Hi there,
Could you post a blueprint/outline of the room, so we know where the windows and doors are? I think one of the problems is the furniture placement...and given the scale of your furniture, it may be difficult to place. I don't like the couch blocking the doorway. If the room is large enough, you could move the furniture out from the wall.

Your photo's are quite dark ;( I would start by repainting, it is showing a *mauve*. I think I would remove the valance to let in more light and agree with a new furniture arrangement. Need better full room views;)

Thank you Chandani and Margo. Here is an overview of the main floor. I'm sorry it's all I've got. Is there some software I could use to produce something easier to assess?

It's difficult to get a full picture f the room but I am inclined to say you should bring the sofa forward about 12". Have the coffee table about 14-18" centered in front of the sofa. Looks like you have a narrow sofa table behind the sofa? bring it forward with the sofa. Instead of your accent chair (or you can move it) bring in a larger lounge chair in its place. Part of your problem is lighting and this can be imported with more lamps. Perhaps a floor lamp next to the (new) lounge chair. The color in your room looks drained - could be the wall color. Repaint with a warmer shade that doesn't give this pink cast. Some colorful throw pillows will also help.

Thank you Veronica. I've turned on all the lights and took 3 more pictures. I wish I could do a better job of adding photos, but I agree with all of you about the wall colour.

Your rug is the beautiful bright spot in the room. Key off that for the paint color. And take those curtains down. It doesn't look like you need them for privacy; they cut what little light there is and look frumpy (sorry) besides.

Let me see what else I can do. I'll be back.

Thank you @groveraxle. We actually do need something to cover the windows. Even though it does appear private, there are neighbours close by and it's kind of creepy to sit in that room watching television at night lol.

If you remove the valance on your existing drapes and add a decorative rod that extends a little beyond the side window trim, you could pull those side panels right back to expose the entire window and get a little more natural light in. I agree a lighter warm wall color to reflect the light day and night It is a nice room with great windows and fireplace.

@groveraxle Thank you!!! I LOVE what you did with the picture of my room!!!! Can I ask a stupid question about skylights? If my room is on the main floor and our master bedroom is above, how does that happen? I would love to add skylights in my kitchen as it is dark too, but our master bath is above that. Does the tubing go through the walls in the upper rooms?

We would like to smooth out the ceiling and add normal-sized potlights one day along with plaster crown molding.

In terms of paint colour, are you familiar with any particular brands/colour names?

Thank you so much again!!!!

I have some rooms that face north - I don't have the deep dark furniture that you have, but I know what you mean about the quality of the light. I think you need an off-white wall color in here - something like bm collingwood http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/collingwood anything with yellow will fight with the brown. . . . yes a pale green could work but it won't be pretty because of the contrast back to the dark leather - a bit too minty- better to leave that as an accent in the hallway.

Number one is just to get the walls lighter so the room can be brighter. Next, add some mid-tone (to the eye) warm colors - red comes to mind - red and chocolate and white work beautifully together. Add some red and white graphic pillows to the chocolate sofa, and lower all your art. The dark frames will work better against the lighter walls to repeat your tones, and put some red and white objects in your coffee table display top. The dark chairs at the window need to be recovered / or even just slipcovered so you can wash them - that wouldn't cost much actually - look at this fabric that brings all the colors I mention together - http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=62&productID=7600&pStart=200&recNum=227
maybe you could take your chairs, leave the leather on and have someone make you striped slipcovers with short skirts, and a tie in the back so you can get the shap of the chair to register - they would be washable. If you sew, you can make them. You might prefer something more modern and monochromatic - http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=62&productID=7551&pStart=0&recNum=83
but this is a better pillow choice I think.

Your rug will be happy with the new scheme and fit right in, as will the curtains and the stone. Eventually, the curtains are a little filmy to work well in a room with leather - you might look at some off-white velvet (they have it now at west elm) instead. I think a mirror would do better on the back wall in the green hallway because it can reflect the outdoors. Do somethingbold red (even a large cranberry mat on a sepia toned art photo would do it) above/on the mantel that brings your eye there.

Eventually, watch craigslist or home decorators for a traditional bombe chest, chalk paint it a dark cranberry and hang the television on a swing arm on the side wall with all the components in the drawers in the chest. There are now inexpensive remote sensors so all your remotes will work but every component will be tucked away- the television will still swing out to about where you have it now, you can adjust your wall speakers as appropriate but when it is at rest, it will be a lot more attractive and not crowd the fire. You can do a short print upholstered bench on the wall where your media stand sits now so that the television isn't out in space, and it can be pulled in front of the fire as appropriate. Then your secretary could sit flat on the wall next to the fire.

Hey, it is almost Christmas, so you can't go wrong trying this on . . .

Wow, thank you @libradesigneye for all your excellent suggestions.

You cannot add skylights or solar tube on first floor of a 2 story house. You can add some recessed lights closer to the
Corners of your room, it doesn't look like there are any there.
Start with lighter paint color and drape change.

@Judy M that's unfortunate :( but I am definitely going to start where you suggested! Thank you :)

If you bring your couch and sofa table up closer to the fireplace like mentioned earlier, would there be room for the hutch in the corner near the fireplace to move where the pic is on the wall to the side of the couch? Then maybe the chair and table could tuck back in the cozy corner instead.

Thank you @abbyjean. I don't think there would be enough space but I love your idea!

Would you consider moving the living room furniture to the dining room which might work better with your furniture? Obviously if you use the dining room for dining each evening, this idea will not work. Or if you are a frequent fireplace user, it would again not be a good idea. Otherwise, you could consider it. The TV would go on the long wall and the sofa would be placed across from it, with chairs at the sides.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

I can't tell....is the couch centered with the fireplace/tv??? Think that is why I was thinking the couch could move over and up and that that would leave some wall space.

Is there room for that secretary to be flat on the window wall and the desk part dropped down and the chair sitting at that desk part? That could be rather fun up by the fireplace, too. Would you have another chair to add to this room then? One with some pattern and/or color?

Thank you for your ideas, Carolyn. Unfortunately there isn't room in the dining room for this furniture.

@abbyjean, no I wouldn't say it's centered to either. It's kind of in the only spot it will work in the room based on it's size. Otherwise we would be blocking doorways (there are two into the room) or the window.

I like your idea about the secretary! I need to try different things with that. I currently don't have a chair for the room, but perhaps I need to invest in one! :)

I love that secretary, but think I would love it more if I knew it was being used. If it does not work to set it up that way, may I suggest having it be flat on one of those walls instead of angled? With that angled and the tv at an angle, I feel it is too much.

One other thought, and I may already know this answer based on your comment about not blocking the window, but that would be another place to put the couch and then angle the tv even more toward it.....still use the sofa table behind it. Then the couch wall could be used for the secretary and the chair and the art work.

If the couch stays where it is, the art between the lamps really needs to be lowered. Would you want to try the pic on the entry wall on the fireplace mantle? Put what is on the mantle on the coffee table or on the sofa table? Can't really tell what it is, but you need something larger there.

I think painting will get you far in your room. In our room that faces north I have painted it a warm beige, Sherwin Williams Buckram Binding. On the west wall we have a stone fireplace and it works with that too, have white trim in all the house, and lots of built in bookcases on the opposite (east) wall of the fireplace. The French doors face north, and a dormer skylight and the front door with entry hall are on the opposite side, south. I love the warmth of the color and it changes based on how bright the light is coming into it. This room has a vaulted ceiling with a beam and the room opens to the front hall, and dining/kitchen space also, and with the TV in this room it is a busy , but comfortable, space. Good luck.

Your sofa really is too large for this room. Any possibility of it working in the family room? Or do you have something enormous in there too?

One option for a straight chair is to look at the thrift stores - they often have mismatched single dining wood chairs - a chair is a place you might be braver about finding a cast-off and painting it sage or cranberry instead of an entire chest. A creamy antique white chest might be more in your comfort zone - idea is just to add more light and color. With the right things, your handsome chocolate leather will feel more at home.

In the old days before the "open concept" design was so popular, there was only one door in or out of a room. This room is really restricted by the 2 entrances. It would be great to close off the door leading to the kitchen, thus having a very long wall opposite the fireplace to work with. ( you could even widen the entrance from foyer too) It seems the way the room is now, it would be best to float the couch further in the room, or possibly on an angle, to be able to walk behind from either direction. I would love to be there with all my furniture sliders and play around with it. Have you tried having the couch in front of the window closer to and perpendicular to fireplace? then move the TV, so it is actually facing that couch. You could still enjoy the fireplace and TV at the same time.

@lkdrew I agree with you, the two entrances really does cut off wall space. Closing up the entrance from the kitchen is something I would be okay with, but I doubt my husband would, but it's something I would definitely consider.

I haven't tried having the couch by the window, but I definitely will.

TV is big in our house lol so that's the priority in the room and we need to find a work-around with that. I've also thought about mounting the TV above the fireplace and eventually getting built-ins around that, which I think is also an option.

Thanks for your suggestions :)

@groveraxle Actually it's a sectional and the middle part can come out. Hubby will be thrilled (I'm being sarcastic) but if I can find another place for it to go, hopefully that will lessen the blow of the unnecessary expense of having purchased it in the first place.

@libradesign I like the idea of a chest! Thank you. I think I will add more creamy type of accessories to brighten the place up. I'm going to probably paint in 2-3 weeks time and when I do I will post pictures of the 'after'!

@abbyjean I love that suggestion of moving the couch in front of the window (with the table behind it) and moving the secretary's desk. It will take some convincing with DH but I will do my best.

I've tried putting the secretary flat on both the window wall, and right beside the fireplace and it doesn't look good at all. It looks quite odd. But thank you for all of your fabulous ideas! I appreciate it.

@alwaysdesigning I agree about the painting. I really think that's going to make a huge difference. I will be doing that in about 2-3 weeks and when I do I will post the after shots :) Thank you for your suggestions.

i'd certainly replace the artwork with brighter happier (yellow/offwhite and a splash of whatever accent colors you end up choosing) or if you need to keep those pictures, then paint the frame. and lower them. and perhaps group them together. better to have an agreeable cluster and a blank wall.

drapery...agree with the top swag. agree the drapery needs to be off the entire window area during the day....(longer, decorative rod) and fabric that can stand up to the sofa .... something with your a bit of your new, bold accent color.

i don't like the tv competing with fireplace either. if it has to be in this room/on that wall might as well bite the bullet and put it over the mantel....with decorative art to cover the screen when it's not in use.

curio cabinet.... can you paint that?

chairs, loving the idea to cover with slipcovering.

legs on coffee table don't work, for me..... can you get a more substantial coffee table? perhaps a chest or something. something that can hold it's own with the heavy leather.
and NOT a leather ottoman type table.

as for painting the walls....good good!!!

@eightpondfarm We cherish the artwork and the artist and both love having it. Lol I was thinking of a leather ottoman hahaha. I guess that's the wrong choice :) Thank you for all of the suggestions.

Make hubby is favorite cheese cake/dessert as bribery with moving those pieces. Men usually resist, but love it when it is done. I try to make as many changes on my own and then my husband REALLY likes it, but the things that you have to move....you'll need help.

@abbyjean AGREED! I think I will just go ahead and do the stuff (I'm pretty strong and can probably do all of it) and make his favourite dinner/dessert on the day I do it :)

@abbyjean actually I was thinking of a different type of TV stand...one that is more of a piece of furniture and 'closed' where you can't see the wires behind it. Thoughts?

And then you can see if he even notices anything new and different in the room!!!

Oh! I soooo wanted to suggest something just like that for under the tv, but was not sure if you were attached to this one or if it was new. That will change the look a lot, just by having something more substantial under the tv and hiding all those....private.....things.

I think the room is too dark, you have little light coming through the windows, dark furniture and dark floor boards. I say go white or even off white on all the wall, and you will find your furniture in the spotlight, go for a cream pattern rug.

Brighten up the sofa with lots of cushions and a throw and center it in the room facing fireplace, remove corner cabinet next to fireplace, add a mirror ( or the TV) and some candle sticks of various sizes to the mantel area, and some bright plants perhaps for lower mantel area. Add decor to brighten up the coffee table. The main thing you need is certainly a bright suitable chandelier for the room.

Some ideas from Houzz pages:







(sample of chandelier and TV over mantel)

@abbyjean I am SO not attached to that TV stand. In fact I hate it. Thank you for all your suggestions! :)

@momof5x Thank you for such fabulous suggestions and including pics! :) I'm definitely painting it lighter, and I think I will put a (round) mirror on the mantel. This is definitely a great starting point :)