P.S. The first photo shows the set he bought. The second is my AI rendering to explore what we might do. Looking forward to seeing other suggestions.

I think you will find your new furniture will be less overwhelming if it can be placed in a room with dark-chocolate surfaces like floors and furniture. The warmth of dark chocolate like Jacobean stained wood will balance the cool grey. Accenting with navy and/or plumb will look lovely. Your AI image isn't bad! You don't have to be stuck with your wall color unless you are renting. Your walls could be dark charcoal navy, aubergine black, making your grey seating a focal point.

The AI rendering is lovely. In a basement a rug a bit less solid DARK may be wise. You don't want it to be a cave. The room could also use a bit of pattern. The rendering offered one item with a stripe. How about a rug with dk blue swirls, some pattern and movement. Also it would show dirt less. A solid navy rug will show every piece of lint and what not that comes it's way.

Recently I've observed the power of uplighting shown onto a light blue grey ceiling for making a dark-walled space feel open and airy. Torchieres are my new bestie.

The set is far worse in the AI. Post a picture in your real space: ) Please?

I would do a much lighter rug for sure . One of the reasons hubbies should not choose furniture but at least it does not recline. If you must have pillows also much lighter and maybe colors from the art .

Thanks, everyone for your ideas and feedback.
We are renting and need to keep the wall color. I selected the upstairs furniture so we have a light and airy feeling in the living and dining room. My husband spends much more time on the couch than I do, so this downstairs room will function more as his cave, and I’m fine with that.

We haven’t moved into the space yet, but the AI image is using their wall color and media console. There are hardwood floors that I’d like to leave partially exposed.

IMO a teal rug would be more visually exciting to view. Painting the feature wall would help tone down the pattern on the seating.

I think your idea for navy could be nice. I would bring in navy plus brown/tan and or gold. Blues, by themselves, will not warm up the space. And imo, adding significant blue in rug, accent wall, etc. will only enhance the “overwhelming blue/grey.”

I would definitely not use so many pillows; this is just to show the general idea.

You could bring in Brown gray to tone it down with mustard

Colors can be so deceptive viewed online. Take one of the sofa cushions (or an arm cover if the sofa came with them) to a carpet store and see what really goes with the upholstery. There is likely to be some undertone in the velvet that may not be apparent until you put it next to other colors. The floor and wall colors are neutral, so it doesn't look like you'll need to be constrained by them. In a good carpet store you will find ready-made area rugs, and remnants that you can have cut to size and the edges bound to finish them. Don't be afraid of pattern. Something that isn't one color may make it easier for you to find a good fit.

If you can, look at your choices in natural light next to each other before you buy. When DH and I were looking for new carpet the last time, we would take things outside to get a view in natural light. The lighting in a showroom is unlikely to be the same as what you have at home.

Thanks, yes. I can do that— I ran into a similar challenge years ago, choosing the right color green for a kitchen.

Neutral option

Here’s a look with the tv wall painted.

taupe seems to tie it all together

Your furniture appears more brown in your second picture, particularly - at least it appears that way on my screen. If it’s a strong blue-grey, as you say, then in real life- it would likely look less brown than it appears in this mockup that is posted above.

Would your furniture actually look more like this?

If it does, and if you want to break up that kind of grey, you need

brown, tan, gold . And perhaps consider not doing navy in the rug.

Such an interesting variety of suggestions! Thank you!

Is that the pattern or does the nap need to be vacuumed? We vacuum our velvet and suede furniture with the attachment and it makes a big difference...like a freshly vacuumed wall-to-wall carpet. Otherwise try a brush on it.

To answer the true color questions, this photo shows what happens when light hits the velvet.

The nap catches my eye and contributes to a feeling of being in a story sea. The showroom owner suggested buying a Bissell Little green machine, which I will do because there’s going to be eating and feet up that constantly disturb the nap,

I’m instead shifting my view to take this as an opportunity to not be responsible for a pristine appearance —especially hard for those of us who lean toward perfectionism. 🙂

This is probably a closer color to your furniture. I also added a rug from Wayfair that goes well with your painting.

Wow! Thanks so much for sharing these ideas. Very different moods. Thanks also for the decor suggestions.

I like your AI mockup. Good luck!