You have another post going on about your fireplace. Remove it….you will just get conflicting suggestions.

They are 2 different tasks that's why I posted them separately. Any suggestions?

New drapery in a lighter color. Both windows should be the same. Hung from ceiling. Repaint a lighter color. Remove little pictures. Remove ceiling fan and put in a chandy.

There's too many little things on the walls. Remove all of them and paint, then decide on larger artwork for the walls.

What kind of budget are you working with?

@studio, approximately $1k

great! Thanks so much! Great tips!

my drapes can't go any higher.

Ouch. I would probably invest in the fireplace first, and keep an eye on Craigslist going forward. That wall can lose the mantle and decor; it would look great with a stacked stone wall, new streamlined box and lowered hearth. You may find yourself building the wall forward some inches to do that. I would prioritize windows after that, replacing the curtains with reed shades. I agree about removing the wall stuff - I'd suggest carrying the clay colour all the way around, thereby letting the fireplace wall take focus. Those changes will lighten things visually for you a lot. After which, keep on the lookout for a hard wearing carpet - sisal would look well with the changes I have mentioned, and seems like it will match your dog, too - win win. Lastly, a modern styled standing lamp to replace the one by the new fireplace will add just enough punctuation to your efforts.

Do you have pictures @studio? I don't understand what you mean by stacked white wall. in addition you said match my dog? huh? super confused.

What furniture do you plan to keep and what can go? What is your style? Do you have any ideas for colors?

Looking to replace dark furniture with this

I'm getting rid of my sofa and love seat. my 1k budget is for paint, curtains etc not for new furniture.

Stacked stone example:

ahhh Ok! I love it!

I meant that a sisal rug would match your pet in colour, thereby hiding stray hairs. :)

Great news !! What's old is super NEW today !! Orange/ Tangerine are HOT ! If your paint is more of a Rust color , update it to highlight your brick ( do be careful you don't end up too Halloween ) and if the side walls need touching up try a soft white like SW Dover White .
How about starting with four larger square framed art hung horizontal above the fireplace space ? Try switching the fireplace tools to the other side to balance the space . Try the funky floor lamp in the corner at the other end of the couch .
Can you raise your curtain rods to the same height and extend them so that the curtains hang on the outside of the windows ? If so , try beige , wall matching ,grommet curtains ? ( Tuesday Morning usually has some very affordable choices )
Finish up your update with a few abstract pattern pillows that bring more color and spice to your couch
For the dining room end - can you turn the table the long way ? If so and you like the look , how about trading out the end chairs for two different chairs for more pop ? Could you ? Would you reupholster the seats with a print ? In place of the mirror bring in even more color with a large abstract art piece ?
You might want to try your candles from the mantle and your green plants on the center of your table ?
(If the floor lamp doesn't work on the fireplace corner will it work by itself in the dining room corner on the right ? )
!! Have fun !! Please post updates !

Hi, nice large space. Paint brick white, add a new reclaimed, or finished wood mantel, paint brass fireplace screen black, or buy new not so heavy looking. Have ceiling scraped of popcorn, paint white, paint the walls a light color....color is personal choice...here is an idea though...the light grey. Remove all small pics, add artwork, mirror to reflect some light. Add some large light pillows. Raise the curtain rods to just below ceiling ... it will make a difference. The curtains need to be lighter in color, and match. If you need the privacy of heavier curtains then get double rods so you can have the privacy when needed. I have the grommet style...very easy to open,close. Good Luck!

The drapery should both be at the higher height. You can go higher with the other drapery.

Do you want to keep the clay color in your scheme or are you open to a new palette? If yes, what colors are you looking at ? The furniture you are purchasing should make a huge difference in updating the room. They are neutral so I would decide on a few more neutrals and a pop of color or two.

I think the OP has shown that the curtain rods are about as high as they can go already..... : )

I second the great idea of painting the fireplace brick white. Lots of red brick around a fireplace tends to "take over" and direct the whole feel of a room. That's great if you are going for country rustic but your new furniture looks more elegant than that. In my opinion, all that red brick will "pull down" the look of your new furniture. Great idea also to find a reclaimed or "ashy" type of wood mantle piece to go with the painted white brick.

Painting is cheap and will make a huge difference. If this were my room I would spend the 1K on changing out the paint, curtains and area rug first. That would make a HUGE difference along with your new furniture. If I had more money left I would change out the ceiling fan for a nice, classic chandelier (possibly metal). The art work and prints/photos need to go now (the small sizes and wrong scale is distracting) but you may need to wait for more $ to actually replace them.

homeschooling, The rod on the right is at the ceiling, the rod on the left is lower.

They both need to be at the same height. Can you see the difference?

Yes, I didn't notice that at first, thanks for pointing that out, Angel. You are absolutely correct that the rods should all be at the same height!

Take everything out the week before the furniture is delivered. Prime the walls in white (you may need a coat of light gray primer for the orange walls). After the furniture is delivered, use your $1000 to buy a new rug, new paint, white or off white curtains, and new lighting. Use your new furniture's photo as an example of a dramatic change from what you have. Put up artwork that is large (at least 24 by 36 inches, poster size) , not the lots of small things there now.

Please don't buy that loveseat. Get a pair of chairs instead. Loveseats are the bane of good seating arrangements and usually only one person wants to sit there - they were made for lovers.

I have kids so I need a loveseat. chairs won't work with our lifestyle.

You must have little angels if they can sit that close together without a major fight breaking out! They'll probably get to the point where they don't want to be anywhere near each other before long.