I like the rustic look

I will say it's hard to get more rustic than mounted fish : ) .

To me, both the mounted fish and all of the photographs which appear to be personal family/friends pictures don't really belong in a living/family room. Hopefully, some of the framed photos are yours, so you then you each have to make a contribution to the room by removing something. I would replace these various pieces with several larger pieces of art. I would think even a large painting of fish or fishing would be an improvement over actual mounted specimens. You can look at art.com for something, like this,

https://www.art.com/products/p45518098739-sa-i10425337/winslow-homer-casting-number-two-1894.htm?upi=Q12NUXE0&PODConfigID=8880730

or

https://www.art.com/products/p30951661505-sa-i9059659/pike-perch.htm?upi=PSFWUY0&PODConfigID=8880730

The room is very beige, and in addition to the art, I'd pick an accent color you like, and then find curtains, a few cushions, and a throw with that color. And a tray -- either with a color or silver or brass, just not wood or beige -- on the coffee table with some candles and a plant.

Everything is hung way too high.

Your pup is cute. You are kind to let your guy have his fish but they do not have to be the first thing you see when you walk into the room! What about putting the fish above the tv? You can purchase a large nature painting that you both agree on to put above the sofa.

All your other wall art is hung too high which is adding to the disjointed feeling of the room. Curtain panels instead of the wooden valances will also make the room look more finished. Your barometer looks out of place in that spot.

You have a nice space, you just need to add some color and texture. As mentioned above, a colored tray for your coffee table and some colored throw pillows will help.

When you replace the "art", please hang it at eye level...too high. Good luck with your room!

I think everything in your room is hanged tooooooooooooo HIGH, actually I like the fishes

Art needs to be at eye level. Here is a short article on hanging art:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/decorating-secrets-picture-perfect-way-to-hang-art-stsetivw-vs~385344

Agree with the consensus above: have the fish AND the family photos in other areas of your home. Use this room for art. You don't need to spend a lot of money. Find art that resonates with both of you as mentioned above. I love the idea of using nature type art.

Check websites for the type of art that would work in your space. Check local art fairs too. Check https://www.etsy.com/market/wall_art  

This is your chance to work on the room together...

Just another couple of suggestions:

1) Replace the verticals with drapes and hang the drapes like the sketch below. That will bring color into your room.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/get-turned-on-to-a-lighting-plan-stsetivw-vs~30716408

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/decorating-101-how-to-plan-your-homes-lighting-stsetivw-vs~12803740

I don't mind the fish either! They are nicely done. I don't think they are really a decorating problem--I like em much better than the mass-produced stuff that passes as wall decor. And they're perfectly rustic.

I like that blue gallery wall Irene posted. It's a good way to integrate something you don't love with other things to make it kind of nice. You could even do a fishing themed wall if you could find the right items. Have to be careful so it doesn't end up looking like an old Bennigan's though.

I don't suppose you'd be willing to repaint the walls? I'm seeing too much tan, plus when you rehang all your art lower, you'll have to fill the holes anyway. :) The fish will look much nicer on a cool green or blue wall.

Question: can you eat fish while preserving their exterior for mounting? I see how you can do it with a deer, but fish?

I started to look for insp pics showing fish to see what could be done...lo and behold, the issue is you need more fish! lol

Look at the wall on the right of this family room :)

Custom Home Rehoboth Beach · More Info

Try moving the chaise out of the corner so you can center the sofa on the wall. I suspect artwork will work better if it's centered, too. If that works, you'll have to choose one of the chairs and find another home for the other. Alternatively, have you tried the sofa under the window?

You say you're willing to move? That's a little extreme.

We can make these fish work and I'll redo your room if you ever come back, Katy C. The main problem with the space, aside from the fact that everything is hung too high, is that things look like they're just hung randomly on the walls. You need a cohesive style and theme, perhaps more fish as in Denita's example, or a rustic gallery wall as shown in Irene's first example.

The sofa under the window with the TV on main wall where the sofa is now. Get a nice media center, maybe with shelves on the sides to take up that wall. Move the chaise out of the room. There isn't space for it. Make a gallery wall out of all your photos on the wall where the TV is now. Remove the blinds and valance covers and get some nice curtains. If you can afford it, I would seriously consider replacing your furniture. It all looks old to me. Find some pictures in a style you like and post them and we can help you achieve what you like.

I like your fish. They were nicely done and fit well with a rustic theme. Also, compromise is important, so ignore everyone telling you to get rid of the fish.

More fish! hehe! Maybe not, but the blue wall makes them happier.

HI -- How old are you guys , if you don't mind my asking ?? Your room kind of looks old people !! I think there is a compromise you can both live with . Take the fish display back to the taxidermy and have it put on a stand of a wood or stone base and black metal posts so it is free standing as shown in above posting . Now if you put venetian blinds and full drape side panels hung full height ( 96 inches ) and width on the window walls . Then add a sofa /console/table or buffet cabinet centered on the lounger /window side . Then set the newly mounted fish stand on it with a matched pair lamp on each side . The lounger does not fit the room , can you put it in another room ? . Then you can center the sofa on the wall . Now you can have a nice big painting or a big round mirror over the sofa .Take down all the other small wall items . Maybe find a better coffee table . Would that work for both of you ?

You can make the room look more cozy and modern, even with the fish.

You haven't shown us the whole room. It looks like a TV on the wall by the front door. I think your furniture can be moved around to make it better for TV viewing, and more cozy for conversation. Can you send us a photo of that wall, and let us know the measurements of the room, and the width of the sofa?

Arranging the wall decor comes after the furniture is in its best place.

I lightened up your pictures so we can see what is what. I think the "animals of the woodlands" wall decor is nice but needs a bigger frame. It "goes" with the fish and the barometer. Cute dog.

I think the fish are the best part! Hang them lower, center the sofa on the wall and put the big chair opposite it with maybe a second, smaller one. Lose the chaise and the blinds and add curtains. Move the puppy bed back by the far window where the chair/chaise is now.

Walleye at eye level, please. They're too high.

A question about your end tables. Are they a pair? Hope so, because then we can push them together. As they are, they're a little small for your other furniture.

And for the record, I like the fish too. (My Dad was a fisherman, and we had mounted fish too. I always thought they were beautiful.) Your boyfriend's are very well done - lots of movement.

They are a pair! I agree they are too small but I'm hoping to get some new (smaller & matching) furniture in the near future. Thank you!

Katy, did you read groveraxle's post? Take the "redo your room" help.

I don't mind the fish either - though a different mount would help.

I can believe I'm writing this, but I could actually see the sofa wall in reclaimed wood or washed shiplap

I could also see adding more mounts, deer, antler--preferably faux, next vintage, to the room so the fish wouldn't be so random

I think the family photo collages are far more problematic in this room than the fish. That looks like pretty nice taxidermy, by the way, although I will always prefer walleye fried rather than mounted. Sorry.

The photo collages don't work as decoration because the individual pictures are all too small - you get no visual impact which is what you need in this room. Put them in a bedroom or a hallway - a more intimate and personal space where they can be examined and admired up close. I don't know which wall you should hang the fish on, but move consider combine them with other appropriate and interesting visuals - a nicely framed LARGER paintings or photos of the area where they were caught or of other fish or fishing boats or something.

Everything is still hung too high.