I can see that the room is too "formal" to attract the guys to enjoy it with you. Do you have a formal dining room where those large mirrors would work? Maybe you could hang one inside the recess beside the window with a large bouquet in front and the other one in the dining room. Or you could leave them and put a long credenza between with a flatscreen TV hung on the wall above. Add a large two sided sectional (no chaise) and a big round coffee table. Put a pair of club chairs and table on the kitchen side of the space. Drapes could cozy up the space and, so could a more casual fun rugs. You might pick those out first and let their colors guide your other choices. Check homedecorators.com for great rugs. Frankly, I'd warm up the kitchen cabinets to the level of the rest of the space. They seem to be a very cool white which isn't working with your warmer, slightly Italianate space.

Hi interesting moniker, are you Msiri Marco or Ms Iri Marco? I have never seen this style of architecture before. Well I hope you are sitting down because I see only one element that stays. Your silver mirrors! And weigh carefully any well meaning do gooders who offer you advice who do not know what type of mirrors that you have. The first one that gets it right I will give a "LIKE" to. Well I looked at all of your ideabooks to get a sense of your style and you have already chosen the perfect room for this living space. This room is lovely and could work in your space.

The last house I did, my client had a niche in the wall and we converted it to bookshelves, I used 1/2" clear polycarbonite shelving and had them cut them with a 1" bow to the front to add interest. The polycarbonite is ultra clear and the light that is mounted inside the niche will illuminate through the entire shelves.

Thank you all for your input. It's very helpful. Sirimarco is actually my maiden name. I will definitely keep the mirrors in the room. I really don't have anywhere else for them and I do love them. One question...do I need to have a sofa where the one is now? If so, do I put a sofa table behind it to create an entrance when you walk in the home?

Yes, but not that sofa right?

No, not that sofa. What type of sofa would you suggest?

I think it would be nice to keep the television hidden so the room can still be the "sitting room". Do the armoir doors open enough to fit a flat screen inside? Since the niche is there I think drapery or curtains wouldn't quite look right but light control may be needed. Warm wood shutters for complete light control or completely open would work nicely. How about a chesterfield sofa and four chairs? The sofa (with a sofa table behind) and two chairs on the kitchen side and two chairs in front of the window? An area rug to cozy up and a coffee table that can double duty as an ottoman. Casual elegance for both the ladies, and the men in the home.:)

We also had a living room that was never used (except at Christmas). We moved the lap top in there. It sits on an antique desk made out of a sewing machine. Room also has a couple of comfortable spots with good light for reading. Now the room is in constant use!

It's nice to have a "quiet zone" for some activities besides tv. Where the large armoire is, use that for a wall of books.

I can't imagine this room being very cozy at night since I don't see anything on your windows. Open windows are great during the day, but at night you don't want to worry that you are sitting in a fishbowl. Cellular blinds would provide what you need.

Sirimarco, nice name I like it. Okay lets talk first about use, If I understand you correctly, you want it for more family use, and you have 3 boys reaching "the teen years" Are you considering this the main Living room, then the tufted sofa is not the one for you. This room should take you and your boys through the next 8-10 years, then when your daughter is entering her teens and the boys are away in college, then you can sweeten up the space for your remaining family at home. So I would think short term for now and phase two for later. I would suggest a more "durable" but livable space at this time. A Chenille Sectional would be my first recommendation like image 1 Trust me the family will gravitate to this like a bee to nectar. Like I said before a softer grey/blue wall color palate with taupe/beige fabrics. Your Silver Mirrors (which will remain nameless until somebody names them) will look amazing against this color back drop. I like drapes to the floor (start them half way between the ceiling and top of window) in a room, they warm a room and dress a Living room window best, and because of the niche on the right, I would just have them open all left. Using a rod with rings would be perfect for ease of open/closing. And for fabric I would use a solid linen.

I was thinking a sectional sofa would be best, but I wasn't sure. I actually purchased a solid linen fabric to make my curtains a few months back, but have yet to get around to it. I wan't sure if I should hang the curtains all the way across the wall and hide the niche, but I do like the idea of a bookcase. I'm still thinking that this room will end up being more for me in the long run since I won't be able to compete with my husband's gigantic TV in our back room. Everyone seems to navigate to our game room (as we call it). With that being said, I would still like the room to be useful. Whether it ends up being a quiet zone or somewhere for guest to sit, it would still serve more of a purpose than it does now.

I did forget to mention that our archways that you see in the picture are not finished. They will be covered in stone at some point.

The armoire is a TV cabinet with doors that slide back inside when open. It holds our 52 inch tv, so it's pretty big. I like hiding the TV, but I think the armoire is a little bulky for that room.

What a wonderful, large and open room. Take a look at some of my photos and let me see what you like, I would love to help you out with this room.

Serra...why the big secret to the brand of the mirrors? Tell us...you're busting at the seams. :)

PS.. I'm not a fan of sectionals in a more formal space. Plus, there is no room to re-arrange and in reality, it's only comfortable for the people sitting on the arm ends. Big, but comfy for two. My two cents.

I agree with Darzy about sectionals in a more formal space, and striking a balance between comfortably inviting and company perfect is really challenging sometimes. If this were my home (I wish), I would take the rug, armoire, and sofa to another part of the house. Then would find a truly awesome piece of art that would fit nicely in the alcove. It would be a sculpture or painting that makes me smile and makes visitors stop and look.
Then I would take that chair in the corner and put it across from that big blank wall and with pad and pencil draw what I would like to see there. Probably nice bookshelves and a place for the TV with doors to hide it. I would raise the mirrors higher and incorporate them into my design.
Then I'd probably have no problem finding a rug, window treatments and furniture to make my room perfect.
But that's just me dreaming :)

what about some curtains to add colors?

Thank you everyone for all your comments and advice! Every little bit helps. I'm still stuck on what sofa style to go with. I'm not looking to make this a formal room. I want it to be fun, cozy, and inviting. I think I'm more of a formal person though, but I'm trying to make changes. We really don't have too many people over outside of the holidays, so I don't need to cater to entertaining too much. Besides, it seems that every house I've lived in, people always tend to hang out in the kitchen.

I'm definitely doing curtains across that large window. It's just bare right now because I have not made time to make them.

Curb Appeal... I took a look at your photos and I love them all! What would you do with my room?

It sounds like there are a lot of other spots in your home for "the guys". Maybe give up trying to draw them away from the monster tv or the game room. Take this space and make it into your "ladies sitting room". It will be a spot for the wives to gather when you have a group over. Perhaps a large round coffee table surrounded by the sofa and four soft upholstered chairs (2 on window side, 2 on kitchen side). Run with the things that YOU love!

I am wondering if the mirrors should be relocated. Not out of the room but somewhere else. Right now the reflection is making the room seem busy to me. The one wall I see no photo of, is the one opposite the armoire (next to front door). Could both mirrors be placed side by side there? That would sort of echo the arches you have into the kitchen.

Or, as Deco suggested in first post: put one in the niche (bring some light into a dark spot, plus you would get to enjoy it from the kitchen). Leave the one on the left of the armoire (on the kitchen side) since it is reflecting the stairway, but try the other in the niche or by the door.

To the room I would bring more of the silver tone from the mirrors in: a collection of tall silver candlesticks on top of the armoire, a mirrored side table between two chairs. Very beautiful home!

Hi Sirimarco, There are many styles and configurations of sectional sofa's out there, however I would still strongly recommend a soft comfy chenille. I am also thinking about balance for the room, the Armoire is large and i did not realize it was a necessary piece for the room, but now I see it is. It is a handsome piece and I do not see any other place in the room for it, so it needs to stay put but it needs weight across from it like a large fun cozy inviting sectional in the room, the Armoire will then not feel so bulky, then you and your daughter can enjoy programing you and her enjoy together on it. You can still use a sofa table behind the sectional so you do not see the back of the sectional when you enter the house. I can't see the wall to the right of the door, however I was thinking of you hanging the entry rug on that wall and getting two rugs that either match (like sisal) or complement each other. Besides you need a larger rug in the Living room.

Also Could you put up a pix of the fabric for your drapes?

The mirrors should stay in the room, by all means do not place them side by side and do not raise them but if possible lower them to the height of the Armoire, because the eye is bouncing around as you scan the room.
And somebody above mentioned silver colored objects for the top of the armoire,, I agree this would be good to repeat the element in the room.

Now for a tough decision, the yellow walls are a bit strong for silver finish frames


Darzy: I am a patient man, I just thought of putting a challenge out there to see how much anybody knows, the mirrors are not a brand but a type, what century what country and what are they called?

Hi Sirimarco, Again, I see you already know what you need, this is from your ideabook, a perfect collection of objects for your room. Here is also a good use of distressed woods and balanced wall color.

I see beautiful distressed wood on your kitchen ceiling. How about replacing your front door with one in a similar distressed wood?

And the niche would look wonderful as a bookcase filled with old leather bound books.

Hi Serra Design, Thank you so much for all your input. Regarding the Armoire, although it hides the TV and I like that, I'm not opposed to ditching it and getting something else that would look better. Do you think a credenza with a wall mounted TV would look better? I originally wanted the mirrors lower, but at the time of hanging them, we didn't want to deal with moving the outlets that are below them. Perhaps we'll get around to it now. I'll see if I can get a picture of the fabric for the drapes uploaded. Thank you again.

Personally, I would keep the tv inside the armoire. This is your front room, and given a choice, I would hide the tv.

The armoire is a good thing, it covers the ugly in the room namely the TV. Adding some tall silver elements to the top of the Armoire is needed because you have such a tall A line ceiling.
Is this thread over? Did nobody know you have a pair of louis philippe mirrors, it is important if you are seeking advise from a forum that whom you listen to should have more design knowlege than just their opinions.

Sierra...I have a great deal of respect for trained, professional designers. But, knowing that those mirrors are a pair of louis philippe does not make a good designer. I love to paint, but recognizing a Renior from a Monet does not make me a great painter.

This forum is both "opinions" and "professional opinions".

Having said that...if I wanted my home to look like a beautiful, designer, magazine cover shoot, I would hire a professional designer, such as yourself. :)

I do think that advice given from unprofessionsals on Houzz are taken as such, and professional advice is received with more respect and consideration.

You may like this curtain design.

Thank you Darzy for sticking up for us non professionals! I always figure with a moniker with "mom" in it, that I'm not misleading anyone. And, hey, I believe I was the first here to suggest tall silver candlesticks to the top of the armoire. Go team!

And, maybe no one bothered to name the mirror, simply because they didn't feel like playing the game, "He is smarter than the rest of us". After all, easy enough to do a google search.

Darzy, I am happy to see you can spell too. :-).

I appreciate all the feedback, regardless of who it's from. It gives me something to play off of. I didn't take Serra Design's comment as he was saying that he is better than anyone and I really appreciate all the input he has given me. It's been a huge help and I'm now confident to start working on my room.

Thank you Ms. Sirimarco, i would be pleased to assist you in the future if you need to bounce some ideas off someone.

There has been discussion in this post to hiding one's tv. Another alternative to the cabinet that is currently being used is TVCoverUps. Framed artwork or panel instead provides the focal point of the room, until it swings upward to reveal one's TV. It is available in manual and automatic lifts and allows for TV tilting hardware. The unit can also be built to accommodate AV equipment, speakers, Blu-Ray/DVD, wires and other consoles. Each unit is always built custom to the viewer and space- so it is always best to give us a call.

Louis Philippe Silver Mirror/Eloquence?

Great space! I love the mirrors! Would you consider doing 2 Demi lune love seats facing each other with a round cocktail table? I like the cabinet. Would of course turn the rug coming down from the armoire. This would draw people into the space coming in from the foyer. And I love the suggestion of shelves for the niche.if you don't need privacy, maybe silhouette blinds? A tree to the right of the ent. Unit.