SFGate

thelmalouisemom I like the large urns on the hearth and the round orbs in the center.The two plates on stands with the round mirror are too many rounds objects together. Perhaps a larger mirror or nice artwork. If possible, paint the gold around the firebox.

sonn122 Thank you! the urns will not fit on the top mantel, the mantel is not deep. We do want to paint the gold but its brass and we are not sure you can paint brass?

Engrav's Decorating I would buy or build pedestals left and right of fireplace, not as high as the mantel and place your beautiful vases on display.
I love your plates especially the red one. I would add more colorful accents on the mantel for contrast and lift.

aniluap2 Too much stuff. Remove the urns if they can't fit on the mantel, remove the spheres and the plates they don't seem to match each other or anything else on the mantelscape and put up a larger scale mirror with an interesting carved or metal frame. Maybe are rectangle or oval . The silver sculptures can stayer add something with a little more visual 'weight ' maybe add something like a potted plant on the other side or an arrangement of mercury glass candle sticks and small bottles.If you want to put anything to the hearth, add fireplace tools on one side. Bring a chair over on the side opposite the tools and angle it on the side. The key is you should have the accessories 'speak to each other' they need to have a unifying theme, whether that is color, form or theme. When there is a bunch of objects placed there it looks like that and thats why its not cohesive and harmonious to the eye.

scotshot I agree pedestals on each side of the fireplace. They should match either the wall or trim color, black would be too heavy. The fire screen needs to be black - or possibly chrome. A round mirror 9"-10" larger will be of better proportion to the mass of the firebox. Also a frame that is not as wide as shown. The candlesticks should stay, but put candle in them! The plates are actually fine and should stay if YOU like them. If you switch out use something of roughly the same scale. For a touch of color add orchids and switch them out as needed. Adding a chair, unneeded fireplace tools or small gewgaws clutters what is a clean architectural look. Collect photos that have the look you like, talk with friends whose taste you admire. The final decision, though, is the one you're comfortable with, not one that's been dictated to you. Enjoy! You're almost there!

Cathy Mills I'd put the urns on the floor beside the fire place, and yes the brass is awful, they make paint for it, it is fireproof paint, much like what you would paint an outside gas grill with, but for all that work, I think I would just buy a new one, "Plow and Hearth" sell a variety of styles.

Jayme Hobbs Those urns are large, but I like them. IDK I feel like a larger, rectangular mirror would look better, and a few changes in the accessories..

Jayme Hobbs Colors may not be right..was going for a look

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I agree that the urns on the hearth are too big. I would definitely use them elsewhere. Actually, they could make a nice pair of lamps if you had them wired.

I would remove the two candlesticks from the mantel, leaving the mirror and the two plates. But I would move the mirror about 8" to the left, off center, and then move the plates somewhat to the left, creating an interesting arrangement of the 3 round objects.

I'm not sure what I would put on the hearth until I see the new mantel arrangment.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

aniluap2 I like the asymmetrical arrangement that Carolyn Albert-Kincl design suggested of the mirror if a larger one is not in the budget. Jayme Hobbs photos are a great idea of balance and color harmony on the mantle. I think you notice the shiny gold on the fireplace more now since they fight with the silver objects around them but a soothing scheme on the mantel will detract from the fireplace surround and it will fade into the background.

sonn122 Your ideas are all very helpful! Here are the urns now on either side of fireplace, i'll look into the cost of replacing the ugly brass insert.the living room is very narrow, here is how i've been arranging it so far. I could put these large urns in the bay window or dining room as well. What are your thoughts?

Barbara Griffith Designs I love the idea of turning the urns into lamps..very easy to do. The candlesticks are to wimpy. I also like the asymmetrical idea, Except I would have a very large rectangular mirror, hung vertically, off center, with the 2 round plates on the opposite side, and a small green plant on mantle as well. Paint the brass black. Nothing on the hearth. Use the round mirror on a much smaller wall space. Add a chair with a high back on left (angled to room) and a green tree(ish) plant in a very large painted pot on the right.

Barbara Griffith Designs In the latest pictures, the candlesticks are still too wimpy, and the urns are lost on that wall. I love so much of what you have in your rooms. But please extend you drapery rod (replace rod with a darker color) way off the sides of the window and have you drapes hang straight down, don't pull them back as in the photo. Simple is better. You can either replace the brass on the fireplace or as mentioned above, there are paints made just for that. The converted urns to lamps would look great on the end tables on the window wall, as the ones there are too small. Change out your sofa pillows to ones that pick up the red colors in your great rug. If there is no room for the chair I suggested for the left side of the fireplace I would place an identical large plant/pot as I mentioned above.

Engrav's Decorating They are beautiful on the side. Now they need to be on a pedestal end table height.

Jayme Hobbs Does anyone else feel the mirror isn't quite large enough?

coocoonani The mirror is definately too small

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I love the way your rug works with one of the round plates on your mantel. Your dining room has a few problems. I would remove what looks like something you've placed on the top of each chair. I would change your centerpiece arrangement to something lower and simpler. You could try the two urns there, separated by about 36" from one another, but they not be right. What I really think it needs is a large bowl with just a few items in it. It could be similar to what is on the table in the picture below, but I'd eliminate the two other objects shown in the photo.

sonn122 I took your advice but i like those placemats on my chairs they do tie in with my rustic orange rug in living room

Engrav's Decorating I think there are too many round things. Different shapes make it more interesting as well as more color in the objects you use.
If you keep the plates, perhaps use a rectangle for your mirror.

Engrav's Decorating You could use more accents from the color of your rug on the mantel. You could choose a painting with the rug color over your mantel and it would really add beauty to the silver accents.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I don't think the mirror is too small. By itself, perhaps, but with the plates, it should be fine.

belladonah After seeing more of the room, i have another one or two ideas. Barbara said the mirror is too small.
She is absolutely right. My thought earlier was to bring the urns up on mantle to balance out, however, now that i know the mantle is not deep enough, i have two more thoughts. Chair is a good idea, and a functional one. However, if you don't "need" the seating, what about a nice pair of Torchiere lamps. The up lighting would look dramatic and you could really use height on each side of the f/p. if you can let go of the round mirror (relocate) Barbara's idea of a rectangle is the way to go. Jayme was so correct in telling you the big mistake people make, is they do everything too small to scale. On the other hand, because your f/p is on the smaller size,be sure to find the correct scaled mirror. check out the Uttermost site. Another option for the two corners could be the following. Purchase two good quality trees (as someone mentioned) and put them each in very large size porcelain pots, and go to a lighting store and tell them you want to do some up lighting in your plants. This will light up the trees onto the wall to create shadow, and will open up that wall up as well. Hope this helps.

mac9 I see the entire wall with white book shelves around the black fireplace. It will hold books and these lovely pieces and give interest to the wall. Yes on spray painting the surround black. Good luck.

sonn122 Thank you all so much for your brillant ideas! There are so many options to think about. I do need seating though since i have the narrow room with the two couches. I will keep all your ideas and definately keep playing around with these ideas. It's all a work in progress.

Jayme Hobbs My eyes keep going to the circular plate from the mirror and back again...It seems wrong to me.

belladonah your eyes are right, it is. sorry.

belladonah If the room can handle it, use ne of my suggested last options, "with" angled seating in front. Depending on size of space, and scale of chairs. The lit trees could be a great backdrop.

aniluap2 I agree with barbara griffith the urns dont make sense there.The plates make more sense now that I see the color in your rug, so they should stay. Barbara is also right on track with the window treatments. The rod should be extended and they should hang straight down on either side of the window.
Your instincts are right and the room as w whole looks great it just that the accessories are a little off proportionally. The side lamps are lovely except they are too tall and slendor for their place and the tablescape would be better served being simpler but bold per the above photo.

groveraxle Your rooms are beautiful, but please, please...unleash your drapes!

sonn122 Hi all. I've found these chairs which i think go in scale and are functional for more seating. I also changed out the accessories on the mantel. What do you think now?

Jayme Hobbs I think it looks great!

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I think if you're going to put chairs in that location, I would make them larger, comfortable chairs and I'd be tempted to give them an ottoman to share.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

sonn122 I ordered these for either end of fireplace they are 16" inches high so these chairs can use a side nook for a cocktail. They are much smaller in size than those urns i previously bought

joannpb I think the real problem is there is too much going on on the fireplace and nothing on either side. Try just moving the large urns to the floor on either side. If you don't want them directly on the floor, they could stand on shallow plant stands. You might swap the round mirror for a rectangular one. but I don't think that will be necessary if you move the urns. Actually, the composition is rather nice with a little different balance.

aniluap2 Great job with rhe rearrangement. Made a world of difference.

nramsey1 I like the silver urns. Just move them to each side of the fireplace, on the floor. That would expand the look of the fireplace. You could even use oriental stands for them if you feel they would sit too low by themselves. Love the colorful plates. Like previous comment about moving mirror off center.

nramsey1 One more thought...trade out the easels for the plates for clear acrylic ones. That way the plates are more impressive without the distraction of the wood easels.

inkwitch Okay, everyone has commented ad infinitum. However, here's a few thoughts.

Mirror. Love the mirror. It's not particularly too small, but it is hung too low. Looks like it's sliding down the wall into the fireplace. Reverse the amount of space above and below it so that it has more space below the mirror than above.

Love the new candlesticks, but I don't like hte plate on the mantel. There really doesn't have to be something on the other side. It can be empty. If you feel you must put something there, I'd rather see something horizontal.

I like the orange plate; it adds to the rug. Why not lay it down on the hearth? And I like those silver urns. One urn on the hearth would be sufficient and would look right. On the opposite from the candlesticks. Assymetrical but balanced.

However, although you havent' asked, I am unsettled by your furniture and it's arrangement. The 2 sofas are off-center from each other - which I can understand since the doorway is running the arrangement. However, in this room, 2 sofas are too much. Replace the right=hand one with the 2 chairs, with a long-ish table in between. Maybe the coffee table. Don't care for that coffee table in this decor. Love the lucite lamp; I have the same one. Whoever suggested letting draperies hand straight instead of swagged - excellent. Swagged isn't much done; dated.

The rug looks like something you loved that you didn't want to get rid of, but ignored as to the color. Some sofa pillows (but not any in the chairs -- too uncomfortable to sit in with a cushion unless you change out the chairs for something larger) with orange would look better. There are plenty of formal patterns that will work with your decor. And a taller floor lamp for the sofa.

Well, just thoughts. It's a beautiful room, and with a little tweeking, it would be stunning! You have excellent taste and have made good choices.

scotshot Hi- Your comment popped up in my email today - april 6 (?). I was wondering, what did you do? I hadn't really read in depth comments sections before & found you were offered such a wide range of suggestions. Maybe houzz would consider showing before & after pictures? Hoping you enjoy your new space!

sonn122 Here is the final look

Jayme Hobbs Looks really nice..good job!!

aniluap2 Good job. Well balanced.

the essentials inside Beautiful job!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com