Wow - I think this room looks & feels like a nice warm welcome. Nice solid sitting pieces to balance the weight of FP & all the colors are monochromatic.The creamy color rug & the white art pieces as well as the light ceiling & live green of plants bring light to the room. What exactly makes you feel this room “…looks dark & dated in the wrong way”? What’s your furniture style?

In fairness, the style of this room appeals to me. I would have more color in the room with a patterned & colorful rug, sitting pieces with colors of the rug in them, more colorful art & a lighter tone on walls. The colors I would have would be rich & lean towards jewel tones. But that’s my style - Arts & Crafts.

Thank you! I think the ceiling white is too jarring against the dark wood beams — i definitely want to remove light fixtures from beams and add recessed lights instead, but debating painting those beams which to me make the ceiling too busy? i want a lighter shade on the walls or maybe a seagrass — champagne colored? This room flows into dining room where I’d like to add something in green family? Open to suggestions - I think that light colored rug isn’t doing anything for the space — would want to pick a patterned rug to integrate colors. Will be buying new furniture for space but do own two burgundy colored leather. chairs that I’d like to incorporate? The fireplace is wonderful, but “heavy” and room has a lot of period details we’re keeping, so just wondering how to freshen with paint/paper/lighting etc without doing too much!

I like a soft white like you cabinets for the room. I also am a sucker for blues and greens with wood trim. The photoshop is rough but if you squint might help visualize.

thank you! Would you leave ceiling beams? Paint ceiling?

I think it would great if you painted the ceiling the same color as the walls. I would leave the beams and trim wood. I like your idea for a darker more colorful carpet

Thoughts on those little mushroom cap lights on beans versus doing recessed?

Please don’t try to make it modern. It’s a lovely old space. Those are 2000’s era lights from Lowe’s. Far better options but the location on the beams is correct. And to be clear I should have written off-white as in putty.

Here’s a good example of slightly better colors and lighting

Since the kitchen and adjacent spaces seem bright I would suggest leaning into the dark moody vibe and actually go darker on the walls and ceiling - and yes to keeping an updated light fixture on the beams and updating the fan - also yes to starting with the rug for your final (hopefully dark) paints. Looks like a nice home!

Don't mess with it...keep the beams, white ceiling in flat finish, keep the wall color; paint the trim bright white in semigloss finish.

Congrats on your new home. This room feels heavy to me more so than dark. And all of the attention goes to the fireplace, which is hulking. I'd bring some levity to the space by making it feel more open, while retaining all of the original woodwork - don't paint the trim or the ceiling.

1. Recess lighting will really ruin the look of the ceiling. Instead, just swap out the ceiling fan and glass mushrooms for new fixtures. (Hold on to the original pieces, stash them in the basement or somewhere.)

2. Get a jute or sisal rug that is nearly the color of the floor, it will help the room will feel more expansive. The white rug is just boxing it in.

3. I'd place a sofa perpendicular to the fireplace with two chairs across from it and an oval coffee table in the middle, that way all of the attention isn't drawn to the fireplace.

4. Get furniture with open arms, iron legs, slender feeling pieces that are not so chunky. I would not put your burgundy chairs in here.

5. Find a nice wallpaper for the walls and paint the white part of the ceiling to match an element of color in the wallpaper.

6. . I like the position of the sideboard and would put a similar cabinet or console table there. I'd hang one large piece of artwork or a mirror.

If you say more about your style and tastes or show us some pictures of what you like, we can make more specific suggestions,

Meanwhile, Heidi Callier pics might inspire you to think differently about how to make heavier craftsman spaces feel lighter.

Its only the beige paint that is dating the room. (and maybe the light fixtures.) i agree with those recommending a soft off white on walls and ceiling. do not paint the beams or trim. kendrah posted great furniture options.

William Morris was a pioneer of the arts and crafts movement. It would be fun to see some of his wallpaper design in this room along with more contemporary furnishings and lighting.

Paint the white parts of the ceiling Maritime White

Key West Indoor and Outdoor Sisal Look Sand Rug, 6'7"x9'6" · More Info

Thank you so much!!!! you are all so helpful! love these suggestions…. furnishings in photo belong to current/soon to be former owner….

I so so appreciate all these comments!!! We have one major furniture function question — this is the only room in the house that can have the dreaded big screen tv — there’s no way we’re putting it on that fireplace — seems only place it can go is wall mounted on the wall where those two pieces of art are hanging…. We need comfortable furniture to sit on and actually curl up to watch tv — presumably something perpendicular to fireplace facing that wall with some other pieces around it. What would you recommend for TRULY functional and comfortable without messing up the vibe of the space? TIA!!!!!

I think it is great that is a great spot for a TV. Have a sofa facing it with a console table behind the sofa so you are not just seeing the back of the sofa when you enter the room.

I would not use a sectional in here. Too bulky. How many are in your household and will be sitting in here watching on a regular basis?

I'd still go for a sofa that doesn't have a lot of bulk, no burly arms. Comfort is in the butt of the beholder. For that you really need to go to stores, take your shoes off, curl up on them and find out. Also, do you have measurements for the room? I'm wondering how long of a sofa you can get while still not blocking off the room. You'll want to be able to walk around it on all sides.

Glad to hear that is not your furniture. This is a stunning house that needs to breathe. Lighten the walls by removing the wall color (is that wallpaper?) before you move in. Either use a soft ivory or a pale, pale green for the walls.

Put the television on the obvious wall and have your future couch facing it. Getting swivel chairs opposing the couch will allow guests to watch the tv as well - or those who don’t want to sit on the couch.

No to recessed lighting. I like the ideas @Kendrah suggested for your lighting. The soft Pearl-like one looks great.

Don’t paint the beams in the ceiling. They add to the beauty of your home. Consider Arts and Crafts colors for your furniture but keep the walls light for now. And a fabulous rug (not that white one) will be the center of attention if you find the perfect one for this room. You can start with that or the couch.

What a wonderful house you have! Congratulations!

Some inspiration living rooms with big fireplaces.

This rug might be the same as the first photo.

I generally try to avoid overhead lighting and opt for lamps instead! The soft light from the lamps will warm up and soften the look. It makes furnishings look better, too .

This app is the best!!! If we must (!) put a sofa perpendicular to the fireplace to face a wall mounted tv over the console on the opposite wall, what couch/sofa would you recommend? I think we have room for something around 86 inches and will still be able to walk around it. Will look for slim console table to put behind couch.....

Put cardboard boxes on the floor to represent the major pieces of furniture you’re thinking of buying. It helps you to see how much visual and literal space your sofa, tables and chairs will take up.

An 86” couch sounds very long. You may not like how that feels in your space, so try the cardboard boxes before buying any important furniture. You may love it.

So - what does "update" mean to you in context of a well made, well cared for classic early 1900s house. Please clarify! You can have a big impact by simply freshening wall colors, using contemporary color schemes and changing out textiles and furnishings. Before doing any irreversible changes though I hope you will take time to first research and understand the value of what you have and from t here understand how any tweaks /updating need to be done in context of, in harmony and in scale with, the original materials and design intention. Original wood for instance - could we get a closeup of the woodwork? 1913 would likely still be old growth wood - generally pine, oak, chestnut - which originally blanketed the entire east half of the US prior to arrival of Euro settlers. This wood is entirely different from the modern farmed wood of today which uses growth excellerants and is weak and splinterly. Old growth wood is tight grained, hard as nails and - valuable thanks to law of supply and demand (check out prices of architectural salvage ). Does this approach mean living in a museum-nnnooooooo. It just means making design choices that fit in with the original esthetic. This is craftsman aka arts and crafts style house, which emphasizes natural materials and colors derived from nature, horizontal lines, simplicity, and yes solidity and strong elements. It was a reaction against the foofiness (is that a word) of Victorian. Theres a LOT of contemporary style which would fit right in. IMHO an eclectic style which draws from various eras and reflects personal tastes is going to be a much more dynamic and I would even say more beautiful space - but the elements have to fit together or you have visual chaos. Re: wall color - generally a midtone color is going to better stand up to the heaviness of the wood .... which doesnt have to mean "dark" or "old" There are lots of lovely greens, blue-greens, moss or olive tones that are contemporary that would fit right in this space.