Doesn't the light behind the TV bother you? I would find another place for your TV if possible. Otherwise, no floating shelves (too much clutter) but add some white sheer curtains to your windows.

The light is supposed to be there, it's supposed to help with how the tv looks when on.

The biggest problem for me is how high that TV is. It needs a new spot.

Agree with the others, TV is over whelming that whole area. Find a better place for the TV on a console somewhere else in the room. It ruins your fireplace look.

I'd remove all the white trim / wainscot on the wall. Put the TV elsewhere and find some nice art to take its place.

Ok! Thanks!

Leave the walls empty, and find a new place for the tv

Hi there! If you'd like to keep your TV where it is because it's the only space that works in the room (although agreed with others that it's a bit too high), you can explore the idea of adding built in bookshelves to the right and left side. There are a lot of great DIY videos for doing it yourself or they can be custom built of course. This will help you to keep the mantle and the hearth clear and to put toys and trinkets in baskets. Also, definitely would recommend adding white sheers to the windows to help ground that wall space. If the built-in's are too pricey, maybe just adding a lower cabinet on each side would work. Good luck!

Here is some options for your TV:

The only problem is the room is pretty long/skinny so it would be really hard to put the TV somewhere else.....?

Hang on drapes above the windows ,and no problem with an empty place.

If you can post pictures of the whole space, showing each wall, I'm sure we can come up with some suggestions for you. It's such a pretty fireplace and those eyeball spots would do so well illuminating a beautiful piece of art.

If that is truly the only place for a TV in this room, I would move this one to the bedroom and get a smaller one (or none) for this room.

Maggie...your TV is too high for comfortable viewing, plus it looks like a big black rectangle over another black rectangle.
Put it on the wall over a low console cabinet, using one of those TV wall racks which can be pulled out and angled for viewing. It will look so much better. Put a large piece of art over the fireplace.

Here are some other angles of the room. Please excuse the mess.

You could mitigate this somewhat by replacing the sound bar with speakers and lowering the TV. I'd remove all the stuff from the mantel if the TV must stay there and find a way to hide the cords. You don't need anything on the sides of the fireplace.

Oh wow, that looks awesome!!! Wow!!! THANK YOU!!

If that's a sectional, pull it up to where it's even with the fireplace and put the TV on the wall where you currently have the big chair and ottoman. Then pull the chair up closer to the fireplace so it can be part of the conversation with people on the sofa.

Remove everything currently hanging on the walls and consider grouping them as a gallery. It looks like you just hung stuff on nails that were already there. ;-)

Maggie, it will be more awesome to put the TV on the far wall. Your neck will thank us, too.

I'd put it down at one end (probably the left) and arrange furniture to encompass the TV and the fireplace. If the room is really long, it should be divided into more than one zone anyway -- put a reading chair with a bookcase and a floor lamp at the other end, or a small table for games and puzzles.

The room is 21 ft. X 13 ft....I don't think the sectional will fit on the short wall....unfortunately. I wanted to originally set it up in sections but I couldn't figure out how to do it with the fireplace right in the middle.

I like the idea so far of a smaller tv and removing the sound bar (not really necessary anyway). Maybe down the road buying new furniture to better fit putting a tv on the "short" wall.

Ooh look, now you can keep your sound bar AND your furry buddy can watch Animal Planet:

Ha! NICE!!!! I do like that!!! Convincing my husband.....you don't think the tv will be too far away?

With the arrangement above, you shouldn't have to move the sectional. Just pull the chair forward. Prepare for Hubby to pitch a fit about moving the TV. For some reason, men think TVs belong over fireplaces as if it gives it pride of place. Your fireplace will look much better with art above and putting it over a console solves the problem of the cords.

Pull the sectional forward to the edge of the fireplace and I think the viewing distance will be fine. That also leaves the area behind for the kids to play and store some toys.

He's going out of town in a few weeks. Perfect time to make changes. A lot easier to ask forgiveness....seriously, thank you so much. This has been a disaster since we moved in over a year ago. I'm really excited now!!!

Moving the TV will give the area a much more finished look and will take better advantage of the space in the room. I think you'll be very happy with it.

Though I still haven't one the battle of the tv (it's still ongoing) I did hang some curtains and I'm MUCH happier with how finished it is all looking.

It definitely looks better and the curtains help. But you're both gonna have arthritis in your necks in a few years. ;-)

Coming along nicely! If you have some left over wall paint, just brush a little bit on that tv cord above the mantle (mantel?) it will make the cord disappear!

I'm working on moving it! ;) Yes!! I do have a nice little inch or so in the paint can, I'll brush a little on tomorrow!! THANKS!!!

Do you not have another room for the tv?