One thing that would help the brown sofas would be to add pillows with pops of color! Red, yellow, and orange would add life and beautiful colors to the furniture. If someone is a quilter or does crochet, a quilt or afghan would again help give those sofas some color! A throw in the right colors would also help a lot. You will still have the brown but at least, not as much or not as noticeable with some added pops of color!

Here are a couple of rooms with dark brown sofas and neutral colors...

Family Room · More Info

Jagare Ridge Buena Vista Showhome · More Info

What about something like one of these for your table?

Ludlow Square Dining Table, Oak · More Info

Ella, Round Maple Dining Table, Wood: Walnut, 60" · More Info

A medium wood with some structural interest to offset the boxy furniture.

Maybe you can ease into the sofa issue by selling the loveseat on Craig's List and replacing it with a pair of chairs that will steer you away from the brown while working with it. May we see pix of the stairwell side taken from the FP?

GDF Studio Verona Blue Fabric Occasional Chair · More Info

Your home looks wonderful! No need to fret. Using lamps rather than overhead lighting it a great way to improve a home's appearance.

So wait, now brown is dated? Before long grey is gonna be dated. You gonna change it again? What a yoyo.

I think you can find a nice medium tone table that doesn't blend in too much with the floor. Remember it will have the dark island and possibly the dark loveseat--if you don't replace it-- as backdrops so it will stand out from them.

Your room is coming together nicely and I hear you on the trend-following builders frustration.

Couple Suggestions: 1. Choose an accent color. If you want a more neutral/soft color scheme, I would pick a pale blue to accent the browns, beiges, and whites. For a more bold color scheme, I would choose red. 2. Linen curtains and valances in your chosen accent color. These will help break up your current colors. Or, a patterned curtain with your room colors will help create unity in your space. 3. Continue to add your accent color throughout your space in lamp shades, rugs, pillows, ect.

News flash ... gray IS "dated", at least where I live. Accent colors needed , your house looks great, I like the browns you have. I don't consider what's "in" or "out", I buy what I like.

I get many compliments on our living and family rooms. Most of our furniture is various shades of brown, mainly from >50 years ago before people worried about dated. We have light floors, walls painted a light beige that compliments the marble fireplace, white woodwork and draperies. To add spark I have a teal wall and a few teal accents. In the family room I have also added a few red accents.

In my opinion with brown or any dark furniture you need to be especially conscious of the lighting in the room. Both general lighting and reading lamps are important.

I love the color tones. That is what I have in my living room now and am working towards in my kitchen, although I have white perimeter cabinets and a brown island. I would suggest lighting changes in the kitchen area and at the table to bring more interest upward. also, as others have said, pick a color you like to add to the monochrome design that you can change with the seasons. I love deep red with the brown/white/tan combo or even green. Also, add some plants if you like them/want to take care of them. Browns and neutrals are part of our outside world, and so is green. Plants can give you dimension and a pop or color and also clean the air! Throws on the couch a definate must, and pillows of your color choice for pop. I think you have a nice baseline to work with, it's just the finishing touches that could be tweaked. good luck!

If you'll provide your cat with the greens she needs she may leave the plants alone. Mine look for a healthy clump dug up from the field next door to satisfy them. When it isn't available they like a few spinach leaves.

Cats like spinach leaves?

Mine do - its just greens to them.

My cats love dried apricots ??

With the advent of Print on Demand, wall art is becoming one of the most inexpensive means of renovating a room, because artwork on the walls adds color, interest, and -- when a person chooses representational work that reflects their lifestyle -- personality. To counteract the brown, I'd lean toward blue -- bright, happy blue, or a variety of colors that pull away from neutrals. I've attached a few samples from my collection (http://bit.ly/2mRQUGy, as well as http://bit.ly/2n7qFhI on Houzz) to give you ideas. Many representational works, especially those of landscapes, have an element of brown in them that will coordinate with your existing palette, but will also have totally different colors to pull you out of the sea of brown.

On the Beach canvas print -- http://bit.ly/2niKSkX

Light of Zion framed print -- http://bit.ly/2mYo5Kh

Forever Yours Canvas Print -- http://bit.ly/2n7oAC8

There are lots of ways to add interest to a room. Just make sure these ideas go along with your style.

1. I agree with the ideas to add table lamps. Put one in each corner (or wall sconces) at chest height. Also, in your kitchen, you may want to add lighting under your cabinets.

2. Add reflective surfaces. Consider metals (silver, gold, bronze) or mirror finishes for accessories and lamp bases. Even small accessories will bring light to any dark corner or area. How about small mirror frames? I have a few in my built in bookcases and they really bring the place some life! One tip about glass on framed prints: use plexiglass for safety and ease of hanging on large frames.

3. Put one mirror in each room at precise locations. Don't put them where people will see themselves as soon as they come into the room. Try a corner location. Keep in mind the height of your items, shape, and color.

4. I agree with adding color. That will be sure to add some life to your brown. Also think about texture.

You have a pretty home and you can do so much with neutrals and brown. Add blue/torquoise and some deep orange. Artwork & a carpet with those colors will add color and warmth. I like the idea of simple drapes.

Can't wait to see the progress!

Below are a few gorgeous dining room designs of ours. Notice the blue chairs with each dining set? It might be nice to add sprinkles of blue around your space as well.

Kingstation Elegant Home · More Info

Kitchen Renovation · More Info