I have absolutely no design style!!!!! It stressed me out. Doing gray with white furniture seemed like the easiest thing to do =)

This is fun part don't stress about it ! Pick what you like or take a pictures and post it here so we can help you. :)

If none of these items are yours you really have a blank slate. Grey is a nice color, you should search houzz to find living rooms with grey walls that you like and go from there.

Thanks, these were some inspiration photos for the gray with white

Lauren, I think you should find out exactly what kind of style represents you the most. Here is a style quiz from HGTV http://my.hgtv.com/style-finder/stylefinder.esi
When you know what your style is, you will have a clearer idea of what type of pieces to look for. Do you have any pieces now that you would like to keep in the room? It is fun starting from scratch, I have done that a few times now. My advice to you if you are doing this is this: DO NOT buy everything from one store. It tends to look too showroom-y. If you have the time, check out kijiji for some used or vintage items. I have found some really great stuff there! Just stick to wood or solid pieces when buying used (i.e. no fabrics) ;)
Hope this helps.

Lauren, your color ideas for decorating this room will be fine and dandy...(cream and gray). they are very neutral and you can add color in pillows, rugs and art.
one thing to consider though, when buying lighter colored furniture is dirt. animals, kids, etc. If you decide to do lighter furniture maybe something that has a washable slipcover would be a good idea!

Lose the window covers. Go just panels on ends 2 shades darker than gray walls. Ben Moore has great colors, try samples on yr walls. Furn go a charcoal on sofa. And a gray with a accent color in chairs. Chandelier. Drum style with silver and black. Drop down. Glass square coffee table 36" Z Galleries carries nice one incl..great art.

I would get 2 matching sofas, facing each other on side of firepl. Chairs would go together facing Firepl. Is there a TV? Leave bookcases and trim white.d not clutter bookcases. Just a few items.

I really like the color the room is now and can see it work with cream furniture, too. Move in and get a feel for the room and see what it looks like during different times of the day. When do you move? Are you hoping to buy things to have them ready for moving day?

Area rug a solid silver shag 8 x10 centered in front of sofas. Or you could oh a teal. And pick that up as accent color in accessories and chairs print. Fireplace is focal point. Play off of it. Keep it simple.

I would not do white furn. Change it up. Step out of the box. Make room dramatic . Float furn instead of on walls. Make a cozy conversation area.

Nothing wrong with the walls here. Even the window treatments may be re-purposed. It is hard to tell, I think cream furniture would be a tasteful move. Once you get that furniture out of there.... you will be amazed.

What is your design style? I think a fabulous chandelier would make a great statement in the room. Show us a chandelier you love which will help us determine your style! :) Do you LIKE the wall color?

Oh wow! Thanks everyone for your help. I am completely overwhelmed (and pregnant!) with moving into this house. I really think I need to hire some professional help. I have absolutely no sense of decorating style whatsoever. My problem is I like everything: modern, traditional etc.. @travisinteriors were you suggesting a charcoal couch with gray walls or if the wall color stays.

Lauren, I think hiring a professional is a great idea and will take a lot of the unnecessary stress off of you. If you go to "Find local pros" I am sure you will be able to find someone to in your area, however, if you go to a furniture store and they offer you a "free design service" you should understand and know that these are sales people and will only recommend their own products. A good interior designer will be able to source products from many different places, they will also understand proper clearance guidelines. If you choose to go the full service route they will even do the shopping for you and take care of all deliveries and installations, this will take a lot of the burden off of you.

With the 2 pics you attached, it seems your style is a Pottery Barn one. Flip around their website and see if anything strikes your fancy. Then cruise local furniture stores and find furniture that's similar to what you liked. Pick neutral furniture and then experiment with pillows, curtains and rugs to get a feel of what you like and don't like. Be prepared to bring home 3 or 4 lamps, and return them all if you don't like it. IT'S OK! If you like a mix of things that's great; that's considered a style!!!! You can do this. And with all the wonderful ppl on Houzz, you can do this, have fun and love your room in the end! :)

A lot of good ideas here. I have to go along with what Kelli Richards Designs has posted, especially since you feel " lost " Will save money and you'll get a room you like, probably, in less time than it would take you to do it.

I had a similar dilemma when I moved into my new home a year ago. I needed to start from scratch. My first instinct was to pick a color to paint, but a designer told me that paint should be last - pick the furniture you love then u will always find a paint color.

what worked out best for me was figuring out the general layout of room ( placement of sofa, chairs) and then finding those pieces I loved. Once I had the sofa picked out I then picked paint and then went from there ( artwork, mirror, rug, etc).

Personally I ended up picking a pretty grayish sofa and black leather chairs and painting room BM Edgecomb Grey.

Funny but, not as hard as you might think. I normally love modern first but, I see something pretty good here. Since you are young family with many claims on your budget no doubt I am recommending the strategy known as "Reuse what you have". This is what I would try:

* put solid color fabric on armless chair...that chair is very flexible and good seating Like charcoal gray soft fabric
* wing chair at fireplace always charming, change fabric to small scale woven or print so curvy lines of chair can show it's form and looks solid from across room. Red nice!
* leave sofa....it's very in and hip and chesterfield sofa looking
* remove over done drapery treatment. Simplify drapes to simple sheers on rings easy to pull and control but, use enough sheer panels to get good, good fullness feeling even when gathered to window sides White good. See West Elm drapes.
* Find a BOLD strong decorative piece to set smack dab in middle of mantle.
* modernize accessories ....see white lamp on sideboard and tray on ottoman
* change ottoman upholstery color to a bright happy, cheerful color
* have some extra "hip" cool wood frame arm chairs around in red frame color for fun and to pull up for more intimate chatting.

Now step back and see what you think. if in general you like it then now TWEAK lamps, accessories, rug, room color further as necessary. Try blue on walls instead of gold. Gold goes with sofa but, could be more interesting to contrast to gold sofa with blue on wall.

Then after that if you don't like it START FRESH but, I see potential with some of what is there especially sofa, ottoman and rug. I think SOLID upholstery on chairs will do wonders.

Here is paste up "VISUAL" to kind of show what I mean....

Hi Lauren, I agree with kristylou that you can put together a fantastic LR fairly easily just by walking into a Pottery Barn store!

I put together a quick collage of a look based on the two pics you posted. I used mainly PB furniture, except for the arm chair which is Pier One. The rug is Martha Stewart for JC Penney.

A great grey for your room would be Ben Moore Wickham Gray, but there are so many great grays out there.

Before you resign yourself to hiring a designer, give PB (and Houzz) a try. Find a Great Wall color, get your basic pieces into the room, then just relax and enjoy that pregnancy. The rest can wait!

Siegler thank u but all the furniture is going with the sellers.

Okay. Then I would start with choosing biggest item in room which would be sofa. Then build from there after interviewing you for function, lifestyle, budget and creating a "scale" floor plan, budget and product recommendations based on style, high performance criterias, warranties, child safety, environmental standards, availability, price and ship times.

How I work different from houzz members who are really into decorating mostly and not so, much a whole house or whole family design process and product recommendations based on real use and real performance.

So, with all due respect I will conclude my input for now so, houzz member decorating input can continue. You can always write to me for specific questions and recommendations and I'm happy to give you feedback. Thank you so much for the follow up.

What style is the outside of your home, it might give you direction for your likes. I like lots of things, and have found using the house style an easy way to hone it a bit!

Paint the ceiling half tint of whatever the walls are painted.

Give me your area and I'll make some furniture purchase suggestions for your area.

If you don't have a privacy issue I would leave the windows uncovered. They are too pretty to hide. Start by picking a rug that you love and go from there, makes the rest easy.

I think the paint colors are very nice and calming. It's the furniture that is a bit much. The color is neutral enough to go with just about anything. The light fixture is a bit garish, but other than that, I think it's a nice room.

Congrats on your new home! Okay I had this all figured out (see below) until I read your comment re all furniture is going with seller. Well there you have it! Problem solved- it will be a blank slate and I think some of the best suggestions presented were to check this very website and seek out inspiration rooms- figure your budget and implement.

FOR KICKS n GRINS I'm leaving this. Perhaps someone will find it of use:

If the furniture is NOT at all to your liking then sure start from scratch, determine your design style and/or consult with an ID (as previously suggested). HOWEVER, if you think there is something to love there begin with an edit- AFTER you determine how you wish to utilize the room, i.e., everyday sitting area; special occasion overflow space, etc. Next, I'd remove the chairs and rug since they 'speak' the loudest; then remove all the 'fillers' (bookcase and buffet)- start with most unappealing first. You may find something speaks to you when you start editing and adding your own belongings.

I hope your stress is replaced with smiles and relief. This can be fun... Inhale/exhale and go for it.