Also, excuse the mess. I snapped a picture real quick for this post.

Vaulted ceilings/ very high ceilings do cause echo. Sounds like you’re on the right track adding as many soft items as possible. Another thing that may help a little is to be sure your wall art pieces are on canvas rather than framed prints.

I’m sorry you’re feeling uncomfortable in your room. I have a child with sensory issues so I understand where you’re coming from

@Leah, can’t see from your pic… do you have a rug? A large thick rug ( wool or similar) with rug pad may also help

^oops. never mind. i see that you do!

With all of the space on either side of the fireplace, I think it would be better to have the TV there rather than high above the fireplace.

You could paint the walls and the ceiling the same color or a shade lighter for the ceiling.

There are openings on the left side at different heights? I might be tempted to close the higher opening up and enclose the room a bit

I see some spots in adjoining spaces where you could add some runners. Are your bar stools solid wood or metal or do they have some fabric and texture? You could also go bigger with your rug. Right now I don't see it extending past the sofas in your plan. As mentioned above, some large pieces of art that do not have a glass front could help as well. Good luck with your dilemma.

Don't place a TV on a stone wall if you have sensory issues. Besides your room could support a larger screen. Place it to the right of the fireplace

Select a more substantial ceiling fan that makes an interesting statement.

Select multiple pieces of art for over the mantle

Add some live plants to the room

Here are my suggestions for your room.

Yeah, plan on table lamps for the end tables in your new plan -- that will do a lot to warm the human level of the room. Also agree no TV on this fireplace, as it would almost certainly be out of scale, if it fit at all, and too high.

The down rod on your current ceiling fan wasn’t long enough to begin with.

Consider a natural wood vaulted ceiling. It will cozy up the room and absorb sound. Picking a paint color will depend on the wood used on the ceiling, so if you entertain going full-tilt-boogie on the ceiling a deep color would look fabulous. Also a grasscloth wall cover will absorb sound, which comes in all kinds of weaves and colors and naturals with color backgrounds.

Also I agree: do not put the tv over the fireplace. It's an uncomfortable viewing height. Place it to the right (where your Christmas tree is now).

I saw on the UK Houzz acoustic curtains, unfortunately I don’t know the brand or anything. I remembered them as I hadn’t come across them before. The problem that was trying to be solved was sound travelling up a stairwell from living area to open bedroom, without a door at the foot for the stairs. I don’t know if they would be of any benefit in your situation, but they seemed more specialised than normal curtains.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! Is there any way to make the tv over the fire place work? Lower the mantle and make the mantle thinner?
We have the tv to the right side of the fire place when the Christmas tree isn’t there and I don’t like it. It wouldn’t work with having the furniture arrangement I want because you wouldn’t be able to see it from some of the seating spots.

Also, I do have a touch of ocd and something about the tv going to the side makes the room feel like people orient to one side instead of centered towards the middle. I have challenged this a lot and tried being in that room to get used to it but it just doesn’t feel right.

I am 100% getting rid of the sectional. I hate having to get “into” the inside of the couch when someone is sitting on the end.

I do have a rug. It’s 10x14.

The adjoining spaces have a lower ceiling. But the way the layout is, the rugs are as good as it gets. Otherwise there would be a million rugs right next to each other. I currently have 5 rugs in the living space between the foyer, dining, kitchen, bfast nook, and living room.

I love the wood ceiling idea!

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ideas based on this other info?

@deegw I tried fabric barstools. My young children ruined them 😬 they had removable covers and I had to wash them once a month minimum. My dining seating will be wipeable for at least the next 5 years. But I do want to go back to that as soon as I can!

You mentioned acoustic paneling is generally unattractive. Have you looked at this company? I don't have personal experience with them but they seem to have a lot of attractive options. There's even one review in which the homeowner comments how the use of these panels removed the echo in the room. Lots of colors and designs available. Perhaps you could do a very neutral color on the walls beside the fireplace.

The LAST place I’d put the tv is over the fireplace. It will be too high. Plus, you already seem uncomfortable with the high ceilings - why would you emphasize/draw attention to them by placing a focal point (the tv) up high?

Have you considered adding faux ceiling beams in the room? I’m wondering if they would help with coziness. (Maybe not as complex as this sample.)

The biigest aversion for me would be that TV over the FP

You can't make the room cozier by putting the TV over the stone fireplace. So give up on that idea. Beverly has some great visuals that show how to make the scale of the room seem more friendly. Open concept, especially with tall ceilings, does make a room noisy and visually over stimulating in some cases.

Here are some ways to make the space cozier:

--Keep the sectional for the rest of your family. Kids usually love them. Move the sectional back a foot. Then get a womb chair on a swivel to put across from the sectional over by the window. That will be your own personal chair. Put a floor lamp behind it for reading. This will cast light down on "your" chair and "your" space. This is a knockoff of the famous "egg" chair by Arne Jacobsen.

--You might also do a search for modern wing chairs. But make sure to add a swivel so you can watch TV, turn it to look out the window, or just turn it to read, check your phone, and so on. Here's a tall back, deep modern wing chair from Crate and Barrel--in that cozy boucle fabric. Add a personal "blankie" as needed. I don't have OCD, but I think open concept design and ridiculously energy sucking high ceilings aren't for people who like peace and quiet in their homes--too much noise, too much, too little privacy.

--Add more layered lighting to the room and stop turning on the overheads. Strategically place table and floor lighting of different heights in zones around the living room area. At nighttime this will light up zones instead of the entire space, which is too bright for many people. Here's a Houzz article on how to layer lighting:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/a-beginners-guide-to-lighting-in-layers-stsetivw-vs~60963736#

Here's another Houzz article on how to create zones in a big, open space:

https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/16-clever-ways-to-create-zones-in-open-plan-spaces-stsetivw-vs~27282063

I don't think you need to get a wood ceiling, though do bring down the drop rod and get a new, interesting fan. Find the best possible swivel chair and think strategically about lighting the space closer to ground level. And no TV over fireplace!

Thanks for all the offers for help. It seems like folks aren’t hearing my preferences and sensory needs though. I appreciate those of you who worded things in a friendly and helpful way.

I’m giving up on this thread because I feel bad and like an idiot reading some of the comments and it’s not worth it.

So others come across it, no need to add other ideas unless it’s helpful for other people who come across this.

Feeling discouraged and I think I’m just going to give up on this room and keep hanging out in my bedroom all the time. The kids can have the sectional.

@tozmo I have actually bought FeltRight tiles to put in the psychotherapy practice office that I own. I had looked at that as an option but didn’t know where I could put the that would look good. The walls beside the fireplace is a great idea I hadn’t thought of. Thanks for the recommendation and your kindness.

Leah, before you shut this down, one more thought. You could panel the walls beside the fireplace and still do floating shelves on the panels if you have a need for shelving. Or you could go really crazy and do that wall with the door or the ceiling that peaks in front of the fireplace. Some of those colors and tile engravings almost disappear so it wouldn't compete with other things in the room.

Interesting that you've used the product. How did it work for you? I love to create cozy acoustics in a room. So very important to the overall feel. I often don't enjoy dining out anymore as the noise level is so high it's really uncomfortable with all the hard surfaces in the space. I understand it's much easier to clean but makes me long for the old cozy tea room with drapes, table cloths and rose pattern carpet.

I'm sorry you feel the way that you do. I thought that the responses were very thoughtful and perhaps it's frustration speaking.

One way of making a room such as this feel smaller/cozier is to make sure everything stays below 8 - 9' on the walls.

I don't know how high the curtain rod is but I would take that same line (which appears to be the same as the corners on the walls either side of the fireplace) and on the fireplace wall run moulding from point to point on that wall. Paint the lower section slightly darker. Build low cabinetry on either side of the fireplace and then floating shelves above. but below the line of moulding. The goal is to trick the eye into staying low.

Others are correct about the placement of the tv over the fireplace. However if you try the moulding idea and you think you can keep your eye down then maybe considering the tv on the fireplace might work.

The fan - I wonder if changing the fan to one where the blades can disappear into the ceiling colour - again something that won't attract the eye.

Another suggestion is to look at how media rooms are built and configured and what sound dampners are used in them to help with sound.

You might also research cork wallpaper for the fireplace wall (Below the 8 - 9' level.

Sounds like you are settled with the layout and the tv over the fireplace. Locate the tv 2" above the mantle to line up the height of the tv with the window treatment height on the sliders to create a horizontal focus (instead of having your eye towards the ceiling.)

No matter what you do, you will have a sound issue if something doesn't absorb it. What about a small molding (could be a flat 2" high or 2" half round) along the natural wall where it meets the ceiling. Install upholstered wall panels for a luxurious sound barrier from the molding to the floor all the way around the room. Consider a rich color.

Sorry this thread got overwhelming for you. We try to throw out all kinds of ideas that maybe you haven't considered.

@tozmo1 I’ve used Felt Right tiles and they are great! I put them in a hallway that had a lot of echo and they reduced the echo quite a bit. You can buy a set of samples to see how they look in person and see the true colors in your space. That’s a good way to start so you can get a sense of them. Installing them was easy. My only complaint is that the adhesive sometimes gives out and they will fall down. In two years I’ve pouch each of the tiles up once more. They sell stronger adhesive squares so those might be better! Hope that helps you!