Hardly "design challenged" -- you have some great ideas!! :)

Yes -- Staining the tables and the armoire is a wonderful idea. And so is adding more burgandy/rusty red accents in the room.

I would vote for more colorful artworks in the room to start the whole process. Maybe a larger artwork over the sofa --- and two matching ones on each side of the TV armoire. The artworks will add color to those areas of the room -- and balance the now-green BUT soon-to-be-burgandy curtains.

Trying moving the standing lamp by the single chair in the corner. THEN add an accent lamp on the sofa table.

Perhaps painting the walls might work too? In a soft shade of gray-green (check out Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage) THEN add the burgandy accents .....

Forgot to mention that a short bookcase or closed storage (like a pine chest of drawers) might work on the left hand side of the TV armoire -- and hold extra "stuff" too. Maybe painted in a rusty red to match the new curtains?

Thanks Teacats - I try to put things together and use this site for many ideas. Its coming along.

I agree with staining the table and the armoire - DH is nervous about it looking terrible.

The room was painted when we moved in almost 2 years ago. It is a creamy vanilla like color. Hard to see in the pics that I took. I wanted something a little warmer but DH was afraid of anything too dark. The color will not change yet - the high ceilings make it a lot of work.

I'll try moving the lamp - I have no other lamps to test it out with except the ones on either side of the couch.

I was thinking about a bookshelf - have to find one that is wide enough..

Any other ideas???

I don't know.... I kind of like the sofas flanking the fireplace with the armoire on the wall opposite the FP. You could put the sofa table behind the big sofa with the 2 lamps. A nice big colorful piece of art.

I love the idea of an upholstered square ottoman between the 2 sofas. I would try to find a fabric that coorinates the green, vanilla, and rusty red - maybe a paisley or plaid. Your DH could sit on that to play video games in front of the armoire. Then maybe you could get 2 accent chairs on each side of the armoire ( in rusty red) to coordinate with the drapes. I would get drapes that go all the way to the floor, thou.

I love the stone on your fireplace. A big basket of river birch tree cut up would look fab there. It has the white bark that peels.

Just thoughts....
Smiles:)

Thanks Johnatemp!

I am going to persuade DH to rearrange furniture in the next 2 weeks. We were considering it for xmas but we already had the tree up and it would have meant moving that and we ran out of steam.

Hopefully I can work on him doing this and take some pics. One problem is the darn TV cable. To move the TV cable over there we ran it under the rug in front of the one opening. That will be a pain.

One question/issue: I don;t think the sofa table I have will fit right behind the sofa. I think its tooo short to go behind the long sofa. Also then I wouldn;t have anything to put behind the other couch. I am wondering if we can "make" something that would be long enough to put behind the sofa. It won't really show I guess.

When we had the TV on the Tall wall we only had a small TV stand - but we still found that TV needed to be closer to that one entrance in order for optimal viewing. I guess we could do one chair on that long side thats on the one side of the TV, What do you think??

I love the idea of the big ottoman. I was thinking leather but a plaid might work as well.

The drapes on either side of the FP don;t go all the way down.. I know. We mounted the rod a little higher on those. I have baseboard heater beneath one and I was nervous about the curtains touching it.

Any suggestions on drapes.. I can;t seem to find anything that I like. I saw renofans post on her "game room transformation" and I was thinking something like that.

I have white plantation style blinds in the rest of the house. I wonder if I could get them to fit those 2 windows and then I would swag the panels to opposite sides.?? hmm.. might look into the cost of that.

I love the idea of the white birch in a basket. We need to get a real log holder for the FP logs. We are using a make shift crappy basket now.

Any other ideas??? Would you do an area rug? If so any suggestions. Nothing too girly or too too modern.

Wow.. sorry didn't realize how long this was.. lol

Ruth

Ahhh, we should all be so lucky to have your problems :) It is a beautiful space. In addition to all of the ideas above, consider sneaking in some "pockets" of color.Red or whatever floats your boat. I also think some art work on your blank wall would anchor your room.

I'm not a fan of rugs on nice carpet. I've done it in the past to cover some traffic areas. Your carpet looks great as is. But if you'd like a rug as a focal point and to anchor things, go for it.

I just bought a coffee table, deciding against the ottoman route. I got one with the baskets underneath.

Good luck with your room. Most of all, have fun watching it become "you."

Thanks mzdee!

I responded this AM and the post never showed up.. hmm.. well here it is again.

I agree that we need to bring more color in. I like the reddish tones and warm tones to liven the room a little. We are wokring on some artwork and trying to find pieces of the right scale. Most of the artwork of the right scale is not quite in the budget right now.

I guess the carpet looks better in photos,. It is a 20 yr old scupltured carpet. We eventually want wood or laminate. But I thought an area rug would bring some warmth and color.

I am looking at sizes of some of the ottomans. I am not sure if the new arrangement would work. I am afraid the coffee table looks out of place. I am using software and working on arrangements. Will post more later or tomorrow.

Ruth

I have been playing aorund with the floorplan on a website and here is what I have come up with.

This is the current floorplan as is. I think the scale of the room is a little off b/c the wall in between the FP and sliding door is not as big but its pretty close. Theres not as much in the desk area as appears.

Current Room as is: I can't believe how empty it looks on here.

LR1 - Sofa and angled loveseat flanking FP with square ottoman:

LR2 - Sofa and angled loveseat flanking FP with oval ottoman

LR3 - Sofas flanking FP facing each other

LR4: This one is much different. I don't think this would work for us b/c the TV area is not in an ideal place here but I was trying something totally different.

I like the idea of this one having the intimate area around the FP but I don;t think I like the TV by the sliding door and by the entrance to the kitchen. I dont see it working well.

Any help or suggestions !!!!

thanks
Ruth

ok - I am apologizing now just reread the post and its very long -

We spent all day yesterday rearranging the room and it was soo hard. the room is very narrow so many of the possiblities did not work. We tried the armoire across from the FP and the problem was that many people on the couch could not see the TV. So that was a no go for now.

This is what we have come up with... the scale is a little off ont he room planner software.
mock-up

View from kitchen opening:
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view from hallway entry:
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View towards Kitchen opening:
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View from desk area to seating area:
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I am looking for red accents and curtains that would work in this space. any ideas?? i also need a screen to put behind the armoire to hide the cords coming out the back.

what kind of ottoman would go better - I was thinking a square one but I think the space is too big for one.. I was thinking maybe an upholstered bench that could be moved in front of either sofa - I think 2 would look funny?? right??

also - what do you think about a rug here. I am unsire about the style of rug to try. I don't have a lot of $$ to spend and want to know that if I get it online that i can return it easily...

Is anyone good at photoshop that could try a few rugs in there so I can get a feel. I know it will have to be 8x10. I just can't picture what kind of rug to look at...

I also have a very hard time finding tables to go next to the sofa. they have tall arms and the tables need to be 28-30 inches... still looking.

Now DH wants to look at flat screen TV's which I would love but not ready to spend the $$ on it. I heard one of the best times to buy a TV is actually after the superbowl - I'll have to look and see if prices are better than.

Please help !! I am getting there. What do y'all think?

ohh - the wire in front of the FP is temporary. we were testing the situation before we commit to drilling holes in the floor to the basement. I am plannig on temporarily tucking it under the rug.