You should take down those 80's blinds (try "plantation blinds" from Lowe's or Home Depot) , paint the woodwork white and the walls a very pale green or ice blue, buy slipcovers for the sofas, and add a colorful area rug....and take down the Christmas tree :)
I doubt you will do this, but I plastered over my brick fireplace, threw away the brass firescreen and got a good looking modern one at Tuesday Morning.

Paint all the trim AND the built-ins around the fireplace a warm taupe or camel color.

Reface the built-in doors next to the fireplace with flat-front, modern doors. I don't think painting would be enough due to their style. Update the fireplace insert, getting rid of the brass. Put a larger mirror or picture above the mantle (or add a large frame to the one you have).

I would also paint the ceiling molding the same color as the walls, or get rid of it.

It's hard to see how the furniture layout works, but you might try setting everything on an angle, with an angled area rug as well to take away from the rectangular feel and provide more of a connection to the door.

It appears the ceiling fan needs to be modernized as well. If you can't replace it, buy more streamlined glass sconces and paint the fan paddles a lighter shade than your new trim color.

The furniture print looks outdated, but if they stay you can add some solid color throw pillows and some blankets in complimentary colors over the backs to make them less distracting. This will also help to give the room less of a heavy feel. If you don't need two sofas, consider moving the loveseat elsewhere and replacing it with two chairs with less bulky lines.


If you need privacy from your blinds, replace them with top-down-bottom-up roman shades or sunshades to get more light in but still preserve privacy. Remove the blind from the door completely if you can to give a peek outdoors. From the pics the room seems to have little connection to the outdoors or other parts of the house.

Have a good time with your decisions, and be bold and confident with your choices! It's your home and your place to experiment.

I'd go with modern country look, in the direction of Martha Stewart, but not so blue or beachy. Take a look a the squarer lines of couches at crateandbarrel, and try to find more affordable styles with less bulk in the couch padding. Since its family room, pick a modern pattern, e.g., swirls, rather than a solid color. If the large dresser is not antique, paint it, and update the handles, paint the cabinetry. For the display shelves, intersperse photos & decor items with small groups of books stacked horizontally & vertically, ensuring that each shelf has a small grouping of your beloved photos - say 2-3 together. For inspiration, look at the "Shop Living" photos at restorationhardware.com Or get a Pottery Barn catalog and look at the styling in the pictures. Simply rearranging what you have, and replacing the couch will work wonders. Also consider getting 3 couch pieces and relocating the dresser. e.g., two small scale 2-seat sofas and a small scale arm chair. With these 3 pieces, you can rearrange the room as you wish. the long sofa blocks off the room

Here are some more recent pics- note: We replaced the ceiling fan & the fireplace screen is painted black, but I still don't like the overall look. The cabinets really overpower the fireplace, IMO. I would like to have smaller built in type cabinets there. I am also looking into new furniture, since these have been with us since we married over 17 yrs ago. I am leaning toward either a brown leather or light fabric sectional to go along the one big wall.

Forgot pics, sorry.

De-Clutter, look at all the crap, go thru the room as if your moving would you take it? Then paint a monotone color walls and trim then try new furniture or at least slop covers. Ikea stuff is reasonable and actually stands up real well to actual family use!

All of the above are excellent inexpensive options, but as every design does it depends on your budget. Anti 80's help #1 get rid of the flower print couches, slip color in a solid neutral and add color with pillows and throws (if budget allows purchase new sectional or 3 piece arrangement that doesn't overwhelm the space), #2 anti 80's help must paint molding and window trim in an off white or cream shade (attached are photos of a recent model home they did this excellent in) #3 anti 80's I would definitely recommend painting the built in's if your keeping the brick as is (I personally like brick but the oak around it makes the room dark and visually smaller). Hope this helps, you have an excellent room to work with!

like the freshness of white table cover. Remove the top part of cabinets and on the right, replace with open shelves (wall-mounted shelves without sides). On left side, paint the wall and move your wall photos to this area (the ones behind the couch), but only place a 5 - 6 there, not 20. The TV will not be enclosed. Relocate the dresser to the left of the small doorway and hang those 4 round/square pictures above it. Use the little chair/table in another room. Get 2 piece 2-seat sofa - really, how many people sit at one time, altogether for long periods of time, on a long sectional?

I forgot to mention, the reason I haven't slip covered the couches is because they are both reclining. I like the idea of smaller pieces, but I also like the idea of a sectional. We have a neutral, light carpet and more shade in this part of the house. What colors for walls and sectional would you suggest to help it look warm and inviting? Should I paint whatever build ins I have to blend with painted trim? I am also not sure about focal point. I really don't want to give up my mantel space for a TV. I'd rather hide it or get it to blend into the room somehow. The door in the corner, to the backyard, is never used.

I like your fan and fireplace paint improvements. I see why you've placed your furniture that way, it's to accommodate the tv and components, but the comfy feel you're looking for, in my opinion, will remain as long as you have that set-up. Here are some things you can do that do not cost a penny and some that will. Ideally, see if you can get that tv up above the fireplace (btw, I think your mantle is too small: consider widening it the whole way across), or be willing to get the work done to put your tv etc., into the opposite built-ins. Good design will put your larger sofa on the long wall where that tall cabinet is; can you put that cabinet on the short wall behind (or remove it entirely, or even remove that tv built-in and make it an asymmetric fireplace focal point all together?), and your loveseat sticking out in the room. I like the table and chairs you have near the door, but consider a smaller scale table and chairs (rectangular) now placed in front of those large windows. I agree with upgrading from those blinds to something more opaque and soft (like those beautiful blinds used on Love It or List It). When you purchase a new sofa and loveseat consider a bit smaller scale, and less "over-stuffed" and rounded. Next, the gallery of small picture frames with the line of other frames on the other side of the doorway; needs better balance. Too many small frames too much the same size and too high. Look up some of the design how-to's on hanging photo wall "galleries." Three round with a square stuck in? No. If you must have all four keep the three together and place the square one adjacent. Again, too small a picture to be up at the top of a doorway. Rule of thumb: art is seen best when at eye-level when standing up. Again, galleries have their own design rules. Agree. If you keep the chair rail paint the lower part slightly darker than the upper. I'd keep the crown molding; it will look nice once you decide on wall color. Good Luck!

Oops! That should have read: "...but the comfy feel you're looking for, in my opinion, will remain UNATTAINED as long as you have that set-up." And I also forgot to say that a comfy feeling room is provided by table lamps and not the ceiling light in the fan. Ceiling lights are task lights: used for projects, not for ambiance.

Paint and slipcovers are the easiest and cheapest way to refresh and update your space. Removal and/or replacement of the cabinets would be the biggest architectural difference you could make. You could reface the fireplace with stack stone for a real wow factor. I'd eliminate the large cabinet and invest in occasional tables and a glass coffee table. Will you be replacing the carpet?

decoenthusiaste, no, we're not going to replace the carpet. That just isn't in the budget.

Start with the sofa and match the wall paint to the sofa color. I wouldn't recommend the brown leather unless it is a light tan color. The dark ones just suck up the light in the room. Definitely paint the ceiling moldings and chair rail a light color. Move the large dresser to the back photo wall. The cabinets on either side of the fireplace are way too cluttered. Possibly move them out of their niche and put them side by side where the dresser is now. Your best bet is to take everything out of the room and edit before bringing anything back.

Dar Eckert, I WAS leaning toward a light fabric sectional, kinda like something from Pottery Barn. Light and simple lines. I wish I could find one that didn't cost as much as Pottery Barn though,lol. If my sectional, carpet and trim are all neutral, I am wondering what color to paint walls? This room is ok in size (about 13x18) but without a lot of natural light it can seem dark. However, I don't want to overreact, you know? I really want to replace the large oak cabinets. That would eliminate my need for the other large cabinet on the side wall. It holds all my movies/cds.

I did not suggest slipcovers because the sofas are overly bulky, contributing to the dated look. Go to crateandbarrel.com and potterybarn.com to get ideas for the look of trimmed down sofas with modern arms. They have lower rear frames, and the cushions rise above the frame - this will help open up the room. I don't recommend leather - its cold when you sit on it, and being one color, it stains when a youngster spills something. Plus, the cost of it will take up the budget for the whole room. Very good comment about the lamps. A lamp and some stacked books would look nice on your white covered table.

Believe it or not.....Lazy Boy has some good selections, both style, fabrics and pricing

Here's one idea of what I have in mind, color and sectional wise...

If you like that sectional (and I do) notice what color walls and trim they've used it with. Of course they show it in front of a huge, uncovered window with lots of light...

Carole Mellin, I like that the sectional is neutral but contrasts gently with the carpet color, which is very similar to mine. I'm not so sure about the wall color, as much. I love red and green, so probably would go with those one way or another? And no, I wouldn't want to put it right in front of my large window, especially since I have a big wall opposite it.

Correction: I meant to use red or green in accent color- not wall necessarily ;)

color and style is good. its really bulky, you'll be walking around it a lot, how about a 2 piece and 3 piece, the corner of a sectional is not very functional

The area I truly have space to place furniture is about 13x14.5", due to walk through area leading to the kitchen and hallway. Of the 13/14.5" space, I only have 1 solid wall. Opposite this wall are the large windows (which I don't want to totally cover up), the unused door, and 2 doorways I already mentioned. Finding the right furniture has been a challenge. We have a family of 4 but occasionally would need more seating, as well, for guests.

If you're interested in a sectional be sure to look at apartment-sized ones and those with two wings, no chaise. The chaise is a pain to work with.