Pale grey or dark cream would be nice on the walls. If you go cream, be sure to get enough contrast so that your white woodwork pops.

Be sure to paint the radiator-looking things under your windows the same color as the walls.

Really like your rug! I think the red chair doesn't work w/ the rust in the rug. Either chair or loveseat or pair of smaller wood chairs w/ cushion would work.

Add a pair of chairs. Loveseats and 1.5 chairs are difficult to work with. You'll have max versatility and flexiblilty for arranging and rearranging with a sofa and two chairs. I love the current wall color and would lighten by putting a grouping of mirrors above the sofa to pull light from the windows. Vintage ones would be really cool! Use simple linen or even sheer drapes in the shade of your trim, hung floor to ceiling.

I like the color scheme. I'd get rid of the sconces above the fireplace. Add some sort of cream curtains, coffee table, end table between sofa and red char, and another chair to face the red one. Fill the bookcases with well-loved books and objects. Don't forget the art work.

Or, not sure if there is room for this to work, but move sofa to face chair. Take one of the chests by window and put on sofa wall. Place tv on this so you don't get a crick in your neck.

Love the rug!
Paint the back of the bookshelves a contrasting color when you are done painting the room.

Sorry again, but the room seemed to call for a display of McCoy pottery, so I started a collection for you.

Your room reminded me of a previous design dilemma, it is essentially the same room. Thought you might like to see it :) https://www.houzz.com/discussions/help-needed-help-decorating-newly-painted-room-dsvw-vd~366916

I love the style of the room. I wouldn't add a loveseat, from your pictures it looks like a loveseat would be too big and feel to heavy. Find a unique modern chair to go in its place. Something small and colorful to pull out the red/orange in the rug. You can also use two chairs flanking the fireplace. A mirror over the sofa would open up the room and add light. I would also replace the sconces with something a little more updated and add cream or white curtains on all the windows. For wall colors go with a light taupe, something that has a touch of warm gray to it. BM Revere Pewter and weimaraner are great colors. Hope that helps!

I like the other suggestions also , feels the room is long and narrow I would try to move one of the bookcases that are closer to the window to the opposite side of the room also that corner could be used to put the reading chair and shift the energy flow from the door were chair is blocking at the moment .
Make the room more square, would be great to have the floor plan sketch to help you out more.

Keeping the room as is, I would add a large artwork above the sofa to brighten the wall paint. Something with primarily a lot of beige color with touches of rust/coral, and teal.

If open to a paint change, with existing furniture, I would choose a warm light coral based paint.

Or a warm light tan paint. Tan color darker than the bookcases for contrast to them, but light enough not to darken the room.

I see gray paint samples on the walls. I'm a bit tired of everyone painting gray walls. Your sofa may be too monotone against a gray wall. However, if there is enough contrast of the gray sofa color with a lighter gray paint, you can brighten the sofa with richer warm colors in pillow accents and a colorful artwork above the sofa.

With gray walls, I'm not sure if I like any gray color with the bookcase color. Again, if the gray paint color has enough contrast with the beige bookcases, it may suit you.

I like the layout of the room. Would there be enough space for two small chairs on the right side of the fireplace, facing the French doors? Creating an 'L' grouping? This would give you two more seats for the room and easier TV viewing. Furniture would not be blocking the doors.

I like the idea of a coral or terracotta paint color for your walls.......the chair is too red, but the chair posted above looks to be just the right color. Add your accent pillows to tie in with your rug, which is lovely btw!

Sconces on fireplace could be moved to a bathroom perhaps. I would get some new ones for that space!

Have you considered painting the walls a mustard yellow? I think that would go great with the gray and with the bookshelves, and you could throw navy in the mix as well. Here are some chairs that I think would go well with that type of color scheme:
http://www.deciture.com/shop/furniture/2/skyline-furniture-mid-century-velvet-slipper-chair/
http://www.deciture.com/shop/furniture/2/skyline-furniture-mid-century-slipper-chair/

here are 2 examples of wall color that I am referring too...........loosely of course, because you will have to bring in swatches to match your rug and light in your room! (the accent wall color in 2nd pic)

[houzz=]
[houzz=]

I love your couch. Where is it from ? I also love the teal color but it may be because that is the color of my rooms :)

Inspiration with coral based paint color and gray furniture

This one make more life to the room cause of the colours

[houzz=]

Congrats on your new home! How exciting! When was your home built? Great details in the mantel.

Here are a few options :
Dark Gray paint to blend your sofa into the wall. This may create the illusion of a larger room since your eye will go directly towards the colors in your rug and pillows (as shown below with our Bubbles Chandelier)

Or you could have fun with a metallic silver patterned wallpaper for an accent wall behind the sofa. Citron and/or white chairs will complement your rug beautifully for extra seating. They do not need to match; just try to find similar height and width.
Wallpaper + Drapes : http://www.claytongrayhome.com/category/WALLPAPER-DRAPES/c129
Seating : http://www.claytongrayhome.com/category/SEATING/c53

Also, don't be afraid of all white walls and trim! You already have warm tones in the wood floors, brick fireplace surround, sofa, rug and bookcases. Artwork, drapes and photographs can be used to warm up a room instead of paint.

*sidenote : flipping your sconces to point up will help direct your lighting for better ambiance and remove the glare on your TV. Or here is a link to our sconces if you're looking to change : http://www.claytongrayhome.com/category/WALL/c64

Hope this helps & have FUN!

Hi, I'd use a lighter Grey on the walls and an Almost-white for the bookcases. Choose an accent color and use it for the interior of the bookcases. If you are going to add chairs I'd suggest you look for frames with open or cane backs and loose cushions. Avoid more fully upholstered seating and no more full skirts. Cover the red brick of the fireplace in tile. If you can march the sconces over the fireplace to the nearest exit. Consider wrapping the entire fireplace with tile. Small textured porcelain tile or rough stone veneer.
At the single window add a shutter or low screen to the bottom to mask the radiator. All the best, Jeff Brooks

Wow- thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate all of your ideas!
I've attached a floor plan (best I could do) to help. And the house was built in 1934. It's a great place but has been neglected for the past 10 years or so. There's not quite enough room in the corners for more than one chair. I think I'm leaning toward dark cream, or beige/grey for the walls with mustard as the color on the back wall of the bookcase? And, hahaha, got the message about the sconces.





I like the idea

This is like the 'L' shape floor plan that I was thinking. Sofa on the left where it is. Two chairs like in the bottom of this photo. Your TV would be opposite the sofa and where the window two chairs are in this photo.

Thanks for the floor plan and dimensions. Knowing the specs, for two 24" wide chairs, if one chair was close to the fireplace and other chair was next to it, you would have almost 3 ft of walkway space to get into the sofa. Might be tight tho.

Two small swivel chairs on each side of the fireplace facing the sofa would be a nice visual balance. If they are small, they can move closer to the sofa for viewing TV.

I would move the bookcases to the opposite wall..they overpower the french doors....

Refer to that color for your walls. Much more likely nice to see since the room is not facing directly to sunlight.

I am not a pro by any means but the bookcases seem too much for that space. Since you're wedded to them, I would place them on the opposite side of the room by the window angled in each corner painted to match your trim. If not able to angle then place on the walls on each side of window. I would focus on the pretty fireplace. Replace bookcases with some nice large artwork pieces above matching long tables with centered oval drum lamps for more lighting on either side of the door and accessorize with pics, books, etc. just a thought...let us see your final pics.

Thispost is nearly two years old, folks.

funny....watching dates from now on!

This is a wonderful room of light and excellent proportions. You can change the slip cover on your red chair, to a terra cotta. It looks comfortable and has the right amount of bulk. I like the blue of the walls. You already have a grey sofa and rug.... so to also paint the walls grey would be boring. Grey has been done to death the last 2 years. You could add 2 pull up chairs at the other end of the room, with a circular table between. A round upholstered ottoman large enough to serve as coffee table and/ or seating. If you look at your favorite design magazine, you will not see a single example of LR decor using a sofa and love seat in an L shaped configuration. The home depot bathroom scounces can be replaced with something more interesting. I would use a mirror over the sofa, because I think you are going to have a lot going on in this room and need something quiet there. If you choose art work perhaps a simple graphic would work. Do some trial and error. as for mustard yellow anywhere in this room....... this is one of the most difficult colors to work with, you will probably hate it.... This is a good room and you are lucky. you have a good start, hope you have fun with it.