I am a fan of neutrals, so no argument from me about too much cream

I would look into art for above the sofa. I think that is where you can put some color.

With 4 little ones, comfort is key.

Yes I agree a colorful piece of art over sofas and maybe a tray on ottoman, but with little ones may not be practical.

How about painting just the insides/backs of the shelves by the fireplace the same soft blue that is in your area rug?

I think painting just the backs of the shelving could be a little weird since it’s brick.. it would be blue brick.

Would your TV fit on the short wall to the right of the fireplace? The viewing angle looks uncomfortable to me in your photo.

Are the shelve in the built-in adjustable?

Pull your rug so that the front feet of the sofa sit on it. I'd move the armchair close to the sofa so that its arm is touching the sofa arm, facing the fireplace straight on. That leaves a free traffic path to the door along the wall, which to me feels more natural.

A piece of art should be over the sofa. It should be about 2/3 the width of the sofa, and hung about 6-10" above it. And a piece of art over the mantle. No other decor items, there's already enough busyness with your shelf decor. Not a mirror.

Perhaps try a piece of artwork over the sofa. That might help finish this space.

Altadena Farmhouse: Phase 2 · More Info

Pull the blue from your rug into art above the sofa and mantel, pillows on the sofa and blue paint on luan or foam core inserts to hide the brick in the shelves. Stay clear of gray since your room doesn't look like it gets much direct sunlight. You want to avoid dreary colors. You can add a pop of daisy yellow for contrast with the blue. Center the rug and the hassock on the fireplace. Adjust the rug so that equal amounts of it extend past the two ends of the sofa. Purchase a pair of end tables second hand. They should arrive 1" above or below sofa arms. You can paint them if you like. Add a lamp to each, a tray to the hassock and a floor lamp by the chair with a new footstool that is level with the chair seat to be comfortable when putting your feet up. Install a bit of bling with new hardware on the cabinet doors. Add some of the same metal with the tray and lamps. Here's Fred's chart to help you get tables and lamps working together.

I will try turning the rug and I have been keeping an eye out for some end tables and a lamp. As far as above the couch art, I feel I do need something but haven’t figured out what yet... I like the idea of covering up the brick behind the books! Too me it’s way too much dark brick and I am considering painting it white? but don’t want to do something permanent and have it look bad.

I like the idea of covering up the brick behind the books! Too me it’s way too much dark brick and I am considering painting it white? but don’t want to do something permanent and have it look bad.

The easiest and best thing to do whether it's a bookcase or even a china cabinet is to cut some foam core to fit -- you can paint it or cover it with wallpaper or fabric.

I wouldn't paint or cover your brick. It's adding more character than anything else in the room. You are absolutely right that the room is awash in cream. It looks like some of your walls are painted gray but the wall behind the sofa appears cream. How about painting all of the walls the gray? I think that would help the sofa stand out a bit more. I would also slide the rug under the front feet of the sofa. I think bringing some artwork above the fireplace and above the sofa would also help add some character and life to the room.

Flipped the rug that helped... but this room still feels way too 1990s! i want a clean boho/modern farmhouse look and I don’t know how to achieve that?

To me, a clean look means relatively few decor items, and a colour scheme that is matched. Boho is bright and dark colours mismatched, maybe even a bit wild, lots of decor items. Modern farmhouse is colour matched, lots of decor items.

Looking at your inspiration pictures I don't see clean or boho. You're modern farmhouse and I would look to that style for your inspiration.

To me yourdark brick fits with both boho and modern farmhouse. An easy fix to cover some of it would be to paint or paper over pieces of cardboard or foamboard that fit snugly into the wall spaces behind your shelves. It's not permanent. Google has lots of how-to's. Are your shelves adjustable or fixed?

Would your TV fit on the short wall to the left of your curtains? The viewing angle looks uncomfortable to me in your photo.

I'd move the armchair close to the sofa so that its arm is touching the sofa arm, facing the fireplace straight on. That leaves a free traffic path to the door along the wall, which to me feels more natural.

This room is more for enjoying the fireplace, the only ones who watch the tv in here are the kids or if I’m in the kitchen I can watch something as I cook, so for us it works and the built ins are designed for a tv to go there. The shelves do not move. I dont why this room challenges me so much lol

Your look IS modern farmhouse/boho. Boho is short for "Bohemian" which is an eclectic patterned colorful look like the pottery from Bohemia in Czechoslovakia. I'm not even sure what "modern farmhouse" is for a reference, but the emphasis seems to be on monochrome blacks and whites and splashes of whimsy and color. You have all that except for the splash part, and this is up to you what you would find fun to put on the walls. The fireplace brick stands out somewhat discordantly, so I'd do a neutral light piece of art to cover up some of that checkered colored brick. Easy fix. I'd also replace the carved fussy doors on the cabinets next to the fireplace with something more angular and plain if I was obsessive about "modern" farmhouse. But the doors you have are perfectly "boho." The room looks lovely as is. Don't be so hard on yourself! Perhaps at some point the perfect piece of art may come along that speaks to you. Meanwhile you can maybe pick up something neutral and "modern farmhouse" at your local discount mart. Mine has lots of stuff like that in the home section. Placekeeper stuff. Inexpensive, big impact and then later when you have time donate to Goodwill and find that perfect piece at the antique store like Johanna Gaines does! OR, go to the local Goodwill and buy that piece that someone else just got rid of . . . .

Not a Pro.

I so agree with above about using foamboard to cover the brick in the shelves. Then use some great accessories. The accessories will show up with a white background much easily.

Layered art on the mantel will look great.

A wood coffee table will bring it into the Modern Farmhouse look you want.

I think the new carpet will really help, one more month until it’s installed! They don’t have enough installers in our area.

I didnt catch that the shelving units had brick behind the shelves. Definitely cover! Then I'd put all my smaller things on the shelves where their proportions will not be lost. And then . . . well I'd be tempted to just put one of those big black painted steel clocks on the wall, I love clocks and need them around . . . A lot of smaller art pieces will be lost on the sea of brick above the mantel. I would not paint though, just leave it as an artistic element of it's own.