I think the bar could be bigger. Wider. Covering more of the wall.

Hi. Maybe paint the entire bump out wall a different color (warmer) that coordinates with the rest of your home? Possibly add a couple of wall sconces and a little bit of sparkle. A nice piece of artwork over the bar? You could wallpaper that wall, but painting is probably easier and less expensive. :)

If you want the black, I'd paint the entire wall. Right now I feel there is a bit too stark a contrast between the black and white. Your home has lovely features, so you might consider incorporating a color from your living room?

The black is too far in the other direction. You went from bland to black hole :) I would get one or three substantial pieces of art and hang them on the wall.

I just noticed you have a textile near your fireplace. A textile would also look good on the wall.

All great comments. I think the scale of the bar throws everything off. I would 1) paint the entire bump out a soft gray or other neutral color and then try hanging the woven textile there; 2) replace the current bar with a wider, sleeker table; OR 3) create a new conversation area by removing the bar and adding a couple of chairs and a small table. You could also create a bar by placing a sofa table behind your sofa. Love the beautiful carved wood panels over your FP!

d_gw...your comment made me laugh...a black hole is exactly what I think of when I look at this wall! :D

transform-staging-and-redesign...I love everything you've said...thanks so much. I'll look for a new bar, and in the meantime paint the bump out a soft grey. I made the woven textile myself so I'll take another crack at one for this space or look around. The carved wood panels....glad you like them! They're part of an old privacy screen I got from Indonesia and the ONLY thing my husband would let me hang there...they cover two huge (ugly) fan grates that blow hot air from our fireplace...husband didn't want them covered at all...these were our compromise ;)

Looking at your very large and empty living room, I would suggest a very large rug to ground that space. Were you planning on more seating, lamps, coffee table, end tables? Does that piece of wood with a white band around it have a function? It seems very out of scale beside that large couch. You have a great space which will look even better with more furniture in it, and a rug.

I admit I don't really understand what's going on with that bump out, but can you simply paint it and add a mirror behind the bar and some frame graphics?

You could take it all the way up to the ceiling. Or put a large sclupture with lighting set on the ledge. Maybe a collection of pottery or glass all the same color.

Hey, don't be so quick to paint over your black square. Help me understand it first. Why are the edges ragged? What is the wood piece at the top?

Your treatment of the wall is very zen looking but I think the bar throws it off. I would do a low bench and a plant in a black minimalist pot or do something like this with large graphic art.

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Hi CGallant, I like the wall very much! Creative and the bar is just fine. Maybe put a lamp - a tallish one on the left side of the bar, and a tall plant like the pot ashtonchic suggested. I really really like what you did with your space(s).

groveraxle, what you did with the first picture with the metallic gold bar is fabulous. I now love the black wall!

Ingrid-vc Yes to all - we have two tiny boys under 2 and 2 elderly cats with claws...therefore, we're keeping things extremely basic until the former are less rambunctious and the latter are..um, no longer with us haha.

Groveraxle...the ragged edge...I didn't have painter's tape to edge so did a rough stroke around the square to mimic the graffiti feel of the artwork we have left of the fireplace. Think I should clean it up?

The wood is a piece of drift wood from a nearby beach we love...think we should lose it?

Once again, your mock ups are bang on....I actually don't mind the black with the gold bar image!

Keep the driftwood. It's a great found object.

The gold sideboard is a bit too glam for the house IMO. Better if the bar is longer to complement the proportions of the wall. Should be a feature piece. Lots of ways to create that.

You have lovely taste. Grover has suggested some great cabinets. If you don't get a new cabinet, paint the entire wall a very dark grey almost black. Paint over the edging I do like the black/grey idea, it goes with the rest of your home. I especially love the huge art work you have on the wall next to the fireplace. A new rectangular rug instead of the round one.

I think the bar is fine. The black paint is a bit too much contrast. Repaint the entire wall without the brush stroke framing in a charcoal grey--- similar to your couch.

I'd place an interesting wood/non upholstered arm chair to left of bar. Add larger mirror and black and white prints either side of bar. With 2 yr olds, family and children portraits in black and white is appropriate and fun/personalized.

The large black and white canvas in LR is too low imo. Boost it up so top is in line with horizontal plane of the wood carvings over FR. Add an interesting long bench underneath.

I like your room a lot, you clearly have a creative, artistic nature. I agree with getting a longer console (I prefer the weathered/slighty rustic wood for contrast) ....and highlighting what you painted (or whatever else goes on the wall) with lighting. Something like these, but just using two:

I still think something lower instead of your bar so that the framing of your painted square shows on the bottom also. Of course I can also picture the kids tumbling over the railing...

Blame Ashton and your piece of driftwood and your log end table for this: a Senufo bed used as a bench with a framed Kuba cloth or a Fulani hat or a Bobo sun mask...

Ooooohhhhh.......Grover, I LOVE these!!! Where are you creating these awesome mock ups? Is this a feature of Houzz?

C Gallant, I use Photoshop. Your driftwood piece reminded me of a Senufo bed (which I actually use for a coffee table/bench) and then the rest of the African artifacts followed. I find African art to be very Zen. ;-)

Well, you're very talented. Also very observant. Thanks again so much for the guidance - much appreciated.

I'd have a hard time relaxing on the couch with those eyes drilling into my back!! Not very zen... I think the first repeats some of your pillow patterns so I'd vote for that or keep looking!

It seems like all you need is a longer console piece to balance out the space you are trying to make work. It seems the piece you have for a bar is not currently working. Try a few of the suggestions above or something in your style/taste and post with updates.

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Just a thought, visually if you had a built in the same width and height of the bumpuout, then trimmed out so that the depth of cabinets/shelves is masked on the sides to appear that the bumpout is intentional i.e. Part of the built in, it would be both functional and visually pleasing.

Its framing naturally accents an aquarium or TV , its the couch thats the wrong direction. So with that in mind , two love seats in need to face fireplace. Granted , if the stairs weren't there, I'd have framed both sides with a book case on the edges. That bumpout does offer alot for spotlight type furnishings and a real bar in front of it. There's a bar in Eugene,OR called the Black Forest which inspires setting an aquarium of catfish in blacklight would be pretty good. On top of the bump out that is.Water is an electricity risk for that volume so I'd go the iguana/ water dragon terrarium on its ledge/ display. Or it could remain open for kids ceramic art projects, cactus, or ferns in a trough