i think the current color choices are fine, but the Ivoire sounds nice too. I would not paint that wall the rust color, personally.

I like the idea of Sealskin doors, but don't see any in the pictures so can't envision it exactly.

If you are painting the baseboard white, what about painting the other wood trim around the windows white?

I do think your floral and damask upholstery fabrics look dated. Can you budget for reupholstering or new furniture? I like the furniture pieces you have, but often buying new is cheaper than reupholstering.

I also think you could rework the arrangement of mirrors and pictures above the sofa. Maybe find a mirror larger than all the others and center that with the others clustered around to have a little more contrast in scale and arrange them a little more densely together. Or, if none of them are of particular value, what if you paint all the frames the same color - like the Sealskin or white?

The sheer window swag looks kinda boring, but I also like no window treatments. I always think it's pretty when I see a decorating show or magazine that goes all out with full, custom draperies, but it's not for me personally. So I'd save my money and get new blinds - maybe like 1 or 2 inch wood blinds.

Florals and damask are not for everyone,but I love them. My couch is very similar to yours, creekylis, except that it is camelback, and older! My chairs are solids - one light blue, one deep blue, and one light brown. Because there is a lot of dark red in the couch, I have dark red accents, too. Actually, my whole living room is very similar to yours, but we gave our piano to our son last year.

I think perhaps one large sofa painting or mirror would be a lovely change, calmer than the grouping. I cannot remember my wall color, but it appears to be about the same as yours. I like your room very much. It is traditional, not dated.

I think you can work with the sofa. Damask is a classic pattern. I just gave a yellow damask sofa to DD - like new and incredibly comfortable, but too large for my room. I would have kept it otherwise. I'm not sure what color sealskin is, but if it's grey, grey and yellow (gold) look fantastic together.

Possibly you're feeling the room is "dated" is because the current trend is towards more spare accessorizing.

I would keep the sofa and side chair and remove the floral chair and ottoman, and replace with a solid colored side chair, or none at all, if you don't need it. You may be able to find one on Craigslist if you do.

Remove all your photos and accessories and just bring back a few. Two pillows on the sofa rather than four. Just a couple of things on your side table, maybe just a fantastic piece of pottery on the coffee table. Does the little plant stand/table next to your sofa service a purpose? If not, it's just clutter. Someone sitting on the sofa can use the coffee table to set a drink.

I would also remove the sheers and replace with some texture, such as natural wood blinds. I also agree with Shermann about the mirror collection. One painting or one large mirror would look great. You can also find large mirrors on Craigslist all the time.

Good luck. I don't think you're as far from a great room as you think.
Dee

I agree if you're going to paint the baseboards, also paint the window trim. Door trim is already painted, so will be more cohesive, I think.

I think the window scarf/valence is dated. I would replace with simple panels with dark rod. Non-functional (not closing) would be fine since you don't need to close them. Keep the blinds that are there (matchstick?). I'd do the panels in a color close to the wall color.

Maybe some new lamps. If reupholstering/replacing the club chair is in the budget, that would be nice, but not totally necessary.

Since there are a lot of photos on the piano (which I like; I have the same thing in my family room), and the room is not that big, I think maybe one larger piece over the couch would be better. Not sure a mirror would work -- depends what it's relecting. Looks like it will reflect the collection on the piano which might be too busy looking.

I think the color you have now is nice, especially if trim gets painted white. But, the Ivoire will probably be very nice too. I am not a fan of accent walls, and I think especially in a small-ish room, it just makes it look more chopped up.

Great room! Good luck.

I love florals too. I think you should put a slip cover on the couch or put in a neutral couch. I think it competes with the floral chairs. Or pick up a couch with the same color as something in the floral chair. Maybe a cream, tan or green couch. I would remove the two center pillows on the couch. I think one was leopard? I like your mirror arrangement. The only think i would change would be the color of the frames. To me gold is dated. It would be really cheap to spray the frames a different color. Just some suggestions. I love your lamps and wouldn't change those.

Yes -- a BIG vote to paint the baseboards, the lower part of the office wall AND all of the doors AND window trim in Ivoire. This change will REALLY unify and freshen all of the rooms/spaces.

Yes -- perhaps a switch to a larger curtain rod and panels for windows.

Yes -- another vote to rearrange the mirrors/wall decor -- consider a change to a single large artwork over the sofa.

Then create a "family gallery" wall in the office. Re-do the all of the family photos from the living area into sepia tones -- add a mirror in the center of the wall -- and arrange them around the mirror. Just for a change!

I think the room is pretty and comfortable, but might be more comfortable with a different piano bench and a larger side table between sofa and window. The small table next to sofa could hold plant and go near your front door. I'd also change the shade on the floor lamp to something more cylindrical. All three chairs have their ottomans off to the side. Might be nice to have the large ottoman in front of the easy chair. But for that to work, you might need to shift your sofa a bit.

I, too, would remove the swag and replace with curtains or roman blinds. As an easy update, I'd remove sofa pillows and replace with one or two long lumbar pillows. While I love the two curvy mirrors, I would re-do the arrangement over the sofa -- that would have the largest impact, IMO. As others have suggested, something larger, or a group of larger items would have more impact.

There is really nothing wrong with the room, but I do think some elements could be updated if you really are looking for a change.

Easy fixes to update:

1. change pillows
2. one large bamboo blind over the window and curtain panels over that at either end on a big chunky rod
3. change lamp shades to drum shades
4. slipcover the large arm chair with a solid linen (then move the animal print pillow to the chair)

I think sealskin on that back wall would be lovely if the trim is lighter.

updating the picture frames and curtains would make a huge difference

I tried SW Ivoire and it was to yellow in my lighting

good luck and please post after pics

Thanks for posting... I have been digesting your suggestions.

I have removed the gold, beaded swag---I have never quite liked this. I am searching for some inexpensive panels and will raise and extend the rod. I do have matchsticks, and they will stay.

I am searching for the motivation to start painting the ivoire in the adjoining hall (trim has been painted for months!). I will not be painting the window trim. It has been left as an accent---sort of like a picture frame. It's not the "norm" but I like it. I will eventually install white crown and hardwood floors which will help balance it all out.

I think I will do just the ivoire in the living room and paint the green office in the sealskin color. I think my interior doors will also be sealskin.

As for the furniture...there is no budget to reupholster. I really don't mind the neutral damask sofa. The big chair is a coordinating piece to the sofa and does match it, if not obvious in the pic. These pieces are in excellent condition. I'm not in love with floral anymore, but I'll need to work with these for now. The other arm chair was a wedding gift to my grandmother from her parents. My mother recovered it in the leafy woven fabric before giving it to me. The colors work.

The mirror collage is definitely optional. Some of the mirrors are quite old and belonged to my grandmother---I would not alter these. The gold ones are newer and could be altered. I'm not married to any of this, but art is so expensive---especially a piece of any size. I have thought about attempting to replicate this expensive mirror collage from anthropologie (see link).

Thanks for all the advice...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mirror Collage

I like the mirror collage, but I've got my own mirror collage in my TV room, so I'm biased :-)

Could you change places with the chairs? Put the piano bench under the window and use the flowered ottoman for the piano bench. How about putting your leather office chair in the living room and putting the big flowered chair in the office. A plant on your plant stand would look nice unless you are using it as a table...then it need to be bigger.

Same here re:the mirror collage~~I love mine, therefore I love YOURS! Mine are spaced, just like what you have, but the picture you posted is nice too. One picture is way too 'typical' for me, and maybe that's your 'draw' to the multiple mirrors.

Glad you took away the swag. My best friend has several windows in her home and scarves on every one. I don't have the heart to tell her they look dated.

I like the Damask sofa since it goes so well in the room. Matter of fact, I find the room very cozy looking, and so un-like most of the rooms posted on the forum, which have that PB look. I see no reason to get rid of the chairs, and yes, your colors work great together.

The wall color in the LR looks ivorie~~no?? Anyway, it's a color that draws you in and makes your furnishings stand out, which is what you want. I don't like walking into a room and the first thing noticed is the wall color~~just my 2 cents.

I'm not fond of green, so *shouldn't* have an opinion on the office, but think the Sealskin would be a nice alternative. And yes, paint the baseboards. ;o)

A little cut and paste from the pre-Photoshop, pre-color-printer era (I feel like I'm back in grade school with the scissors, and the double-sided tape! Only missing the mimeograph machine!):

Your furniture looks great. The styling isn't mine, but it is pretty. What I find dated is the woodwork tone so I'd paint it all the same color to unify the space and make whatever wall color you choose pop. Have you ever followed Maria Killiam (see link below). She has some great advice on colors for interior and she a big proponent of painting lighter woodwork in homes.

I would simplify the wall grouping over the sofa - maybe add one more bigger piece so you have 3 larger pieces. i.,e. like the taller more shaped mirrors -- those are nice looking. Then fill in with plates - just to offer some relief from all the mirrors.

I'd move the round end table/lamp to the opposite end of the sofa to spread out the wood pieces.

I'd also move the flowered ottoman out of the room and also the little footstool that is in front of the round end table. And find a smaller simple looking piano bench

Southern Savvy Style (blog) is good at wall groupings. You might find some inspiration browsing her previous posts.

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: Maria Killam

I happen to like your furniture and think honestly the only thing that needs tweaking is the wall grouping. I am not too swift with this myself so don't know what to suggest, but I would say that it does not look as good as everythng else in the room, and in fact to my eyes, there is something rather dated about that. I think whoever said to minimize was on the right track, though I imagine if someone did a good arrangement using most of what you have there, it would be lovely.
So, I think the wall grouping over the couch as well as the window treatment look dated but everything else works very
nicely.

Just wanted to say, I really like your piano seat... what a great idea. I assume the pillow puts people at correct playing height? It's really a beautiful unique touch.

As for large art being expensive, have you looked at art.com? I really wanted a big print of a hill I climbed in California, and got an okay deal on a large print, even delivered to Canada. I ended up getting it framed kind of expensively, but you might be able to find a large print at a yardsale that you could swap out.

Again... thank you all for your responses!

I have not addressed the wall grouping yet (will probably wait until after painting), but I HEAR YOU that it needs to change. ;)

I have changed the scarf out to a pair of deep gold crinkle sheers, and have included a pic. I was concerned at first about sheers, but these are a bit more opaque than expected and just provide a nice glow that compliments the wood. These are just slapped onto the current rod---I plan to change it out, raise it, and widen it by a few inches. Again, after painting.

I have included a couple more pics of my home decor for some context. Please be kind as I have not staged a thing. This is how we live. (Can't WAIT to get hardwood flooring, but it hasn't been a priority financially. This year???)

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The 1/2 bath was my most recent project---I gutted all but the cabinet base and the tile floor. $300 makeover! (I love to improve on the cheap!)