NO!

Are you replacing the carpet? The current issue is that everything is the same color and it all blends together. You don’t want the previous owner’s issue to be your issue too.

I’m not sure what’s wrong with the carpet? We plan to get a large area rug and then I was thinking an accent wall to bring some color to the room along with throw pillows.

no, i wouldnt do that as an accent wall. i find the most successful ones are those with no cut outs for doors or windows, or at least symmetric cut outs. you'll end up with accent color on that little strip over the doorway. not good.

UNLESS you set off an area, with moulding, so the couch was symmetric on that area. i think just a tape line would look amateurish/collegey.

my photos don't mean they should have done it, just that the choice of that area to accent made sense.

good:

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not good (in my opinion)

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So maybe trim out the opening with wood and then paint?

No, no, no painted accent walls. Don't do it.

No. None of that fake reclaimed wood. Or real reclaimed wood with bugs and fungus.

Your fireplace is your focal point. You do not need anything else but comfortable seating, good lighting (desperately needed, call an electrician) and art. No accent colors, feature walls, or anything else.

The carpet blends too much into the fireplace and walls and sofa. It’s all a big brown blob. So it’s good to paint the walls. But you’re bringing in a brown sofa, and you’re back to a giant mass of peanut butter brown blobbyness. The brown carpet needs to go.

I think your carpet is fine.

I would replace the carpet with hardwood flooring. On site finished white oak would look great.

Most people, especially on this site, hate carpet! There are those of us who still love it because we live in very cold climates in the wintertime and do not want frozen feet. There is nothing wrong with the carpet but I agree with painting the walls a pretty color. You say you love blue and as long as it goes with what you are planning to put in the room, I say go for it!

I have never understood the carpet and warm feet issue. Surely people don't walk barefoot in their houses? There are slippers that keep your feet both warm and more importantly, clean ;-)

dh likes carpet in the bedrooms sooooo we have carpet in the bedrooms, all the other rooms are slate or vinyl plank if we were to build again i think i could get him to go with no carpet.....

At some point the carpet will go but for now it’s staying. We have 3 little Kids and crawling and playing on carpet is way more comfy! Plus we don’t want to spend money on new floors just yet when the carpet is in great shape, when the carpet is old we will spend the money to replace.

No to the accent wall. The fireplace wall is your focal point.

So what paint colors would anyone suggest?

Others can speak to paint colors, but you can add color with pillows, an accent throw, a pouf (these are awesome for kids.) Maybe some plants?

Plus I'm sure your kids will bring plenty of color with them, no? :-)

I agree no accent wall, but like that you are designing for your real life and not a photo shoot. That carpet looks great for crawling on.

It doesn't look like you need an accent wall. The fireplace provides the focal point and has enough of an accent.

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Yes Rita, we do go barefoot in our house....the only time there are shoes/socks on my feet are the dead of winter. Carpet is fine, actually great, if you have little ones crawling around and if they are learning to walk, the tumbles are not so intense. When I lie on the floor with the children to play it is always in the room with carpet. We also have hardwood. I don't know of anyone who has no carpet in their home. Must be the area?

Usually an accent wall is to bring attention to a wall. You don't want to bring attention away from the fireplace and to a plain wall. So accent the fireplace wall or why not paint all the walls the navy or blue you like

I think that is what I’m going to do, paint the whole room a shade of blue! I’m super excited to get in and try some color on the walls.

Nicole, are you planning on leaving the tv above the fireplace?

Are you thinking of a blue like this?

No bliue in living spaces it always reminds of a bedroom . Your wall color should be neutral to work with wahtever you put in the space , blues are difficult to get right and are not IMO neutral

I would like to take the tv out and hang artwork over the fireplace. I’m thinking of a blue like this

You better add a lot of lights if you are going that dark. The room already looks like a cave.

Color suggestions welcomed! Some blues can brighten a space too and with some bright pops of color, Maybe orange and white? I think it could look nice. I have doing lots of reading and some dark spaces can still be visually pleasing with the right decor. There is no hiding that it’s a dark room, it is what it is and I think color will add interest.. at least that was what I was thinking. I can’t change the lack of windows unfortunately so criticism on helping the space would be welcomed not complaining about what it’s not.

Also note there are large French doors to the right of the fireplace, the light from them is covered by heavy wood shutters. This home is in the desert and keeping the home cool is a priority, if we open those up it won’t feel so dark.

The listing agent who took photos probably could have done a better job showing more light.