Keep the white ceilings, but paint the beams white as well; they're currently too heavy. Close off the pass-through to the kitchen. Have the large sofa face the fireplace, with a chair on either side. It looks as though you should be able to put the sofas back to back so that you have a social area around the fireplace and a TV viewing area facing the other direction. Pick something like a warm taupe for the walls, using the semi-gloss version of the same colour for all the trim.

You might try getting your furniture off the walls. Maybe put couch or love seat facing fireplace. That will help define the area. Also try bringing in a warm color for throws or pillows.

Monitors do not show true colors. On mine your walls seem not quite the best color for your beams, fireplace and carpet It is a lot of space to paint so if you decide to change get test jars of paint and be really sure of your choice before you proceed. You might even want to get a designer help you pick - just be sure you are comfortable with the choice. I normally like lighter colors, but the largeness of the open space makes me think maybe a darker color would be cozier and better relate to the fireplace. I am thinking a blue or green with a gray undertone, but I don't have a definite color in mind.

This is BM Hampshire Gray:

Sherwin Williams Unusual Gray:

Even though these are called "grays" they really read more blue or green. These work well with brown tones which my monitor is showing in your carpet and beams and will set the brick off to a better advantage. I used a bluer blue gray in my basement - Valspar Schoolboy Blue. I have a brick fireplace in the basement and I really like it with the blue /gray walls - and in general I am not fond of gray:)

I think your furniture needs to be rearranged. What do you think about moving the long sofa so that it is in front of the fireplace and then put the TV on the wall that the sofa is currently on.

The first thing I would do is paint the brick! Also, the brass trim on the fireplace needs to be painted black or removed altogether.
I promise, you'll feel better immediately!!

Hello Randy, You are not dumb as you recognize that this room is not working for you right now. I'd start with seeing if there is a better layout for your furniture. Are you willing to get rid of the love seat as I think you can have a better layout if you are willing to part with it. I'm trying to determine if there is enough room to float your sofa facing the fireplace? If so, then maybe there would be room to put a recliner with its back to your entry door and then put the TV on the wall were the sofa was. If this arrangement works, then I would suggest a larger console to put the TV on.

Those pendant lights have to go. They do not belong there. If you want lighting up there then they should be changed out to recessed lights. I think the beams add interest and would not paint them. Though I would paint the stair railing all white as the dark on it is highlighting it and trying to make it an architectural feature which it isn't. Let the beams do that!

If you decide to do some rearranging, then we can go from there.

Here are some suggestion based upon my experience in having a similar home:

1. Paint the fireplace doors black with high heat paint.
2. Paint the walls and ceiling the same color, look at BM Cashmere Gray.
3. Put down hardwood floors and loose the carpet.
4. I took down part of the brick and angled the fireplace, but I have an insert.
5. Improve the lighting in the room wit pot lights.

My house in the middle of a renovation, but here are some photos of what I am talking about.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I hear some recurring themes. I also hear some disagreement. I think for now I will play with the furniture, I like that idea most. Work on the fireplace doors and look at painting. Then come back for more advice.

Thanks again!

Carry on, and keep us posted.

Randy...Welcome to Houzz, as you've learned - there are dozens of opinions...Good Luck.

Suggest you pull the love seat off the wall and make it relate to the sofa and fireplace. Then you have room for a card table or game table or bar area off the kitchen pass through.

Love the bird art. Sorry about your wife.

OK, so I have made some changes as suggested with the furniture. I played two different ways and this was the way I liked best. However it's cramped feeling now.

I do like the TV against that wall better though.

So I had a comment about the couch... it is a sectional. It is too big for this living room put together. I also do not want to get rid of it in that we only got it two years ago and I do not have the money to go out and buy something new right now.

However I have attached photos of what we've got in the front room for furniture. And you can take a gander at these.

The corner piece for the sofa is used just by itself and I was going to cover the empty side with an end table but it's used pretty much as a reading area.

And then I have a loveseat that is super comfy but does not fit the color of the other sofa.

So there you go those are my options. Let me know what you all think.

I understand you want to keep the sectional but I think your space is going to look a bit awkward until you get new furniture. There are great consignment stores that you can find fantastic pieces for really reasonable prices. Do you have the two pieces back to back? Could you make it an L shape without the corner piece?

Another thought.. would the TV fit on an angle in the corner (a bit pulled out) to the right side of the fireplace? If so, then would the love seat (not the red one) fit on the wall where the sofa was? Keeping the sofa where it is.

Tedbixby

Yes, but looking at it I'm almost thinking a better idea.

The longer sofa with the two ends on it are two different pieces. I'm thinking taking the shorter section and pulling it out of the room. Bringing the corner in to this room and putting it in between the two sections of the longer sofa and making it squared off.

This would still give me enough room to pull it out from the wall and not be so awkward.

However then I would take the TV and instead of having it against the wall it is currently against, mount it above the fireplace. I would have the ability to pull the trim pieces, that are on the side of the fireplace, off and build some trim that would allow wiring to fit down through it and put it back up along the side of the fireplace.

Then I would either take the current entertainment table or find something totally different that sits low to the floor that would allow me to have some sort of entertainment center underneath the right-hand window. Running any cables I need up through the trim and to the TV.

Thoughts?

Clueless, maybe. Dumb?.. not at all. By far, I am not a decorator but as a guys point of view I would address the fireplace. The brick is nice but seems out of place. I would sheetrock over it and paint to match your walls. Keep the mantle as it is but stain darker to match ceiling beams to tie them together. I would not paint the beams to match the ceiling as mentioned above somewhere.
As far as furniture placement... you're stuck with everyone else here. Ciao

I like your suggestion. However the mantle is the same color as the ceiling beams. So I'm not sure if I should still go ahead?

What are the room's dimensions?

You can hide your TV in furniture and show it only when you want to.

Photos are always misleading, it looks lighter in them. That being said...I like the mantle. :)

You could paint your walls and ceiling B M Acadia White. Paint the trim the color of the beams. Paint the fireplace bricks the color of the rug and paint the fireplace doors the color of beams.

Face the sofa to the fireplace. Some new pillows and you are golden.

Try adding the corner piece to make the sofa a sectional again.

The full sectional may work but likely pretty tight. Worth a try if you have to use all of the pieces.

Hi Randy
I'm getting into this conversation kind of late but suggest you
Make the fireplace the focal point isn't the room - by doing the followings:
Paint the brick white.
Mount the TV over fireplace
Put sofa facing tv with coffee table in front and maybe a chair I either side of fireplace.

It,s a big room and could hold more color. Pick a dark green/gray color if you are keeping g the sofa.

If it's in the budget - replace carpet with wood floors and get an area rug with some interest.
Ann
AKB Design

I also would definitely paint the brick fireplace white. Keep the mantle as is. Paint the walls a nice light gray. Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is a great color. With that much lightening up, you may be able to keep the beams as is.

Randy- If I'm understanding correctly, your plan with the long sofa is to add the corner piece and the long sofa becomes a "L" sectional. Correct? I like the idea of that and pulling out the shorter one out of that room. I'd do that first and then let's talk about the TV. Post photos of the "L" but further away so we get a view of how it sits in the whole room.

When you move the furniture, please take pictures of the room just like you did when you originally posted.

Alrighty folks I love where this is going and the solid advice I am getting!

When I get home I will work on the sectional and post some pictures.

OK I base this on the sketches that ER 612 posted.

Definitely feel like it needs to be moved away from one of the walls at least and I know the TV does need moved now.

You can move the sectional away from both of the walls. It seems so close to that doorway. How do you feel about this layout?

I do like the layout it makes the room feel so much bigger. And I do agree with you on moving it away from the wall, I just wasn't sure which direction to go if I should do both walls or just one wall.

Is the door beside the bird pictures your front door? If so, consider rotating the sofa so that the back of it faces the door, and put the TV on the long wall. It will give you an entry way and I think the room will look more balanced.

No that door goes to the basement and garage. The doorway next to it is the entryway to the house.

Love it! Where does the door behind the sofa lead or is it a closet? Sorry. I didn't realize you moved the TV. I would bring it back to its original spot. What will you do with the armless sofa part of the sectional? Do you have room for it somewhere else?

I like it but I'm going to have to play with it. There's just something not quite right about it but it is much better. I'm still thinking about mounting the TV on the fireplace I think that would be my best bet.

I do have another room I can put The armless sectional piece in.

Do you have a cabinet or console table that you could place behind the sofa? If so...

Video game cabinet in the empty space (could be painted). It opens up the wall with the pass through to the kitchen.

Or. I have another table.

At the moment don't move the armless piece until the sectional is exactly the way that you want it. It looks better with the cabinet behind it. Also, realize that you can bring it more into the room, for your comfort.

I don't think putting the TV over the fireplace is a good idea as it will be too high for enjoyable viewing.

Skip the painting and buy a new sofa and love seat, OR side chair, I BLUE! Denim blue, dark blue, midnight blue, (like from the Crayola box), or navy! That will make the walls fit. Arrange them in an L shape with a smaller class and metal corner table, and round shape upholstered ottoman as coffee table. Arrange your wife's birds all on the wall headed into the kitchen, lower, with the focal point at 5ft off the floor. Keep the TV where it is now, with a larger piece of furniture under it, maybe also in blue, or black to compliment the beams and fireplace. Add throw pillows and a cozy throw in colors that match the bright birds. Voila! A brighter room that comes out of a man cave and into a grown up Living Room. Later, go art shopping and find something Huge and in those colors to go over the TV.

You're making good progress.

One thing to remember is that rooms look better when the furniture has a bit of breathing room. For example, don't put your sofa flat against the wall. Leave a 6 inch space behind it. And if you end up using the video game cabinet in that spot, pull the sofa forward so that, again, there is 4-6 inches on either side.

Also, wall art looks best when it is about 2/3 of the width of the furniture below it. Or if it's a small wall and there is no furniture on the wall, it should be about 2/3 of the wall.

So since my last post, I have actually had some time to work on the house. And have focused on the living room first. I still have the sectional in the same place it was however I have made some changes and I have attached photos.

The first photo shows that I have removed the door that went out onto the deck. I now have a set of French doors in the kitchen to access the deck and have replaced the door with a window. In addition we cut a hole in the opposite wall and put a matching window on that wall as well. This has let a lot more light into the room and it’s not as dark and depressing.

I have repainted the room. Instead of the yellowish tan it was, the sidewalls are now a light gray and around the fireplace it is a darker gray. I also have mounted my TV above the fireplace which is the perfect location to watch it.

My brother is very handy, and he built me a light fixture above the fireplace that looks like a beam of wood. It’s actually only 6 pounds and a box made out of Cedar that is stained the same color as the fireplace mantle and all of the beams.

He also built me the coffee table you see in front of the sectional, from dumpster diving. It’s essentially made out of two by fours, except for underneath where it is made with one by fours. That was the only thing he had to purchase.

I still plan on putting a dark vinyl flooring down that looks like wood. It will go along with the other dark wood in the room.

I also still need to figure out furniture and then the wall Decour.

Originally we were talking about going with a cabin like feel. But I’ve had a couple of people tell me they think I should go with more of a modernistic style. So I am torn. I also need to figure out what to do with the back wall.

Take a look at the pictures that I have attached I would love to hear some feedback. Thanks!

More photos

Ikea had A room set up the other day that reminded me of my living room. So I am kind of thinking this for Decor.