One thing I have read on here is that your eye only takes in the part of the wall which it can easily look at, which is the part you would normally decorate if you had the lower ceilings. Keep that in mind and do not feel like the wall decor has to fill in the wall.

You will also hear that personal pics belong in the bedroom, but I see the ones you have propped up and I have no problem with them being out in this area for you to enjoy. It is your home!

Try to anchor your wall decor with furniture under it, so if you hang something on the stairway wall, you might want to try something under it.

You have such a great beginning in this room for just moving in and I love the colors you have chosen.

I can't really tell how big the rug is, but it almost looks like the couch is on top of all of it. Any way it can be pulled out to cover a little more of the floor?

Thanks abbyjean! I was thinking of maybe putting a console by the stair wall but was worried it would be too cluttered, but I like the idea of anchoring the wall decor.

The rug is 5x8. It's only under half of the sofa but I can certainly move it up a bit.

Thanks again!

Do you have any side tables for beside the couch/chair? Lamps in mind? Wondering what it would look like if you moved the chair to the other side of the couch, but that half wall, and put a table and lamp between them. Then the smaller pic could go on that wall, as that furniture would be there to ground it. Part of me wonders what a console would look like with the half wall and if they would fight each other.

I know this means you need to decorate that great front window area if the chair moves, but it might feel more a part of the room if it switched sides and could be something easy to try and see how it feels.

Also trying to figure out a way for you to have more of an entry since the door is BOOM! right there. It looks like you might need a larger rug there and somewhere to put shoes. Wondering if a smaller table on the tv wall could act as a foyer table for keys and such and then a small basket under it for shoes???

Side tables are on our list of things to buy. I wasn't sure about lamps since we have recessed lighting throughout the house. If we got one (or two), would one with a yellow lampshade be too much? I love pops of color but don't want to overdo it :)

Like the wall color...(as well as the space) do you mind sharing brand & color? Thx

Even with recessed lighting, I think at least ONE lamp is nice to have in the room....task lighting, sort of. And if you can find a yellow shade.......nothing too intense, I think it could also act as some wall decor by brightening up the wall space that way, too. Even a nice golden color to play with your pillows and just one for accent.

Hi, Abbyjean gave you some great ideas. Here is what I would do:

-2 end tables and lamps for either side of couch
-buy an long, narrow ottoman to go in the window inset ( or several small ones side-by-side)
-art above couch needs to be at least 2/3 the width of the couch.
-I would move the chair out
-panel drapes for windows, when it is in your budget

$29 at Kirklands:

http://www.kirklands.com/product/Wall-Decor/Art/Framed-Art/Coastal-Sunrise-Framed-Art-Print/pc/2283/c/2293/sc/2669/168500.uts

$99 at Kirklands:

http://www.kirklands.com/product/Wall-Decor/Art/Framed-Art/Coastal-Mist-Framed-Print/pc/2283/c/2293/sc/2669/155723.uts

If you move the chair out, I would take the blue out of the picture, since the chair is brown…..too many colors going on.

Yes, you need lamps----task lighting and softens then space and anchors the couch.

I thought about benches, too, and then they would be handy to the door for sitting on and help add to the foyer feel on that end of the room. Extra seating is so nice and a bench still allows you to enjoy the window.

Take away the pillows that match the couch. Put one colored pillow on the chair and maybe try the throw on the end of the couch instead.

-Yes, remove pillows that came with the couch
-those deep blue pillows aren't working. You don't need pillows all the way across the back.
-does the couch have a zipper in the back attached pillows? They look like they could use some batting

Thanks for the advice everyone! @abbyjean, would it look to cluttered along the tv wall to add an additional table? I like that idea, my husband and I were talking about getting a coat rack too but not sure it would be in that room or not.

@lvnlv, we're actually waiting for the builder to give us the paint info as they painted it before we moved in. As soon as we find out I'll let you know!

@cdrdesign, I like the ottoman idea for under the window, we were thinking the same thing. So you think I should get rid of the blue chair entirely? We just bought it so I think we're stuck with it for now. Just an FYI, the couch is actually a slate grey but the camera didn't really pick that up. After we bought it, we realized it looks like more of an eggplant color when the lights are on. Any color suggestions for the drapes? Thanks!

How about a hall tree type thing......in the same color as your tv table. Get one that has a mirror and hooks for coats and a little seat on it.....sometimes the seat even lifts up for storage. Then it would not be two tables on the same wall.

If you like the bench idea and you like the chair, please try it at the other end of the couch. Worth a try! I like that style for this room and how it does not take up a ton of space.

Yes, please try chair at other end

Ottomans---if this is your main living space, what I thought might be nice is, if it works out, to have 3 ottoman side-by-side. It would look like one piece. But, if people come over, you could move them out and sit them where you want.

Please take a photo head on of the wall with the tv? You have to consider the door swinging open.

Let's take a look at that tv wall and see----why do you need a table? How about just a few coat hooks there?

The first photo is from the couch looking at the TV. The second one is in the corner by the stair wall. Our security panel and light switches are kind of in the way. :/

Here is what I recommend: I think your tv is looking really cold there, esp since it is the first thing you run into when you walk in the door.

I would buy an entertainment center to house the tv. On the sides of it, you can hang coat hooks. If not room on the sides, then to the left of the tv. A couple of ideas:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Altra-Woodland-Black-Home-Entertainment-Center-for-TVs-up-to-42/20564654

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sauder-Entertainment-Center/21793934

a tv hanging device is a must. Your t.v. needs to float in space, or be recessed into the wall and covered with a like=size picture. if this is very possible. I'm guessing you own your place? also diagonal rooms open the width and create interest. Let me know your dimensions and furniture which you already have.

it is your house so how you view it should be with the art and things you love to look at. dimensioning pictures create depth, so do colors, so let me know what is happening everywhere in the room. move things around so they make sense to you personally. remember whose house it is, and who will be living with it every single day. Once you have decided upon the placement, let me know. I am a retired interior designer who always worked with what the client had FIRST. IT IS YOUR DOMAIN, YOUR ROOM.

Thanks for the pics of by the door.....no room for the hall tree I was trying to describe.

We were going to eventually mount the TV to the wall (hubby wants a bigger TV). The one you see here I believe is only a 40", and he wants a 46". Since we live in a townhouse/rowhouse, this is our only living/entertainment space at the moment so the TV is a must. I hate that its the focal point of the room but we don't have any other options and I don't think we could place it on any other wall.

I don't think it's possible to recess the TV in the wall because of the door placement.

The dimensions of the room are 11x16'. The sofa is 86x40" http://www.raymourflanigan.com/rory-microfiber-sofa-200283757.aspx, the entertainment center is 48 7/8x19 1/4" http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80250957/.

I think the couch and tv are in the best places. While the tv is the focal point, it is not the first thing you see when you come into the room. The first thing you see is the couch. You can hang art above it and it will be stunning.

So, what would you like help with next?

That's a beautiful and interesting space to work with. You need to be careful not to pull the viewer's vision too high up otherwise they'll be looking at empty space. Keep everything around eye level - no more than 8 feet tall, and leave the rest empty.

Because of your narrow space, leave as much floor space as possible visible without furniture covering it. I wouldn't do credenzas or decorative tables unless you really need them.

I agree that blue doesn't work. Easy to change that I think.

Check out my artwork for ideas on your walls. I have many originals, and hundreds of configurations of canvas prints that I can print to the size you choose. You can use colors from your artwork to integrate into other items in your space.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/katshoa

Some ideas below. I have many more.

Enjoy decorating!

Thanks Kshoa! I love your artwork and I can see that large hanging artwork above the sofa would work nicely.

When you say the blue doesn't work, is it just the pillows or the chair too? Could I still incorporate blue into the theme? I was told that my original grey and yellow theme was too "blah." Any recommendations?

FYI, I love color and have had to tone it down a lot since buying the new place. My first apartment had turquoise accent walls with red handmade Moroccan drapes. If I had to sum up my style, its more on the eclectic/Moroccan side but I was trying to have more of a grown up look here ;)

The blue pillows on the couch do not match the blue in the chair. There are too many pillows on the couch.

First, decide on your artwork. Then, go from there as far as pillows.

@cg, I didn't notice the blue chair, but I think it's a better color than the pillows. The brightness of the blue doesn't work. I think if you pick your artwork, you can pick a color from that and accessorize. People sometimes buy the accessories first, then it's hard to match the artwork to it.

Don't be afraid of big art. I think it'll work in your space if you don't put too many knick knacks around (and it'll look very grown up! :) ) - BTW for the bigger art pieces, I can ship them to you in a tube so you can frame or stretch them locally. Saves a ton of money on shipping...

@lvnlv I found a paint can in the basement from the contractors, I believe it's Benjamin Moore Nimbus 1465

Here it is:

[houzz=]

Hey everyone! So it's been several months since I posted and I wanted to show you an update on the room. It's still a work in progress and I'm taking my time with decorating, but it's coming along :) Now I need to figure out what to do with the TV wall. I have pictures hung, just need to fill them. I was wondering, should I put some type of ladder bookcase to the left of the TV, or a tall plant? Maybe a gallery wall around the TV or would that be too much? It just seems so bare. Thanks in advance!

Goodness! It has been awhile and you have been busy! I love what you did with the window and the gray benches under it. And the art fills that space and you found a way to work all the colors in the space together.

I just feel like the three frames over the tv are too small and too far apart. If you had items that meant a lot to you to put in them, I could see stacking them next to the tv, but not up high. I am not crazy about a ladder shelf for that wall and not sure you have room for a big plant as it will also eat up floor space.

You did a great job with the art selection and I am so glad you used the idea of making your own window seat!

TV area:

The TV would look better hung on the wall, but if you don't want to hang it, at least move it back as far as possible.

Doing a gallery around a tv is tricky a more often than not, looks a little hodgepodge. Instead, I would recommend framing the tv with art ledges above.

If you do hang art around as in the one photo below, I would use black and white. You don't want to detract from your main art above the sofa.


[houzz=[houzz=[houzz= http:///photos/4710919/Newport-Beach-Project-contemporary-family-room-[houzz=[houzz=]

Having a longer console will allow you to expand your display.

[houzz=]

A couple of more ideas.

[houzz=[houzz=]

Thanks for your advice! I'm not sure we'd be able to buy another console at the moment, which is unfortunate since I totally agree about getting a longer console. Shelving seems more doable. Should it be the width of the current console or longer? I definitely think we'll look into mounting the TV on the wall too. Should I add stools on the side like the one picture? Just wasn't sure if that would be too much seating given the ottomans underneath the window. Thanks!

I don't think there is enough room for stools.

I think the easiest fix would be art like the bird art/hang the tv.

Then, place either on the console (if enough room) or on the floor a couple of very tall narrow vases. Done.

Thanks @Shakuff! I actually got it from Ikea: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50252707/.

I like the look of the lighting. We have the option to hang a ceiling light, maybe it's something we can look into. :)

Thanks! I'll definitely be looking into that art - it's so beautiful :)

Definitely look into it! You have gorgeous high ceilings and a staggered chandelier would be beautiful! Especially since you have a split level and a window nearby. Check out our Houzz & our website! We've custom-made a lot of things for spaces just like yours.

WOW! Such a DEAL on that art! Thanks for sharing the source!!!