I wouldn't try staining the fireplace. It is a porous material, and you could ruin it. It's not a material that is made to change in my opinion. I also think the room needs the color contrast which gives it some vertical height. You really only need to change the rug in that room. I like the round mirror over the fireplace. I would look for a clear glass and gold fixture for the dining area if you're planning to use the wallpaper, so you don't have a dark fixture in front of a dark wallpaper.

I would get a large pice of art that was slightly bigger than the inset where your round mirror is now. I don’t prefer the inset with the curve at the top at all. A statement piece of art with color is what I would look for.

Cali thanks for the caution on the fireplace. I appreciate your point about the vertical height (and after considering your comment, the yellow top-mantle does feel significantly less awkward now with an object hanging from it).

Also I appreciate the feedback about getting a clear glass fixture to not obscure the wall paper. It’s a Great point that I didn’t consider but it makes sense now!

I’m a little confused on rug direction (bc these large area rugs are so hard to move or return). But I think I will bite the bullet and try the pink rug I have. If that doesn’t feel right, I am considering a new vintage Turkish rug with some color (I’m just not sure what color!!) if you have any color or palate/tone suggestions please let me know.

Jeanne unfortunately the top mantle already has that curve. I love the idea of a statement art piece, but it could look odd with the curved white space that would then be left above. Do you think that is preferable to a round object?

In the mock up i think the dark blue leaves look amazing. I do think the bowl light fixture is not right with that mural, and I don’t think your atomic one gets there either. I don't think clear glass is automatically the right choice. if i have time I’ll try to post photos of directions I might go.

i think the round mirror over the mantle just makes the room look Victorian. I don’t think you need anything there in that spot for a long time, if ever because it is decorative on its own, so you can focus on other things .

by the way, i think your round mirror might end up looking better in the dining room instead of the vertical mirror if you choose the blue green leaves for your niche

Some chandeliers

Currey and Company Oona Orb Chandelier · More Info

it might take more than one of these

Jezebel Radiance Stingray Chandelier, Amber, 18" Drop Height · More Info

i love this color

Jezebel Radiance Stingray Chandelier, Plum, 18" Drop Height · More Info

It comes in this too

Jezebel Radiance Stingray Chandelier, Sky Blue, 18" Drop Height · More Info

Might be too informal

Capital Lighting Arlo 6 Light 22" Pendant, Aged Brass and Black · More Info

Might be too glam

Grand Lotus Black Chandelier - Satin Black, Contemporary Gold Leaf · More Info

These are fun

Visual Comfort Lighting Aerin Charlton Grande Triple Arm Chandelier, White · More Info

Charlton Grande Triple Arm Chandelier, Black · More Info

I think all these are fun or you hate them but you’d need groups of them given the size of your table, not one

Alessa Chandelier · More Info

Shell Cluster Chandelier, Matte Black · More Info

Poppy Garden Pendant Light · More Info

floor lamps intead of a chandelier would be jazzy with that mural but probably not elegant enough for your curtains and table

Sunflower Floor Lamp in White · More Info

i dont think you should replace your dining chairs with these but they might make fun extra chairs or plant stands around the house

Cascade Dining Chair Set of 4, Light Blue · More Info

If your current Persian rug doesn't work, I think you have a lot of options. You can keep it really simple with a neutral but warmer toned rug, like the first few examples; use a muted traditional design; or make a statement with more color. I really like your idea of a vintage Persian rug. It could really give the room character and would look great with your modern furniture. Since you are really only working with navy and neutrals in the room, you have a lot of color options depending on what you can find. Navy/gold/green or navy/gold/red could look great.

Modern New Home - Ground Up · More Info

100 Barclay x Domino Magazine Model Residence - Manhattan · More Info

Fort Greene Modern Scandinavian · More Info

Nouveau Navy Living Room · More Info

Mount Tabor Tudor · More Info

My idea for the art would be to cover the entire inset, including the curve at the top.

I love these suggestions and insights. Thank you! I am keeping them in mind and shopping for lights and rugs, and seeing one of my square arts could fit over the entire inset. I would not have thought of these on my own. Thank you for the suggestion!!

Do people prefer the Leaves over the Waves? The pendant will need to be replaced (either way) I think. Can this blue rug stay here, or should it be bigger?

The waves work better with the current rug....but I like the wallpaper with the leaves. The gold is subtle but sets a fancier tone. The addition of gold or brass elements like a new light fixture would really make it an eclectic formal dining room and juxtapose the eclectic, earthy, formal elements nicely. But you’d have to buy a new rug though.

Both the leaves or the waves could work, and are fine with your blue rug. Are you drawn to one or the other? I think I like the more abstract quality of the waves, especially with your large plants in the room. It keeps it more modern and veers away from tropical.

On my screen the leaves look much better, especially with your own plants

you might not need a rug in the dining room

I realize several elements of this space are quite different from your space, especially the table, but I don’t feel any need for a rug in this room.

Un appartamento in BLU · More Info

Think of it this way: if you put a mural on the wall it is the the equivalent of putting a rug on the wall. You don’t need another rug in the room.

if you look back at the pictures you first posted of all the possible wallpapers and mural options you will notice most of the rooms in the ad photos don’t have rugs on the floors. I think your table legs would be set off more beautifully on the bare floor.

Without a rug, the gray upholstery dining chairs might be nicest with the big leaves mural

Do you need to stick with one light fixture above the table or would it be not really difficult to hang more than one?

I love these suggestions! I was locked out of my account and just got back in.

Now I am working on the family room. It’s a strange diagonal layout (with 3 entrances and a 4th main exit to the yard) but I’m trying to work with it by using a 360 couch.

Does anyone have suggestions on what to do with the walls and the built-in shelving? Should I paint the built in shelving gray/white, or add fun wall paper into the back of the shelving? I could also apply wallpaper all around the room, or change the rugs (though I really love the blue/pink Turkish rug in there now). I could also remove the shelving and replace it, but it would be effort. I could also install a chandelier.

I have a brass/gold round mirror to put over the fireplace, which I’ve shown here. I’d like for the room to feel a bit more young and modern. Are there other ways to add interesting finishes to the room?

Since you love the rug there is no need to change it. I think the shelving works well with your floors, but you could use a dark colored removable wallpaper on the backs of the shelves for more interest. For the fireplace, I would remove the mantle and find an interesting tile to use on the whole area around the fireplace up to the ceiling. Then you can use the mirror on top of it. Get some large pieces of artwork for the long wall. The biggest issue to me in the room is the arrangement of the furniture and rugs. Is there enough space to place the one large rug in the room so it's parallel to the sliders, where you have the light gray one? I would decorate it as a rectangular room, with the triangle part just being the open walkway to the other room. It looks odd to have part of the seating facing the doorway. Can the sectional be reconfigured so all the seating faces either the fireplace or the sliders? Or are you open to changing the seating?

I love your suggestions @cali. I will look into removing the mantle — is there a particular type of style of tile that you think could work well, and how do I make it complement the shade and print of the shelving back-wall-paper? Should it be similar colors? Should the fireplace be solid and maybe the shelving more ornate and wild, or Vice versa?

I think you have a good point about the diagonal rug. I really wanted to cover the triangular part since it gets so much traffic, but I’ll try removing the colorful rug and see how the room looks with just the big light gray one (parallel to the sliders).

I thought the door-facing seating might make the family room more approachable (and allow you to face the breakfast/kitchen nook) but I can see how it looks odd. The sofa is modular so I can definitely change the seating so there are seats facing the fireplace and the sliders. I’ll try that out today!!

Thank you so much for the suggestions!

Per everyone’s suggestions above, I ordered a new rug for the living room and added some gold finishes like the lamps! The feedback here on the round mirror was mixed (that it made the room look Victorian and that the curve area looks weird). I’m considering putting a square painting over the whole area, and if not I may opt for a more modern mirror.

I also bought gold/brass sconces per your suggestions! I’ll take an after photo once I install it.

I forgot to mention.. I’m not sure what to do about the gap above the built-in shelves in the family room. Should the colorful wallpaper extend to that area too, or should I leave it white, or put objects there?

im on the fence about the mirror. Looks better now that i see it hung. can’t wait to see the sconces

is your choice of floor lamp permanen?

Hi Ital! The floor lamp is definitely not permanent! This style was recommended by the Restoration Hardware staff but I’m very open to moving it to another room if you have another suggestion!

I know this configuration is really ugly... but this is to give you a sense for what it looks like when the rug is straightened out to be parallel with the sliders! I can play around with it some more. I can’t figure out how to use the two rugs together however. I wanted to perhaps put the colorful rug on one “side” of the couch (in this image it’s on the far side, but it could also be in the foreground). I would try to cover the transition areas to blend the change.

Does the straight rug layout better than the diagonal angled rug layout?

I’ll wait to see the sconces before opining on the floor lamp. Ciao...

The straight rug is much better than the diagonal, but push it over closer to the long wall so it's about 6-10" from the wall, coming straight out from the shelves, so it doesn't crowd the fireplace. You might be able to use one rug on each side of the sectional, if the sectional is centered on the rug so it covers the transition. That basically gives you a rug in front of each seating area. I would treat the area above the builtins as part of the wall, so the wall color continues there regardless of what you do on the shelves. I wouldn't put anything there. A large piece of art above the fireplace will be the focal point. In your other room, I think the round mirror works well on the fireplace. The floor lamp is fine too - just scoot back so it's at the back half of the arm rather than the front.

@Calidesign, this is such great design feedback I wouldn’t have thought of. Thank you for sharing your opinions! I am making these changes now :-)

Do you have any suggestions for what type of wall color or wallpaper print would look good on that wall (and the back of the built ins)?

Here are some options for the wall design for the shelving and open wall area above it.

The top 5 cards are small samples of the actual wall paper. The 5 cards underneath are more zoomed out views of the patterns (when you step back and view the wall from the other side of the room). Which ones do you think look best? I would keep the other walls white (unless someone recommends that I wall paper the entire room :-)

Here are 3 more options! (including the blue waves which was the losing option for the formal dining room... I went with the gold leaves that most of you here voted for the dining room :)

And here are better images of options 1-5!

Have to say not really warming up to any of the wallpaper choices. Not sure how you are looking to tie the room together and what dominant feeling you want for the room. Lively? Kid friendy? Nature space that flows into the outdoors? Or semi-sophisticated and serene? Hanging out lazy in the Casbah?

One thing you might want to shy away from is repeating the impact of the dramatic leaves in the dining room. The ceiling is really quite a dominant feature of the room so I think the wallpaper needs to compliment it. Instead of wall paper, you might think of color blocking with paint. (Not these exactly, but to give you an idea)

Colour in our Residential Architecture · More Info

Le pastel impose son caractère · More Info

But to stick with wallpaper for a second (so to speak), I would think something in a misty gray or a coral/peachy/copper/blush would be better than something dark or starkly graphic, or look to pick up other colors in the rug. Not suggesting these patterns but to indicate color tones

Borneo Light Grey Geometric Grasscloth Wallpaper Bolt · More Info

Lien Coral Fountain Medallion Wallpaper Bolt · More Info

Maybe this is too green for what appears to be the blue in your rug

Pine Sage Silhouette Trees Wallpaper Bolt · More Info

Or if the point is to go crazy

Deny Designs Marta Barragan Camarasa Abstract Texture Wallpaper, Green, 2'x4' · More Info

Groovy Garden Navy Peel and Stick Wallpaper , Yard · More Info

Skog Forest Multicolor Woodland Wallpaper, Sample · More Info

If you wanted to do a fantasia and wall paper the whole room, maybe this, plus hanging huge round white paper lanterns from the ceiling, and new less tribal pillows

Kana Beige Lantern Festival Wallpaper Bolt · More Info

;)

What about a metallic cork wallpaper or a metallic grass cloth on the large wall? Something with some color, texture and shine but not a pattern that competes with the wallpaper in the dining room? And then feature some art- something like a 3 or 6 or 9 series collection in gold frames? I’ll try to link ideas.

What about something like this?

Cork Blue · More Info

Cork White · More Info

If you want wallpaper just on the backs of the shelving, I would choose one of the simple deep blues with gold so the gold coordinates with the color of the wood shelves. But from your wallpaper choices it seems you want something more dramatic in the space. I would decide on your fireplace treatment first. You could remove the fireplace mantle and do a dramatic, geometric tile around the fireplace up to the ceiling, and paint the cabinet backs in a solid color that coordinates. Or, consider putting patterned wallpaper in the flat area of your tray ceiling, which could look amazing. Or painting the tray ceiling a deep solid color with a coordinating patterned tile on the fireplace.

The Preserve at Westfields - Regatta Collection - The Stonecroft Model · More Info

Beach Style Family Room · More Info

Beach Block Budget · More Info

If you want the wallpapered ceiling, keep the fireplace simpler.

Raise the Roof! · More Info

Urban Modern · More Info

These are all very insightful observations, along with some fantastic ideas I had not considered before!

@Ital your question (what dominant feeling I want in the room) is a good one and I guess I don’t have a ready answer... but I think it’s a combo of comfortable hangout (for family) + tasteful and casually stylish (maybe with one element that is a bolder personality, such as a print on the ceiling tray, or a subtle gray wallpaper on all the side walls). I don’t want it to look very formal or pretentious, but a touch of class is nice :-)

You and others made a very good point that I shouldn’t compete with the gold leaves in the dining room. I hadn’t considered that before, and am now seeing the appeal of the more subtle suggestions made here (vs strong bold prints and leaf motifs). I thought it might be “nice” to repeat the lead motif but on second thought that is probably a poor design choice.

Here are the ideas I love. I’ll do research on them and share back!! Thank you so much for sharing them with me.

1. I love the recommendation of removing the fireplace mantle. I will definitely do that.

2. @ital I really like the reco of subtle wallpaper in light misty gray, perhaps with subtle blush accents, not just for the far wall and shelves, but for the entire family room. Would you recommend that wallpaper execution on all the walls including the fireplace wall and inside the built in shelves? Or do you think it’s acceptable to have that wallpaper + a tiled fireplace wall?

3. @cali I love the idea of the wallpaper in the ceiling tray!! I like the gold and white palate, and maybe putting tiles that complement it on the fireplace wall. Should the fireplace tiles be ONLY on the one front wall of the fireplace, or on the adjacent wall to the left as wall? I LOVE the subtle patterned charcoal tiles in your fireplace example.

4. @looki I love the idea of metallic grass cloth with subtle gold elements, especially the second white based design. Where are the best places to look for wallpaper like this? I’ll get samples!

5. I will remove the tribal accent pillows. They maybe clash with the rug and the wall ideas here that seem more classy.

6. If the walls have some color and interesting patterns, I may consider removing the blue/peach rug and having just the gray plain rug so it doesn’t compete. Is that the right idea, or should there be color on the floor that grounds the wall papers?

If I don’t do wall papers all around, I think I will do the pattern on the ceiling tray.

Based on the feedback here, I will scrap the idea to wallpaper ONLY the far wall with the shelving with a strong print. In hindsight I can see why that might look a bit random of a choice.

Should I put a low hanging chandelier in this family room, or should I leave it as is?

wallpapering or just painting the ceiling would have impact. I agree that if you wallpaper the ceiling you should get rid of the mantel. What you do about the lighting depends on what kind of wallpaper you pick, I think.

Maybe this is too literal minded, but I was thinking that maybe some kind of world map on the ceiling would be fun if you were laying around on those sofas, daydreaming

Blue World Map Wall Mural, Peel and Stick, 1-Panel, 89"x60" · More Info

Standard Time Zones of the World Map, Peel & Stick Removable Wall Decal · More Info

Gray Ocean World Political Map Mural, Peel and Stick, 3-Panel, 107"x72" · More Info

I was also thinking earlier that I might have picked the woodland wallpaper for an accent wall because I like having lots of animals in my decor

Skog Forest Multicolor Woodland Wallpaper, Sample · More Info

However, I would have put a different wallpaper behind the shelves and on the wall behind the shelves, a floral

Petal Jasmine Wallpaper · More Info

And then I would have animal garden statuary on the shelves, and continued on in that vein with artwork over the fireplace.

I like your blue and coral rug! I was wondering though if instead of matching with the gray if it was possible to bring in a run with some kind of subtle pattern, or a reverse colorway of the rug you have, with a coral border and a blue center (but this one is too pink I realize)

Germili GER-2322 Coral Rug 7'10" x 9'9" · More Info

Berkshire Paxton Rug, Coral, 10'x14' · More Info

Not sure this works colorwise but was looking for something with a different pattern

Mohawk Home Strata 7'6"x10' Rug · More Info

And just kidding here

City CIT-2346 Coral Rug 8'10" x 12'3" · More Info

Design question... if I do wallpaper in my family room (whether the ceiling tray, or the walls), do I need to extend it into the breakfast and kitchen? These 3 rooms are all very much connected (like one long room), though the family room is 2 steps recessed for a cozier feel. Here is a photo.

....but not really

;)

Lol you are very funny Ital.

I love the gray and blush color combo in the 2 wallpapers (animal and floral) and how they complement one another. What is the rule of thumb for how many walls (and which wall) gets the patterned wall paper? Should I put the pattern on only one big wall, or all around (and extending into the other rooms)? I’ve never used wall paper before! In fact I’ve never had walls that weren’t neutral light colors!

Hmmm. The 3 tray ceilings appear to be completely enclosed, and the one in the family room looks like it might not be visible at all if you are standing in the other rooms, so having an element of surprise in that ceiling might not be too jarring or fragmenting. Still, merely painting rather than wallpapering the ceiling might be enough — or maybe the textured metallic cork? —- and then warm and enliven the big modular sofa and rug areas with lots of fab textured pillows and accent throws. I don’t think you need to get rid of all the tribal pillows.

I think the original suggestion for wall paper was to back the shelves of the media unit. It all depends on where you want the eye to go when people enter the room. Right now, I really like your sofa and rugs. They have a great Casbah feel to me, so to me they are the focal point of the room, and everything else should be one minor point of a “pentagon” after that — the media, the fireplace, the view, the ceiling —- and I guess you will need something on the wall opposite the window and fireplace, but I’m not sure it should be WOW as much as reinforce the central idea of relexing, cuddling, enjoying.

By the way, I realized after I posted that it would probably be impossible to find a single wall mural to put on the ceiling that was big enough to fill the whole tray.

But now I think the place to focus is on the sofa and rugs underneath, to make the central space rich and irresistably inviting, and then bounce off that to the more distant points of the room

I don't think I'd wallpaper the entire family room. You could wallpaper just the breakfast nook, which would be a nice patterned transition between the family room and kitchen. You've got lots of ideas and lots of options. Start with what is most important to you in the family room. Do you want to keep the rug? Are you keeping the drapes? What primary color do you want in there? If you're keeping the patterned rug, that gives you a starting point for the rest. If not, I'd decide what you do want on the floor so you can use that to determine the rest. Then decide where you want the focal point to be - the fireplace or the tray ceiling? There are no wrong answers. When you know what you want to highlight it will be easier to put together more neutral coordinating finishes. Leave the shelving for after you've decided on the fireplace.

Don’t mean to distract you from the important work of figuring out what you want the focal point of the family room to be, but I ran across these fretwork pieces today, and thought they’d be interesting on a ceiling. They come in 4 sizes from extra small to large, and you can either get them in white and paint them or a wood finish. You can click on the link to see how they are used in a room

Small Marrakesh Decorative Fretwork Wall Panels in Architectural Grade PVC · More Info

I was also thinking that if you want to wallpaper the ceiling, one of your initial choices, the gray semi-3-D one, which is pictured with 2 black chairs in front of it, might be nicest, or the grass cloth Borneo one with a fuzzy hexagon pattern. This is not cheap but might be classy

Versace 2 Wallpaper Collection, 962364 · More Info

I don’t think this tile-look wallpaper would be right for your ceiling and it is probably too busy for your walls, but if you click on the link to it you can see a picture of an interesting way to do an accent wall with wallpaper where it is easier to stop at just one wall in one room and not have it look strange

NextWall Moroccan Style Peel and Stick Mosaic Tile Wallpaper · More Info

GW1011 Moroccan Tiles Peel and Stick Wallpaper Gold / Rust / Celadon · More Info

Saw a rug that might be interesting to replace your gray one if you want to replace it (hard for me to tell on my screen if it has a pattern or texture)

Connection Museu Linen 10x13 Rug, 9'10"x13'2" · More Info