I would start with this, using a frame more suited to your taste and decor, to tone down that television. The pictures need to be no higher than the television and I would bring out the tan/gold in your couch to tone down the white partially as I see white and wood in the background. I would not paint that gorgeous wood. Creativity is a process. Your colors are gorgeous and gold is back! Have fun with it! God Bless, Susan

I've tried to find the TV mirror, but haven't had any success in my area. Any leads?

I would paint the mantle a lighter color, probably off white and change the art to black frames with some sketches or botanicals on white paper to balance the black of the tv and fireplace. Since your sofa is a light and airy style this would take away the heaviness of the wood mantle.

have fun!

I totally agree with the stack stone and down lights. My daughter has done the stack stone and it is a very nice focal point. The cabinets to the side look like they need a more clean and less busy look especially with the busy sofa print they fight eachother in the room and take away from the calm. Don't rush you want to make the best decision.

Put beautiful grasscloth wall paper on the insets. Mine are much wider and still I just used double-faced tape. All beautiful tall lamps and it would be spectacular! The TV is no problem, leave the wall behind it alone. Maybe paint the FP surround the color of your woodwork for a more modern look.

I have a tri level house and the lowest level ha a fireplace the complete width of the room. The brick makes the room seem darker.. Would it be a good idea to paint the brick white?

capeanner, i couldn't agree with you more.

o.k., so many great ideas, so what about on the wall and interior back wall of the two niches using a white washed distressed ship lathe esque flooring from floor to ceiling and find a tropical floral print, painting or material large enough to stretch and frame and use as a screen that rises or lowers to cover the t.v., chalk paint the two cabinets and populate the cabinet tops with family foto's and flowers.

I noticed that you have other black elements in your room. What if you painted the fireplace wall and niches black and also paint the cabinets black as well or even remove them so that multiple pictures or one long picture could be put in the spaces. Pretty sconces or picture lights over pictures in the niches would highlight the wall. Your tv would recede and your beautiful mantal and fireplace would fit beautifully with it.

I think you might want to paint one of the colors you love from the couch to make a focal point. If budget allows, you could transform thee side sections with glassed shelving half way up, and use the top for display. Just a thought.

Paint your fireplace wood surround ,mantle white to match side tables. Then if you want it fun do the coral on the wall.

Love the idea of the Gauguin on the TV. Otherwise, get it outta there! There is far too much going on in that area. One wonders if those alcoves once held built-ins. Anyway, aside from the sofa and the bromeliad, are you truly going for an all out tropical look? Bamboo and parrots, for instance? If so, all those very cool suggestions may not jive with the sofa. Define your style for that room. How long do you hope to live with the sofa? It may have declared war on the beautiful fireplace surround. Can't see the rest of the room, sadly. Is there space for the cabinets to flank your sofa? Clear the alcoves of art and everything, and ponder what would really be a simple, gorgeous piece that would bring you great joy. Something more bold--not gaudy--than the current art. Gives you the perfect excuse to either go shopping, or shop your own home for suitable objects. Perhaps you will find it easier on the eye to live with NOTHING in those spaces.

BTW, Sheryl did say that the room is the family room (hence the TV), so perhaps she has a more casual idea of what she'd like, even with a limitless budget. I doubt she was asking for a bunch of remodeling ideas, but maybe further on down the road they could be considered.

Doesn't anyone read the comments already posted - before posting additional comments. We think Sheryl has been put off by some of the 'not so nice remarks' and is not participating in the discussion - which I don't blame her for.

The color gray is a good color because it's not a catchy color so near a screen you don't need to Focus on the wall and it's classic to

I have a similar set up in my living room. If you're going to keep your couch you should paint the wall behind the TV a color from it. If it were me I would use either the green or the salmon color for that wall. The other two walls can stay as they are but you have to get rid of the small vases and plants you have on top of your cabinets. Replace them with one tall vase on each side that match. You only need one large/tall item on the top of each cabinet. Take down the two pictures behind the the cabinets and replace them with 4 framed mirrors (two on each side hanging vertically, make sure they are big enough to take up the space, If you use square mirrors you'll probably need 3 on each side.

First of all, I would take those little cabinets away. And build on cabinets to the ceiling there. They are too small for the other stuff. And because you have a color theme with your sofa, you don't need more color. Paint everything white, and just add colored objects on the shelves. If the t.v. Has to be there, then maybe accent that wall a darker brown , or green, but I get a feeling of tropical with the sofa. I would even like the fireplace painted white too. People are doing so much white now, look at magazines. Beautiful!

If you want to keep from painting the fireplace, paint the entire wall behind it (including the recessed areas & that switch plate!) a dark teal green. Do the cabinets a lacquer/high gloss coral. Use a pair of very large vases (ceramic w/pattern) on the chests & fill with tall bleached branches. Accessorize the floor on either side of the FP opening.

option 2: Paint the wall & alcoves dark teal green. Extend the mantle and paint the entire fireplace surround same white as cabinets. Lose the bird prints or reframe . Accessorize with coral .

Paint everything white. Float 3-4 rustic, unfinished, chunky wood shelves from wall to wall in each of niches above the cabinets. Move or camo the T.V. in anyway you can. Find decorative items for your shelves. It looks like you are maybe going with a sea shore theme so look for things nautical and natural to decorate the shelves.

I do love your cabinets. And all suggestions that your fireplace doesn't go with your cabinets and TV is correct. Please paint your fireplace the same color as your baseboard trim for continuity and add wall moulding around your artwork and make sure they are tall and centered above the cabinets. Go as tall to your ceiling line by 4" from the ceiling to the top of the wall trim. Paint the trim the same as the fireplace. I think that would marry your fireplace to everything.

your walls should stay white too. let me know what you think?

actually I love the wall color you have....keep the wall the same

Pls Pls stop posting on this dilemma. It's a dead issue - if you care to read the other posts before posting yourself.

Too busy...the 2 little white furniture are too busy, at least change the front of it, really plain. And. Yes, over the mantel, a huge beautiful painting, would be gorgeous. The mirrors on the side; NO...uninteresting. Good luck.

Oyster bay from sherwin Williams!

wall color

or make the wall a striking red or eggplant

Hey Sheryl...and fellow decorators...NEVER paint wood!

Pick a green(like the one on edge of "couch leaves") for wall, that will tone down tv and fireplace. Love little tables...put a good sized plant on each to go with tropical couch pattern. Long mirrors might look nice above tables...keep it simple and don't spend too much money ;)

DEAD DILEMMA AUGUST 2017 - OP NEVER RESPONDED

i prefer Tish Gaskins photo with the whiter or lighter colored mantel with your tropical looking theme in the fabric of your sofa.

Paint the mantel wall and the niches the dark green in the sofa. Also paint the cabinets that same color, however paint the inside of cabinets the coral. Get hid of prints, they have no,life.
Hang colorful prints there LOWER. Leave the fireplace as is. Would be much better without TV in order to create mantel scape.

I like her side cabinets. She has to organize the insides so it appears more decorative. If she wants to keep the wood look of the mantle (particularly if it is antique), then she can stain her artwork frames above the cabinets to match the wood for some consistency. I like the idea of painting the wood mantle, but I wouldn't touch it if there are a lot of wood accents in the room that tie into it. Please let us see what you decide in the end. Lots of good options.

When I look at your photo, what 'pops' are the two white cabinets. I was told that an ideal image of a room or the colors we wear or use on our face, that one color shouldn't drag our eyes away from seeing the entire picture. I was told that this is a way to create color combinations that work well together. If you want the fireplace to be the focal point, you might consider painting it white, or off white, the same or similar to the cabinets on each side. There's nothing wrong with neutral wall color (beauty is in the eyes of the beholder), or paint the walls a lighter tone of the peach or sage color that's in the couch for a little warmer look. The only piece I would personally want to cover, is the t.v., and an easy fix might be to find a picture that's wide enough, and tall enough to rest on the mantle that could be easily removed when watching t.v., or covered when company comes over.

I would replace the art over the fireplace with a big gold mirror. everything else is nice you could paint the fire place white to match the cabinets to brighten the room

So many awesome idia.I do agree about chanching a sofa to something more simple.Yes I would do a tall bookcase side of mantel, and paint the wood.Its way to dark and hars.No one said anything about the backround.I do see round table with chairs and a athor table also with chairs.Way to many.I don't think you need the round table.The other one has a same function and I do like it.Make the livinroom dinning more simple.Lovely house good luck.

I agree with Jessica Vand. The fireplace should be white I would replace the tv with art. I am a fan of original art. https://www.texturetsunami.com/

Couple of observations:
- your sofa has a distinct bright, tropical vibe;
- your mantle wall contains a large, dark tv, a large, dark mantle, delicately detailed chests, and delicate looking art and deco accessories.
IMHO, nothing coordinates or blends.
And I’m guessing moving the tv isn’t an option.
So, to pull this room together, I’d decorate around the sofa:
- Paint mantle same white as chests.
- Paint back walls on either side of fireplace a rich coral.
- Paint all other walls the pale aqua of your sofa.
- Remove pictures over each chest, and add large, round or globe shaped BLUE vases with tall green stems and leaves, set on each chest.
(The blue vases will probably sound like a totally weird addition, but what they’ll do is add an additional “pop” to further distract the eye from that big black elephant in the vignette....the tv!, and the blue will continue the bright, tropical theme.

Too many disjointed rectangular shapes on that wall. I would, first, choose a paint color for the room, something that looks good with the dark wood on the mantel; build wooden glass paneled bookcase/cabinet on either side of the fireplace (maybe match the wood on the mantel), and recover that sofa in a color that you love that would complement the darker wood of the mantel and bookcases and the paint color of the room. There are many beautiful colors of greens, blues, plum, eggplant, wine that would be fabulous with the darker wood that you have. Jacquard fabric on the sofa or something similar would add depth, coziness and beauty to your room. It's all about the look that you love and the colors that make you feel that your room is your kingdom.

Your idea about built-in bookcases reminded me of neighbor's I once had. They housed their t.v. in one of the lower cabinets which had solid door fronts to hide the t.v.. I like your glass idea too; cuts down on the dusting, and it looks stylish.

Hi

Consider creating bookshelves on each side from ceiling to floor in white or cream with doors on the bottom. Paint the mantle the same color as the bookshelves, then add just a few pieces of glass art or other colorful art pieces to some of the shelves. Downsize the TV or replace with a smaller piece of art. It looks too large in proportion to the fireplace.

I cannot live in a pastel world. I love a little color. I would paint the walls on either side of your fireplace a bright color from your sofa. I have been reading the comments and I agree with these comments made: The pictures on either side of the fireplace do need to be lowered, the fireplace mantel needs to be painted white (the dark wood is way too traditional for your style). I think the size of the cabinets is fine, they need some larger and more interesting items placed on top of them - maybe throw in something that has some coral color.

I cannot live in a pastel world. I love a little color. I would paint the walls on either side of your fireplace a bright color from your sofa. I have been reading the comments and I agree with these comments made: The pictures on either side of the fireplace do need to be lowered, the fireplace mantel needs to be painted white (the dark wood is way too traditional for your style). I think the size of the cabinets is fine, they need some larger and more interesting items placed on top of them - maybe throw in something that has some coral color.

I'm going to leave you now. No one seems to have noticed that Sheryl Plunkett isn't paying attention anymore--hasn't been for some time. One final note, before I steal away into oblivion (consider it my contribution to civilization): the word is mantel, M-A-N-T-E-L (The other one is something you drape around your shoulders--a coat, a shawl, a cloak, a wrap...big difference. On the other hand, if you're going to desecrate it by painting it, what matter the name? Good night, everybody, and pleasant dreams. I'll be back to nag you about some other thing later. --rf

It never ceases to amaze me how people keep posting on this dilemma and never take the time to read through the comments.

I vote for the verrrrry super light aqua (almost light, powdery blue) while painting the fireplace/off whiteish or maybe a light cream shade of white. Also I think you should roughen up the wood of the fireplace and mantel, make it look like weathered wood, maybe even worn, sun dried, & ‘beadchesqe’. Just my suggestion though.

Okay, I read all the comments and also so realize the poster of the question may no longer be reading and that mantel is the proper spelling of the thing that goes over the fireplace but I am still going to post my opinion and suggestions because it is fun to do so and may help someone facing a similar dilemma.

Things I have noticed are that the family room floor is completely tiled so perhaps your home is in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico or Southern California? Places that may not need or use fireplaces at all or very infrequently? In the northeast where I am from or other climates that receive all for seasons including snow our living/family rooms are not typically tiled they have hardwoods with carpets or just plain carpets. Your fireplace and its mantel look like it belongs in a home in one of those other 46 states that has hardwood floors with carpet or just carpet. Maybe it is nostalgia having a fireplace, maybe it was on a builder's list of what people want in their homes so they added it without thinking about whether it fits in the climate.

My suggestion is to buy a tv stand and put your tv on the stand in front of the fireplace thus giving you use of the lovely mantle for seasonal decoration above your television and saving you tons of doctor's bills for the crick in your neck you would have developed trying to watch the television above the mantel.

In addition think about what your need in your kitchen family room not just about filling space with objects you have to dust and clean. My guess is that you need storage as it is what most people need. So have a contractor make closets out of these two areas with a nice door. In one you can have selves installed to store those seasonally used electronic cooking gadgets: crock pot, turkey roaster, board games, dvds, extra cleaning supplies and other needed things. In the other non shelf closet you can store the vacuum cleaner, mop, swiffer, buckets and other needed things.

Sheryl asked for paint color suggestions.

As much as everyone hates a TV over the fireplace-it does balance and the man of the house loves it. It's just going to be that way! Take out the little cabinets and add shelves to that area. Don't match you couch colors. Let that couch pop! To your original question about the mantle. I hate to paint nice wood!!! But it would look really nice white.

Yeahyass girl!!! You can totally paint brick! I love the look of pained brick. Mine are hidden in my unused fireplace and they’re black:-) as of now my over flow of books (because 4 shelves aren’t enough) are in there now! I have a pair of handmade curtains covering the wide opening with 3m sticky tabs holding the ultra light/cheap rod:-) oh I can’t wait to get talks opinions on my mess! It’s truly unique as they come!!