SFGate

Cynthia Taylor-Luce The first thing that strikes me when I look at this room is, forgive me (because you were asking about the wall), that the paint colour has absolutely no relationship with any of the furniture. In fact, it's completely "off". If you were to repaint in a colour that softly complemented your rug and furnishings, then you'd feel much better in this room, I'm sure.

Because you appear to be wanting a bold statement, I'd suggest Benjamin Moore CARAMEL APPLE CC-450 or FIRENZE AF-225. A softer palette might be CAPILANO BRIDGE CC-440 or SERENDIPITY AF-205. You could even paint the fireplace wall in either the CARAMEL APPLE or the FIRENZE and do the rest of the walls in your trim colour, just mixed as an eggshell finish.

Once you'ave addressed the colour of the walls, then approach the artwork solution. I think the problem is that if you're going to have one single piece hanging there, it's much too small. The sofa is likely about 80" long. I think a piece that's for instance 24" high by 48" long would look much better. Or you could do a grouping, perhaps a set of six pictures all the same size and framed identically, hung in a grid of 3 over 3. This would look organized and well-planned, and the visual weight would balance with the large heavy sofa.

There are many other solutions for art, and I'm sure others will post them, but these I think are the simplest and easiest to achieve. Best of luck to you on turning this into a room you'll be very happy to spend time in.

d5sc Oh, I should explain that the rug is temporary. We just replaced berber with hardwood floors and plan to purchase a solid cream color area rug.

Cynthia Taylor-Luce Doesn't really matter, d5sc. I think the wall colour is too harsh with the leather and too strident with the antique chair...

d5sc Thank you! For 2 yrs, I have struggled with this room! Now I know it is the paint color!

Cynthia Taylor-Luce Aw d5sc... I've got goose bumps! Two years of worry? and it's over now? Fantastic.

Do check the colours on large boards (I like to paint foamboard) to be absolutely sure. I was only working off your photo plus my monitor, so colours can be a little off. My suggestions will give you direction as to the depth of colour and basic tone, which can be tweaked as needed.

Now go forth and paint and be happy! :)

Montgomery Communications nice question -- it is fun to try to think of something that will help! :-)
my answers, like others, is not immediately about the wall.

i agree another color will solve a lot of what makes you uneasy.

i also would like to add (you're gonna be surprised by this) that another thing that will help is pulling everything more toward the center, and away from the walls. please laugh with me when i say this, but it looks like the furniture and everthing is glued against the walls. :-)

another color, and a more (what i will call ) gracious seating arrangement, and a lot of ideas will come to you. simply pulling everything away from the wall 6 inches will change everything a LOT.



some thougths -- random and off the top of my head:
it would be great to flank the sofa with shelving units, with lighting. that would take up a lot of the wall, and offer texture, interest, and lighting.

another thought -- typically the fireplace is the focal area post here asking everyone for some mantlepiece makovers, and go searching here for ideas as well. once THAT is the focal point, you can find some subdued things to group together behind the sofa, and the eye will be drawn where it sort of kind of 'should' be drahttp://blog.hgtv.com/design/files/2010/04/lettered-cottage_spring-mantel.jpg
wn to as well.

hope this makes sense, and hope you find some ideas that make you happy and make you love being in your room! :-)

some of these you'll like, some you won't, but just consider them as gettin' the ol' creative juices gon'
http://inbloomnewyork.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/mantel.jpg
http://media.onsugar.com/files/ons1/192/1922794/32_2009/d16d3d8b02a27ccc_85.Mantel.xlarge.jpg
http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/103723597637353860_whyfsUXG_b.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7dli_XHKyU/Tr6zIQV0pgI/AAAAAAAABNA/nwyJRym_LyQ/s640/Mantel+with+branches.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mL8a5p_5fg4/TIpnwKmubDI/AAAAAAAAAN4/6YQg3fyot98/s640/Fireplace+Symmetry+2.jpg
http://housetoyourhome.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/symmetry.jpg

personally, and feel free to reject this, after looking at your furnishing, and fireplace, and the new rug, think a grey would be yummy terrifi!!
http://store.benjaminmoore.com/storefront/shop-by-color/best-selling-paint-colors/best-selling-grays/cndShopByColor-cbestSellingPaintColors-cbestSellingGrays-p1.html

enjoy!!

krystenm a large painting on canvas would be great instead of the picture

marthaterry I would paint the walls a pale mint green and cover the chairs in a mint/brown print. Sisal rug with no border and you will have a great looking room.

susan609 Are those 3 ottomans opposite the fireplace? If so, I suggest moving two of them in front of the sofa to act as small coffee tables or ottomans (ottomen?) Then bring the antique chair more into the room off the corner of the sofa, perhaps at the same angle it is at currently. The remaining ottoman can go where the chair was or next to the white chair with the basket on top. A throw over one of the ottomans in font of the sofa would bring some color into the room, especially since you are taking out the rug, maybe a color from the pillows or the antique chair. Of course, if those are not three ottomans, my suggestions are not worth the ether they are written on . . .

d5sc I will take all of this and many more ideas into my soon to be new and loved room! Krystenm, for this photo, I actually removed a print from my husband's office to place on the wall.

krystenm awesome!

d5sc WOW! Without changing my wall color and carpet (yet), I can not believe how much of a difference the room looks and feels! Thank you all and hope you see the 'simple' changes I have made! Feel free to make more suggestions!

Design Organize No one has addressed this yet, but look at the varying heights around your room, plus the number of items in the room.
When I am with a client I often have them help me count the number of pieces of furniture that are usually lined up around the room. Plus, I like to bring most elements down to the same level.
You have a good start with putting the ottomans in front of the couch (large blank space before).
Now, try removing the chest from beside the fireplace, the chair in the left foreground as well as whatever the basket in the right foreground is sitting on.
Take the tall floor lamp out of the corner and put a table lamp between the two chairs.
Put a table beside the couch (on both ends if you have enough tables of the right height) and put a table lamp on it/them. Now you have more intimate lighting, and all down at a level that everyone lives at (instead of higher than their heads when they are standing).
Take down the dark picture/mirror above the fireplace. It is the most predominant feature of the entire room. You need a cascading green plant on one end of the mantel, and one accessory/piece of art on the other end of the mantel (and not at the extreme either end, but balanced).
If you don't want to change the color of the walls, then change the pillows to match the walls. Come up with pillows in shades and textures that will complement the walls.
Your room is on the way, but it needs to be simplified and more unified in height.
Best to you!

Montgomery Communications Design Organize -- great thoughts!!!! Thank you -- you uncovered a few things that were not feeling right for me as well. noted!

d5sc, if you are not able to move the TV, perhaps at least bringing it down some might help?

Behind the sofa and i am also thinking sconces.

d5sc I can move the TV but really want to have that as my very last option. The chest to the left of the fireplace, I can not move because it is holding the components for the surround sound, home speakers, etc etc. and hiding the wires that come with all of that nonsense.

Sconces on each side of the tv? Removing the lamps I added?