SFGate

decoenthusiaste Paint will liven things up a lot! SW's Spicy Hue or Copper Canyon on the short wall behind the TV would compliment your furnishings. Maybe something more golden would look good on the remainder of the space. I see lots of solid colors - no pattern except for the dining room rug, which is still very beige. Why don't you switch it to the living room so the orangey colors are spread around a bit? Window treatments would be a place to pickup some bold pattern. Raise your rods though and make sure the drapery panels kiss the floor. The picture over the hunt table needs to be lowered. Always see that art visually attaches itself to the piece of furniture it is with.If along, put the center of it at 60" above the floor. I'd rather see the tall armoire in that spot. I used my hunt table for the TV and yours would look much better where the TV is if you're willing to try it. Would angle the two leather armchairs together either side of the round table in front of the window. Can't tell where exactly the desk and chair are, but they might work under the dining room window.

ywneal We are renting and are unable to paint the walls, unfortunately. The art over the table is a holder until we figure out what to place there. We were considering a round mirror. The table seemed too high for the tv. We did consider using the table for that purpose as well. How high should the rods be raised? Thanks!

Darzy Since you can't paint, and don't want to spend too much on a rental, I'd suggest graphic orange curtains to punch up the space. Angle the two chairs between the little table to face the tv and add a coffee table. This will feel more welcome and cozier.

ywneal Thank you! The other issue with using the mahogany piece for the tv is determining what to do with the components for the gaming systems and cable box. We'll try some of the ideas offered this weekend and see where they lead. I appreciate your input!

Darzy If you want to be "bold". Find a cheap vintage dresser at a yard sale/craigslist and paint it the blue of the art piece. The old dressers had doors that open in the center. Then, you can put the components inside and open the doors to use. Or, modify the drawers to fold down (piano hinge) instead of pulling out to store the components and to be able to use the remote by folding down the "drawer".

anthip Would your TV and components fit in your cupboard/wardrobe? We just put ours in an antique wardrobe. It's fabulous!

Welcome Home designs I agree with the previous comments- switch your area rugs, add pattern and colour in your drapes and cushions, go big and bold with your art and accessories.
I would try angling your TV so it balances the armoire on the other corner.
Good luck.

cguigan I love your furniture and dont really have a problem with the furniture placement either. I think it looks a bit akward because your rugs are not really big enough to properly define the zones. if you had bigger (and slightly darker rugs) that didnt match, but definately spoke to each other, it would tie every thing in a bit better. I am not talking wall to wall but at the moment it looks like your seating is skirting the area not embracing it. I also agree with comments above that a a better tv unit and bold curtins are needed.

LilyAnn Cabinets Darzy Good job :)

decoenthusiaste I wouldn't advise buying more furniture but optimizing the placement and use of what you have. The lack of wall space and the volume of windows does present some challenges.

spunkychic Those curtains added a lot. All of your art is Wayyyy to small! And in awkward places. You need a huge piece above the little hutch. Plus, add some different decorations above your corner unit. It looks like there are things up there but too small to make in ampact. Also, add some lamps and some larger more impactful decorations to the hutch.

Dustyn Broyles First of all love your furniture and I think the paint is great. I know you are renting and can't, but I wouldn't have touched it anyway. I agree with a punchy drape. But if you have all long white drapes then stick with what you have. Bring in pattern through pillows. I would get rid of the small objects you have on the buffet, armoir, and tv table. Makes it look cluttery. Go for something big. And last thing is I would angle the two wingback chairs in front of the window. You are going great though with the items you have. They have character and charm. Good luck!

ywneal Thank you so much for all of your suggestions and ideas. Since the tv won't fit in the armoire and the buffet is used to store dining room items, I tried moving the armoire in between the sconced lighting and the buffet to the dining room window. I angled the chairs and hung all the curtains and will look for rugs and a floor lamp. The dining table will be replaced as it is damaged and the art will be grouped somewhere else. We have family photos and some silhouettes that I would like to hang. I am thinking about a coffee table and also greenery of some kind for the corners. I also have a large hibiscus framed art and water lily water color that need to be hung as well. Photos of what was done today are attached!

spunkychic Looks great!!!!!! I would pull the couch and the chairs away from the wall a little. It looks like they are smashed into the curtains. Other than that, looks great!

Darzy Looks good, but bring in the furniture off the walls and have the "feet" touch the rug.

Dustyn Broyles A cowhide rug could be fun. I think they sell faux hides at ikea for less then 100 bucks. Looking good though.

ywneal I like the cowhide rug idea. No Ikea in Hawaii, though. Not as much variety in sourcing options...:-(

ywneal I also tried this layout without rugs.

ywneal We decided to move the tv into the corner and brought the rug in until we get seagrass, sisal or some sort of fiber rug. Thanks for all of your feedback and suggestions!

Darzy Not diggin' this arrangement. The window wall is bare and the living/dining space is closed off and feels a not less spacious. I liked you blue art. : )

ywneal Darzy, We'll still use the blue art, but I keep hearing that it is too small for that area. My plan was to frame some enlarged close up photographs and maybe stack the two blue acrylics or mix the blue art into a gallery of photos. I loved how the other arrangement feels more open, but the way the tv was situated made the seating seem a little off. We would be perpendicular to the tv, but seated right in the middle of the screen. We tried moving the unit a little past the wall, but that didn't look right either. When we moved the tv into the corner there was no longer space for the sofa on the wall side. I am not a fan of the humongous tv, but we have no other room to place it in! :-( I agree that it does close off the dining area.

Darzy How about this? Put the buffet console back where it was. Put the armoir flat on the wall on the left of the now vacant window wall. Put the tv back flat on the wall. Rotate the rug and float the sofa in the room facing the tv with the coffee table (with enough space to walk behind and get to the armoir). Put the chairs opposite the coffee table. Put the blue art slightly above the tv and the other two art pieces on the right side of the tv (very low)...slightly above and below the tv. The space will "tighten up" but will feel cozy, yet open to the dining space.

Staged for Perfection I do not like that curtain rods are so low. I would raise them up so as to make your eye go up and thus make the ceiling look higher and the room look bigger

ywneal Staged, I agree that the curtains are a little low, but not willing to spend $800 for new curtains and rods when it is a rental! I raised the rods as high as I could with 96" curtains. Not expecting perfection, but as comfortable as we can achieve by repurposing and arranging our existing belongings with the addition of a few rugs and accessories. Out of curiosity, what is the rule on curtains and rugs? Should there just be a couple of inches between the ceiling and the curtain rod? What if the curtains will be primarily left open? Will the eye still be drawn up if the white space will be showing in that instance? For rugs, how far should they extend beyond the furniture? How much space should remain between the rug and the wall or edge of the room? Thanks!

Dustyn Broyles wow you have come a long way. Looks like you have put a lot of effort into making your space it's best. I was thinking your curtains could be done inexpensively if you were to sew to the top or the bottom an extra piece of fabric. It could be nice in some of the patterned material at the top of this page. Give the room a little more interest and drama ya know. Or my other suggestion would be to do a faux window valance. I totally understand renting and not wanting to spend more than u have to. Or put any more holes in the wall for that matter. I read a book a while back that talked about being happy in the space you are in. So even though u r renting you should make your house your home because at the end of the day u still live there. Good luck. I think the space is looking much better from when u began.