The room is very nice, but the reason it lacks 'wow' is because its sort of the neutral well-behaved room that lacks interest and contrast. The easiest ways to change this are with color and pattern. Replace a couple of those pillows with something saturated, or with a pattern and watch what happens. Swap out the rug for something with pattern, or swap out the drapes with something with a pattern (or a color) and the whole room will transform. If you want the room to have interest, you have to do something interesting (doesn't mean wild or gaudy however). Also I would probably beef up your curtain rod it appears to be sagging under the weight. Patterned drapes, pillows or area rug (same goes with color) would wake the space up.

With the shadows, I cannot tell what color the ceiling is. It looks the same as the walls in the corner. If so, paint it an off white that is a very light shade of your wall color. If it is the window trim color, it is way too dark.

Don't like the prints next to the window. I'd lose them and invest in some quality curtains and tracks. The ones you have look cheap (sorry). Beautiful curtains in a luxe textured fabric may be all the room needs but at least it would be a jumping off point for further changes. I'm thinking of curtain fabric in medium weight with a metallic sheen and add a couple of cushions in a similar fabric and tone to balance the effect.

portpiro is right, remove the prints and invest in some new lux curtains. As far as the wall, you should put a rectangle mirror, in a nice frame or a colorful piece of artwork. greens, plums or Turquoise would love lovely in this room. also, add some greenery if you have space. start with a color scheme that you like and work your curtains around that then add pillows/cushions and artwork. Beautiful room and space.

I agreed with previous comments....new rod, curtains and remove prints. I would also replace your lamp shades with drums. I love the neutral look but you just need pattern and texture.....maybe a neutral animal print like? Good luck!

thank you ncreature. i went out to purchase some patterned soft gray pillows just to see how it will look... but if i want a patterned rug and curtains do i need to stick with the same patterns, and colors? how could i tie it all in together?

fred s. i like that idea... i wanted to paint my wall an off white, soft gray color... do you have any suggestions? the color on my walls are too dark... its almost a beige color

Change out drapes and white rod. Rod to stainless. Panels a print, what color painting wall? Panels should have that color plus cream. Remove small art by windows too small. Extend rod out 4-5" on each side.

potpiro, i feel that finding curtains are so hard.. where i can i find nice curtains that arent too expensive?

I like your room a lot. You have done a nice job.

Definitely go with travis' idea of new rods and new panels. Remove those two pictures because the fabric will do the trick.

Look at etsy.com for some very nice ready made selections. Just make sure the fabric is lined (so the sunlight won't distort the colors).

Or something like these from Anthropology with the pattern running down the sides of your sofa.



This is my favorite curtain rod.

You have a lot of items that should be removed, things beside sofa should go also on coffee table. Add a teal rug Z Gallieres , and teal, silver and black pillows to sofas. Behind sofa Z Gallieres has a cut glass sunburst mirror. That would be perfect, and would fit. Hang 12" above top of sofa. Get rid of any little clutter stuff.

There are many companies that offer decent ready-made curtain panels: pottery barn, and jcpenny are good places to start. Or you could add a decorative trim to the existing curtains and change the rod for an instant lift. Have you considered placing the sofas opposite each other and putting the chairs in the window so you can show some perimeter? The room looks "heavy" with the current arrangement.

Paint a color called Pewter by Benjimin

Aqua color would work too Z Galleries has some nice armless low chairs, to use instead of what you have. You can buy cut glass sunburst mirror over sofa would be perfect. Rug with cream and aqua print. Panels in aqua and cream chevon print. All at Z Galleries.

I like the idea to put sofas across from each other. With 2 new low armless chairs in window. It would. Open room up. Try it.

I agree move the two pictures on window wall. Need to declutter a bit. Like the above suggestions. Gray could be very pretty as would teal.

travisinteriors. i took the advice and instantly went down to change some things... it made a huge difference. you know ive been loving the teal z galerie rug for some time but was afraid to do it.... heres a new pic of what i changed for now, i bought some cheapie decor pillows at tj maxx just to see what it will feel like but i think theyre too small? and i took a better photo of that empty wall...


thank you judyg, i will deff have to check those out, i love anthropologie!! i forget to check there!

the update

The reason I said to make the ceiling much lighter in color is as ncreature said above me. The only thing lacking in that room is a little "wow". The way to get that wow is with contrast, with a very light ceiling. Just a much whiter version of what is on the walls (literally) that will give you a lot of contrast in the room. The wall and trim colors are great. IF YOU LIGHTEN THE WALL COLOR ALSO, YOU LOOSE THE CONTRAST YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.

travis, what size rug should i get?

Your eye for coordinating things is great. You need to understand that contrast can be different colors, but is more easily accomplished by adding some very light or dark to the room. It shouldn't really be right in your face though. You need the dark to see the light, and you need the light (as in close to white) to see the color. The contrast between the ceiling and the wall is a classic way to do this.

fred s, i think the color of the wall and ceiling are the same...

Get quality curtains

That blank wall is perfect for a large colorful art print with large blocks of color. Pick up one of the bright colors and carry it to pillows and into the rug. I have neutral colors in my living room, but I added color in this way. I also have a few antiques from my grandparents.

Get beautiful lamps

I wish you would open up the window area. Can the couches go parallel? And a taller real tree would do wonders. It's getting there:)

If you don't want to add color, the only way to make a neutral colored room look better is with lots of texture. Personally, I like a lot of organic things, with bark, moss, rough wood, baskets, bamboo shades are very smart! I have done lots of rooms with neutral colors for the big basic pieces and then used lots of orange, or turquoise and animal skins...sometimes you just need an inspiration piece...like a print fabric, or a painting to get you started...great beginning though!

World Market has some gorgeous yet affordable curtain options right now. I'd recom mend the Pakshi Bird of Paradise http://www.worldmarket.com/product/pakshi-bird-of-paradise-curtain.do?&from=fn or the Lyrical Branches http://www.worldmarket.com/product/lyrical-branches-window-curtain.do?&from=fn paired with a darker and more substantial rod. If you want to be bold and trendy the suzani print would be fun. http://www.worldmarket.com/product/suzani-print-curtain-panel.do?&from=fn

I would then replace some of the throw pillows and the lamp shades with ones in colors drawn from the curtains. Finally, lose the fake tree.

Cut the bottoms off plastic milk or juice jugs and start moving furniture. Orient seating around the FP./TV. Place the larger new rug in front of it, and "U" the seating pieces around the rug, sofas with front feet on it. This will be be similar to the configuration you now have, but angled so all seats can see the FP/TV. It may also leave space for a tall piece in the corner - a bookcase or display perhaps - to break the linearity you have going on. To capture the open feeling put the sofas in an "L" and the two chairs on the traffic side of the rug. You can then focus on a window treatment. I'd suggest no tab tops, but inside mounted fabric roman shades with stationary fabric panels at each end. This is where you can inject some pattern and texture, and if you like, fiber shades will up the texture quotient. Turning your furniture this way now, you can use blue painter's tape to configure the size rug you'll need.

Try putting some color to the living room! Some suggestions for pillows:

The furniture is not in scale with the lamps and everything is different shades of beige... The white rod has to go ! Add a little pop of color. new window panels that could match with pillows, and new lamps.

yes new rod minimum width one inch in black to relate to your end tables and curtains fuller and in a heavier weight......they should be 2.5 to 3 times the width of your windows....so 70 inches of windows need 174 - 210 with panels in total.