted green and red accessories with bronze as a neutral for lamps etc.

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3 Yellow walls with red accessories and black and white neutrals

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4 Yellow walls with red accessories and black neutrals

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5 Yellow walls with pale blue accents and patterned blue yellow white as your neutral.

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Yellow walls with red accents and taupe as a neutral

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These rooms are just some examples of basically yellow rooms with different accent colors that might give your a feeling of how your room can change with just one color along with your very cheery, bright yellow walls. Just suggestions. You might like it or not and that is OK; that is what HOuzz is all about. haha

ok now that you have explained the meaning of being green kermie! I am all in. your damask is up and coming, they are beginning to leave the stripes and geometrics behind, slow going, but getting there. yes, they will definitely be old ladyish in about 20 years, when you are so...

now i think you have much to do in there, but let me show you a couple pillows i have been collecting. leaves, i believe they are the new background geometrics. use these to remember to go to my p folder, where i have at least 30 leaf pillows, loving it!

Amazon.com: Popeven Palm Tree Accent Pillows Decorative Pillow Cover 18 x 18 Inc · More Info

Amazon.com: Popeven Tropical Cushion Cover for Couch Square Canvas Accent Palm T · More Info

Robin's egg blue as posted above is less dark of course.... not a blend with pretty green apples [which could go elsewhere?]....

Don't know about the curtains, but I like the dachshund. :)

Okay, Susan Davis, thank you for your great ideas. I will get rid of one of the colors and use a neutral. Most likely I will keep the green since I have it in almost every room of my house (with terracotta!). I was planning on moving the pics above the TV--your idea sounds great. PJaxxon, I often think of that too--life is short--get the damask lol! (seriously). I'm going to stop tomorrow night and get new rods and try my old and damask with those and am hoping that will give me some clarity. Leeza Petroza, Heather, and Everdebz , thanks for reassuring me they are not "Grandma" curtains! Makes me feel so much better. My best friend who used to be my sounding board on this stuff has recently left, so I need some reassurance. Having fun, love your leaf pillows and yes, in 20 years, I will be an old lady, so guess I should have "old lady" curtains then, huh? lol And, lastly, Donna, my two doxies are the greatest! The fluffy recliners belong to them! I'll post new pics when I get my new rods. You are all the greatest and I sincerely appreciate the help and thought-provoking comments.

so you want me to take my things down?

Nope, they're very pretty! lol