Built ins are nice on either side of the fireplace but I'd do actual built ins that are more substantial in white. Maybe cabinets on bottom and bookcases on top and some nice window treatments. Larger mirror or artwork over fireplace

Agree w/Chloenkitty. My first thought when I looked at the pic was that the bookshelves really don't work. I'd put floating shelves, in white, the length of the entire space, in there.

Then I'd turn the carpet so it runs the other way and put the sofa on the edge of that carpet, facing the fireplace. Put the easy chair on a diagonal on the other side of the fireplace from the little red chair you've got, so they mirror each other and face the sofa.
Obviously turn the coffee table so it runs the same direction as the carpet and sofa.

Leave the floor lamp where it is, as source of light for the sofa.

I was thinking the same things... White built-ins that fill the entire space on each side of the fireplace. Something larger over it, the art piece over the chair would work. Turn the rug, coffe table, and sofa to face the fireplace (is there room?). The stuffed chair would be nice angled in front of them, by the window. A mantel would dress up the fireplace :)

Here are some examples to give you an idea of what built-ins and a mantel could look like :)

Awesome suggestions all!!! They seem so simple- dont know why I hadnt thought of before!

Thanks Errant for the photos-very helpful to have the visual.

Does anyone know how expensive it would be to have someone build the shelving with cabinets underneath and/or the more simple shelves all the way down?

I live in the San Francision Bay area.

Thanks!

You can do built ins fairly I expensively if you get ikea stuff and then have them look built in with the use of trim molding.

I find the colors in your room are difficult as white is a color, yet appears nowhere else in the room. Typically you want the colors you use to appear in multiple locations around the room...so in the fabrics of throw pillows to make the color scheme feel united in the room.

Excellent point Annie- would you recommend a different color fireplace ? The walls are BM Pale Oak and have a greyish hue which does go nicely with the rug but the fireplace is BM swiss coffee and I do think its too white.

Hope this looks better..... I moved the rug, couch, and big chair. I will need to find a bigger mirror over the fireplace. Shelving will have to wait too- but I like the plain floor to ceiling one- like the last photo Errant sent.

I plan to paint the fireplace BM manchester tan- less of a bright white neutral- will get pillows to complement.,...

What do you all think?

Same view as before pic....shutters open in both after pics.

I like that arrangement much better!

Love your room! Very nice shutters. Agree with others about the built-ins, but I think it looks nice now.

Love, esp. from the inside of the sitting area. Very cozy and welcoming.

I'd keep the shutters closed, though, with the slats open. They obstruct the bookshelves like this.

If there is a room for a console table behind the sofa, I'd put one there.

Tibbrix- I know when the shutters are open they do look awkward- can't help it in these early mornings as the views from both windows are so nice! Most of the day- they are closed with slats open unless it's really hot!

View from window behind big chair

I like your white fireplace with the white shutters. I think white bookshelves/built-ins on either side of the fireplace would complete it. Love the new arrangement. Very cozy.

You have a pool! I'm jealous!

re: the bookshelves: in the meantime, get some BIN, give the bookshelves you've got there now two coats of BIN, then paint them white, maybe Decorator White by BM, or paint them the same color as the wall, but in a high gloss. Easy peasy, and it'll make big difference. FYI: BIN dries very quickly, but since the shelves are pine, you definitely want two coats of BIN, or else the knots will bleed through the white paint.

Is it possible to move the bookcases in as close as possible to the fireplace and slide the opened shutters into the extra space? It might even help the shelving look more built in if there isn't equal wall space showing all around (I mean even when shutters are covering windows. If you're handy, you maybe could trim them out similar to this, paint as tibbrix suggested and keep the ones you have:

I'd be looking out at that gorgeous view as much as possible, too.

If you don't want to do the shelving now, do what Tibbrix said and move them closer to the fireplace. If it were me, I'd paint the wall behind the bookcases the manchester tan and leave the fireplace white. Actually I'd paint the whole room that color paint.

LOVE your room!!

LOVE the new arrangement -- and the gorgeous cat seems to like it too! :) Always a great sign in my book! :)

Do like the mirror now -- and like the excellent ideas of adding thick white shelves on each side of the fireplace -- and a thick (and long) fireplace mantel too! :)

I like the fireplace as it is. Also, really like the shutters with the fireplace & like your new furniture placement. Do you "need" those bookshelves in there? I ask because I was thinking maybe take them completely out until you decide to update with new shelves/cabinets. I'd love to see how that would look.

BTW, that yard area with the pool is so lovely!!

http://maisondecor8.blogspot.com/
Scroll down, down, down about 20 pictures and see; She has the same situation but she moved the bookcases closer in and painted them. Voici. Voila.

For starters, I would swap the round mirror with the painting on the right. It does nothing for the fp or the room, the mirror I mean, just looks like a black round hole above a black sq. hole. The two pics. in the bookcase I would find another home for.

Agree with Aputernut. That rustic painting would look great on the brick of the FP.

I think most any trim carpenter could retrofit your bookcases to that space and then you could choose a paint color and you might not want the same identical color for the brick and bookcases. Just take a look at the Maison Decor website and see how she has done hers.

Thank you all for the fabulous suggestions!
I have removed the mirror and put another picture up- it's a Diego Rivera and has a rustic feel to it- I like the scale of it much better than the other rustic one which my mom actually painted- I have moved it to another spot in the room.

I have moved the bookcases as close to the fireplace as I can- there is still wall space visible due to the width of the hearth.

My plan is to replace them in a few months with simple shelving painted white floor to ceiling but narrower due to the shutters- need a bit more room to be able to open completely. Once installed- I will look for better accessories for the shelves and I will be back for advice/opinions!!

Here are a few more pics as if today's adjustments noted above!!!!

Regards,
Faith

One more pic of the area behind the couch where I put my moms painting.

Looks like a new room now. :)

All those changes look great!

Here in the Bay Area, custom built-ins could run in the range of $2.5K to $5K+, depending on how wide that area is and what level of the finish is. (Based on my own painted inset example)

Here's a pic from Houzz with a similar hearth. It looks like they used standard cabinet bases and put thick chunky shelves above. I'm betting you can do a similar look for under $1500 if you did it DIY.

[Contemporary Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Covington Interior Designers & Decorators Bmac Interiors, LLC

One more suggestion...the slipcover on the club chair looks very pink, but I don't see pink in the room, but stronger colors instead, especially since you now have the pic over the fireplace. Can you replace it with something deeper in color? Maybe a denim to pick up on the blue?

You're mother's painting is very well executed. I love it.

Thanks Gooster- I really like that wood mantle- and since I am not a DIY- good to know what I should expect to payin the Bay Area.

Annie- none of the colors in my pic are true to the naked eye- all taken on my eye phone. The club chair is actually a terra cotta and goes well with the terra cotta in the rug and in the picture over the mantle....some day it will be replaced with a chair more to scale. I am enclosing a close up of rug and chair pattern- hopefully it will show the colors better....

That painting over the FP is great. Perfect scale, and it adds a really nice splash of color.

Gooster's pic has the floating shelves like I originally suggested! Those shelves can be pricey, but if you have a drill and a stud finder, you absolutely can install them yourself!

Wow! What a difference moving a few things around makes. It does look like a completely different room. Kudos to the collective wisdom of this community!

Oh, yeah, and a mantel is a great idea. I think I'd hire a pro to hang it,though, because of the brick and because you really don't want that coming down.

Fabulous! It does look like a different room...that painting is perfect there, as is the furniture arrangement. I don't even notice the bookshelves now and they were very obvious before with that black mirror between them. Great arranging!

The room looks so much better! I love it when big improvements can be made just by shuffling around existing stuff. Good job!

Thanks all!!!! What a wealth of knowledge in this community.

I am now starting to make calls for built ins and mantle ( I like the thick walnut type mantle shelf idea)!!! We'll see if the budget can handle- I would much rather play all day than work!!!!

I'll keep you all posted on progress....

Faith