Do you like red? Treat it like a pop of colour in the room. Instead of white items on the shelves use red. A red throw and pillows over the gray sofa. Paint the innermost moulding red on the mirror. If you are Meh about red do the opposite and add grays to the room.

Melissa - good call on taking the other items out and then adding back in. I think that is one of my problems - I’ll just put in there what I have rather than being intentional about it. Want to be better at that!

Rho - red is not my fave. I don’t dislike it but it would not be my go-to initially, which is why I’m soliciting advice from the kind people of the internet on ideas! :)

This is the empty space in case that helps anyone with ideas

I really like that couch in there!

I'd start with rug shopping.

Very much like this room - will be great for family time and I think you can work with the red sofa. My thoughts - agree with others that the mirror does not work in this space and the first step should be finding a rug. As for furniture placement, one option is to rotate the sofa towards the fireplace and have a console table behind it. Tie in red accents on the bookshelves. Red and blue palette might be one direction to go.

Agree with reorientating the sofa towards the fireplace. You could add some grey armchairs either side of the fireplace to create a conversation space. The current grey couch could then be set back to back with the red sofa, like a console table. It would then break up the red as you look towards the fireplace. Maybe a pair of tables at either end? Grey cushions and throws across the red sofa to connect the whole arrangement......

Start with TV placement. Do you like the TV on the left? If so, take the shelves out of the built in and place the TV there. Decor is last thing so don't worry about the right-side shelves until other elements are in place. Next orient the red sofa to best watch the TV. Large rug to ground the sofa - probably 9x12 - will work best but you can tape rug sizes out on the floor before purchasing. Love the stone FP. I would stay away from grays in this room, lean towards griege/beige. No pillows on red sofa a puffy piece does not need pillows. Maybe to cuddle in. a throw for the kids. Try end tables on the ends of the red sofa if you have room. Art (when you find something great that you love, no HG decor) over the FP. And I would go with some bamboo roman shades on the windows. When the basics are in place look for accent chairs and lamps

I think you need really amazing ceiling fans. It's not urgent, but peruse the lighting sales every so often.

You need at least two more areas with red, spread around the room, to make the red sofa look intentional. I would go with red pillows on the gray sofa, and also add a few bright red vases or other objects on the shelves. Then I would get a large, dramatic artwork for over the fireplace that uses red, gray, and brown, like this:

I would start from creating ideabooks with rooms you like. I think having two little ones not so easy to have window panel curtains and lamps on side tables or any decor. So what you definitely can is get an area rug and wall art above the mantel.

Some visual is here

Some option to go with accent wall.

What a great room this is! I think of red as a neutral really! It just goes with so many colors and a red sofa is classic! I bought mine years ago and thought I would only keep it a few years as I got it on sale! I still have it😂. I’m ready for a change but it’s still in perfect condition! Anyway, I don’t have wonderful architecture like you do but here’s a pic of my “Red” room!

Thank you all for these ideas!! You all are really getting my wheels turning and brought up stuff I wouldn’t have thought of!

Celery - Thank you for the mockups!! We’re in the country so don’t really need curtains BUT seeing them designed like that adds a whole other element

Lynartist - thank you for sharing your space! Its so bold & classic! Very beautiful.

Thanks Marty! Embrace that red, spread it around the room, add a rug and window treatments for softness! It’s a wonderful space; take your time and enjoy it!

Yes I love that red couch

I just don't think the brown wood end tables go with it.

Think greys, black, and white

I’m on my second red couch, both a dark, rich leather. My area rug is patterned and includes a color the exact same shade of red. My other furniture consists of chairs upholstered in neutral shades. My walls are SW Liveable Green and with other fabrics in a multitude of colors, it works. I could never be confined to a three color scheme. Good luck with your red couch!

I think the fireplace is very bossy. Art can be a problem as the stone is so busy. A frame and possibly a wide matte to separate the art visibly may help. These carved of resin animal heads may be a better fit.

I did beat up the mantle BTW! I don’t think you necessarily have to add red everywhere!

Beef up! 😂Anyway, try to add some things to the bookshelf’s that have more weight. Stakes of books with nice bindings. The room needs more heavy things for counterbalance. Not sure if you have electrical outlets in the floor but you need lamps!

Thank you for these great ideas! I do like the look of the wider mat to break up between the fireplace and whatever art I decide on.