These tiles in front of your hearth are amazing!

I think the mantle is too dark, the rug or sofa too light and the chandelier too overpowering. Also remove the silver mirror and the stuff on the mantle. Keep it simple.

Definately keep the side table and lamp.

If you could find a heat resistant tile in the green from the floortile and paint the mantle white like the walls (see example below), that would look lovely.

Look for an ottoman that goes with the sidetable and place a tray on it. Or another small table that looks good with it. I've tried finding some that would blend the victorian and modern bling (looking at your dining area), came close, but don't know what you'd like.

Wow thank you so much Rinq!!

we unfortunatelycant change the mantel, we can only change the decoration and furniture. Will look into those coffee tables and ottomans!

I’d slide the rug so It meets the fireplace hearth.

For safety, rugs should be at least 12" from the hearth. You need a bar cart instead of the leaning mirror, and style the shelves with 1/3 books, 1/3 large decor items and 1/3 open space. For some color and interest you could paint custom fitted pieces of luan in the green from the tiles and put it in the backs of the shelf.

Thank you so much everybody!! This helps me a lot! The chandeliers etc come with the place so we can’t change any of it, but i love the 1/3 rule for the shelves, the bar cart instead of the mirror and the console table. Would love to pull the rug closer, but yeah...

I would definitely add a shallow console behind the sofa. Also I would likely pull the sofa back a bit, back legs off the rug. In fact,rug would probably only extend about 2/3 under sofa...maybe less. (I recognize this moves sofa into the wide entrance to eating area) Then you can measure in front of sofa for the table size you want. Personally,I like about 16" between edge of sofa and table.

Try removing the rug (it's free!). We've recently removed ours (on a wooden floor) and don't miss it one bit. Opened up the room.

Back in the day, Victorian times, they often removed rugs for the summer. It helped prevent moths getting into them and made for cool floors.

Thank youuu!

What wonderful ideas, I’m so excited!

Great Idea sistersunnie with the pillows!

Awesome hollybar re moving the sofa. I’ve been wanting to do that but had backlash from my husband who loves everything to be aligned. Now that i have designer backup - i’ll try again ;)

two votes for a shallow console, will be happy to give it a shot!! What kind Of a console?

Sam I can't possibly make any suggestions because I'm absolutely gobsmacked by your STUNNING place.

Please you have to show us more :) I tried your ideabooks, but they were empty :( And I cried a little. (well not really, but I would love to see more...)

Okay, now I caught my breath...

I know you didn't ask and so I apologize in advance...but are you very attached to the rug?

Sam, I really like your room! Definitively, remove the standing mirror and the wine bottles over the FP. I understand it’s a rental and you can change the mantle, but it looks so cavernous that I suggest add a fire screen, maybe in bronze as your side table and floor lamp

*can’t*

Thanks Pennydesign, we love it too!!! Totally not attached to the rug, was thinking of changing it to an off white shag rug with black stripes, then some black pillows to match mantel?

Daniela i LOVE the idea of a bronze firescreen!!

following

We might look into a rug with some black in it to help tie the fireplace with the rest of the room. We also might look into getting a lighter chair and add pillows on the sofa/chair to bring in the black.

What a stunning old house with fantabuous detailing!

I thought you must be haunted by a spirit, and the reason the long floor was in the living room was so you could catch it!

If not, please remove that mirror. In its place, please put a bar cart, and mover the side table to the other side of the chair.

Find a coffee table for in front of the sofa.

I would not spend a lot for it.

I wouldn't spend a lot for the bar table either.

After all, this is a rental, you don't know how long you will be here, where you will end up next and what will suit your next place.

Scour garage sales, charity stores, etc.

What I would do is find some throw pillows or throw pillow covers (or make them yourself) that marry the lighter color of your sofa and the darker color of your chair.

I like the look of a fireplace screen too, but I wouldn't invest the money in it for a rental, either. If you can pick one up for a song second hand, then go for it, otherwise, forget it. Then if you want, you can spray-paint it with heat resistant spray paint.

Thank you Chi and Ioobab!

Will look for a different rug asap. Going to furniture stores for a bar cart today.

Perhaps when i post an update i will include the dining area. It doesn’t go with the fireplace furniture at all ...

So much potential, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do.

Could you put the high back chair in another room. It's a bit too high for

the low sofa. Um in the one shot it looks really high back and in the other

not so much. Do you have another chair that you could try?

Agree, move items off mantal and re-arrange bookcase.

I think you could either go contemporary and ignore the surroundings OR incorporate the surroundings into the furniture choices and go for a more eclectic look...