Chris, what is your budget, what are you happy with abo8ut the room? What do you dislike? Do you want to keep some or all of the furniture? Tome it all looks a bit dark so I would paint all that brown timber white and go from there

We want to keep the furniture at this time. I agree with lightening the room. I'm terrible with colors. Would you do all the wood? What about the fireplace?

I know this probably does not answer your question...but the 1st thing that comes to mind is that the TV setup and wiring does not appear to be safe for your little one. I would recommend finding a solution to enclosed the wires and a sturdier cabinet for the tv stand. As it is now, it looks like the tv stand could fall if someone accidently bumps into it or if the little one is moving around crawling and walking and reaches on it for support.

Agreed! We plan hanging it when we get income tax. I need some color ideas or themes!

I would probably start with the wainscoting first. Then if you still think the room is too dark paint the built in bookcases and area over the fireplace. If you like the beams keep them as they are. If you have ceilings that are low. you might want to paint the beams white so to give the illusion of a bit more height, The bookcases could do with a bit of styling, 1/3rd books, one third objects, 1/3rd open space. You could paint or wallpaper the backs of the bookcases another color/pattern for some visual interest. What colors do you and your partner like?

Our living room and upstairs hallways are Pewter. Kitchen is a coffee. We want to be adventurous but not risky with a new tone. Love the wallpaper idea.

Here's the artist's perspective (for all it's worth :)

I would paint all the paneling a warm white. I like swiss coffee. Here is a long list of work done in that color: https://www.houzz.com/photos/benjamin-moore-swiss-coffee-phbr0lbl-bl~l_343

I would paint the back paneling of your bookshelf a darker color like gray, or the pewter you have in your other room.

The blue wall can be the same white, the same gray, or another shade that you like that doesn't clash too much. Once you do the paneling, the wall color can be determined.

I'd leave the ceiling beams to match the floor unless it clashes too much with the other colors. In that case, paint it the same white as the other wood.

This will definitely brighten up the space and also add some interest.

Good luck!

When you're ready for artwork, check out my work here: https://www.houzz.com/photos/benjamin-moore-swiss-coffee-phbr0lbl-bl~l_343

Chris, you won't find Kat's art at the link she left you. LOL. You'll find it here. http://www.etsy.com/shop/KatShoa?ref=ss_profile

And FWIW, her art would look great in your space.

You're welcome, Kat. ;-)

Now Chris, I'm about to tackle your room, though you've had good suggestions already. My biggest suggestion is to get the toys under control. Actually, that comes after stabilizing that TV setup. I'll be back in a bit with a photo or two.

I cleaned up a bit, but it was easy once I had the Ikea Expedit and a few bins and baskets. It doubles as a TV stand and hides all the cords and cables. It's also easy enough to put away toys that the little one can start learning how to do it right away.

Paint all the beams, trim, and wainscot white. I painted your walls and the area over the fireplace a desaturated sage green, taking the cue from your rug and the picture over the the mantel. You can leave the bookcases wood and maybe edit the shelves a bit, though I think you've done a pretty good job with your display.

Groveraxle that is such a big help! Can you finish the room? Lol thank you all for your suggestions. This is a big help. I'm about to post our master bedroom!

move the tv to over the fireplace. take your lovely picture & start a beautiful wall collage of dynamic photos where the tv is now. with 'that one' right in the center & work your way around it

Will I run into any issues with the fireplace and drilling holes to hide cords if I hang tv over fireplace?

if you need to, find a professional. a few bucks, but a 1 time investment & a dynamic look. today WE ALL decorate just about everything for the sake of the BIG TV....yes we love it, but it should not dictate the entire décor............I'd ask around & DO IT without thinking twice. and the beautiful built ins....have some 'small' lights put in (down lights) to accentuate that area that NEEDS attention.....that whole wall will BURST with ambience (replace the wood shelves with glass)........trust me it will 'SHINE'

Do not put the TV over the fireplace unless you want to buy your chiropractor a boat.

One other thing, Chris. Get a can of Rustoleum high-heat paint and paint that brass on the fireplace black.

Love your photo over the fireplace, much better than a tv there.

@grover thanks for catching my link's mistake. I pasted the same link to the swiss coffee color twice.

Here's the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/katshoa

:)

BTW grover, can you do the brown wood in white? I want to see what it looks like. The colors you have are great but the room still has too much brown to be "modernized".

Glad nobody agrees with the TV over the fireplace...

I normally don't like tv over the fireplace, but your mantle is low, so I think it would work out ok for your neck! Then the sofa can be turned to face said fireplace.

Your wall is very blue. And having such a blue next to the orangish wood intensifies both (opposites on the color wheel!). I would paint wall, and the paneling.

Painting the walls and woodwork will brighten the room greatly:

So much better, grover.

Grover that looks amazing!!!! Does this work with brown furniture? Dark brown

Dark brown furniture would look great in this room!

Benjamin Moore's Antique Jade

Day-um, Chris. I've painted the whole room and now you want me to move furniture, too? ;-)

OK. let's prioritize here. Before you start thinking new furniture, let's get some semblance of order here.

1. TV: It might actually go on one side of the fireplace if you remove a shelf or two. This would solve a couple of problems. You wouldn't need to mount it and you could put components in the cabinet underneath. No cables would show, and you'd have a single focal point on that wall.

2. Toys under control. You need some serious storage that can grow with your child. The Ikea Expedit with bins for now can be repurposed as he grows to hold books and the things he builds and his artwork and school supplies.

3. Paint. The blue walls for sure have to go. And painting all that wood is going to be a chore. You're surely going to have to sand first, and there's a lot of ladder work.

How about you do all that, and then we'll work on furniture and art?

Why don't you measure the TV and see if it will fit in the bookcase. You could put it on either side, though if you put it on the left as shown below, you'll probably want an articulating arm to pull it out for viewing.

I love the round coffee table with little chairs under them, where can I get one like it??

Because your fireplace is recessed above the mantle and not brick all the way, I also think the TV would look good there OR on the side...either way, I just don't like the TV on the wall. Your family room has one wall of windows, one of fireplace, one of TV and one I assume is open for entry to room. I prefer some area of visual calm. I love your cabinet doors. They will be wicked to paint those small lovers however, overall, the creamy white looks great. I agree the blue HAS TO GO. I'd definitely paint the walls and paneling, again calming it down. Painting that wall the same color will make it look taller than the low, horizontal line caused by the paneling. Perhaps its partly the camera angle but there's a visual cut off in height because of the box created by the top of the sofa, the mantle and then the wainscotting. The room needs a break in that line. I'd do that and then think about whether you want to tackle the cabinetry. Then decide whether you want to leave brick as is or paint that too. I'm not crazy about that storage but the need for some sort of storage is undeniable and inevitable. And "LIGHTS, PLEASE!" How about a couple of solartubes for natural daylight? Can you turn your sofa to face the fireplace? That would open up the sliding door area for light. It looks like you've lost several feet of space because you really aren't getting visual use of those bookcases to the right of fireplace. All that area behind the sofa is basically gone. Sorry I am trying to do this on a phone with an over active auto correct. Hopefully my post isn't all chopped up now.

Personally I would ditch the dark furniture, particularly if the room is not that big the dark furniture will make the room feel smaller. Light furniture would recede into the walls but dark furniture projects.

Aha, and @grover puts my artwork on the wall :)

She loves you and you're growing on me too! I'm a fan. Love your trees. :)

Kat, I am so sorry. I hung your artwork and then forgot to credit you. Hey Everybody, those fabulous trees on the wall are by KShoa at etsy.com.

Aw, thanks for the warm and fuzzies :-)