Hi Carol, very nice and cozy home! The natural light is great and it's good you enjoy the mill work. Have you considered hardwood flooring ?

Hi Ed, Thank you! i agree that hardwood flooring would look nice in the room but I'm afraid that it would contribute to the noise problem.

Hi Carol, barefeet or socks. :) Yea, a bit more noise, but it could also be a security contribution! :)

Hi Ed, since hardwood isn't an option, would a large area rug over the carpet help? Is there anything we can do to dress up the windows? Any suggestions for the narrow mantel?

Hi Carol, clear everything off the narrow mantel. :)

here's an inspiration pic that closely mirrors yr room
maybe it can inspire you
clic the pic for additional info

fireplace similar to your pic

Nice high ceilings and woodwork, and so much light streaming in! The sofa (in the pics, at least) seems to block the room behind it. Could it be moved closer to the entertainment center? Also, a large rug with some color in it would really help to anchor the seating arrangement, I think. You could use some of the colors in the rug to accessorize--a throw over the sofa, something on the coffee table...just a few homey touches.

I love the white room Anne Dee posted. Working on our living right now.

Thanks Ed, I may consider clearing the mantel if I can't find something special to go there

Sharon,thanks for your input. I am including additional pictures slowing eating area behind the sofa. This is one large room with the cabinets and cooking area, then eating area, then great room. With the hardwood floors and granite surfaces in the kitchen, the great room seems to pick every clatter from kitchen work. Also, the fourth wall in great room is wood open stair case. Thank you for your suggestions, Carol

Anne, I love your inspiration pictures and the simplicity of both mantels. Thank you, carol

Alex, thank you! I love your idea about a large colorful rug. Maybe that will pull the room together with the coordinating accessories. Will the rug work over carpet? Do you have any rug suggestions? Again, thank you! Carol

The issue I see is that the architecture and moldings in your space speak formal, as does everything but the sofa. It looks to be a "man cave" special edition and is out of place with the formal chairs, coffee table, FP trim etc. Will you tackle that issue or is it a moot point?

Hi Decoenthusiaste, thank you and you are so right! When we moved here, the sofa and red chair came from our family room, the tables, from our living room and the two chairs from my mother in laws living room. If I could only keep one thing, it would be the sofa - man cave special edition and all. It is so comfortable with the recliners and we are not formal people. Does that make us eclectic? I was hoping so. I really do appreciate your comments but is there a way to make everything go together better?

Carol, without seeing the space in person it's difficult for me to give you solid advice... but what does stand out to my eye is the staggered heights of your millwork.

The windows are dramatic; as are the columns and fireplace millwork. In comparison, the built in units appear small in scale. One thing I would look into would be to visually "beef up" the bookcases, perhaps by adding a "frame" of additional millwork on top or - on a larger scale - actually redesigning them to be taller. That tweak would instantly bring the room into a better sense of scale and proportion.

If working with the furniture you already have, I would float the sofa to the side of the room where the chairs currently are, and move the chairs to where the sofa is to increase the visual space and give a better traffic flow from the dining room/kitchen.

To give the entire space a more cohesive feel, pull one color (perhaps the red in the chair on the right of the photo) and repeat it's use throughout the room. An area rug with red accents can be floated to anchor the seating pieces... dark burgundy, cozy throws can warm up the leather of the couch... toss pillows that pick up that color. Color will go a long way in bringing an eclectic collection of furniture into a more cohesive, curated place.

As far as kitchen noise goes... there is little you can do to physically limit that due to the architecture of the space. Open concept equals, unfortunately, noise. But, that said.... I've had great success in limiting the noise by simply upgrading appliances (especially dishwashers!!) to those which are very quiet when running.

Good luck to you.
Gina Samarotto
Samarotto Design Group

Gina, thank you so much for the suggestions. Husband thinks everything looks great as is so I can't do much about the bookcases but I am looking for an area rug to start with. Do you have any suggestions? The appliances are quite; I am the biggest contributor of the noise while cooking and cleaning the kitchen and since - around here. If you eat, you help prepare and clean up, there are several noisemakers in the kitchen that can't be replaced. Thank you again Gina, I really liked your suggestions.

Carol, I'll see if I can't find you some links to peruse some great rugs! Best of luck!