SFGate

peetsoo Just noticed that in the photos the paint colour looks off .....it is actually a creamy beige colour........

Jayme Hobbs I can envision chairs and a table in a seating arrangement in front of that window..wait/are those doors?...can sofa move to wall behind chair? Is your sofa black?

blindsdirectcanada I would remove the sheers and put up Silhouette type blinds instead its a much cleaner look when its mounted inside the frames.

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/blinds-toronto/hunter-douglas/silhouette-toronto.html

Christine Lema It's hard to tell what is opposite of the couch, but I would pull the couch away from the window and place a table and two chairs there. It's really a pretty window but the couch is covering part of it. Curtains with a pattern and throw pillows to break up the dark couch would look really nice. How about a larger piece of art or mirror over the antique chest? Maybe move the art that is next to the tv cabinet to the space above the chest? great space!

peetsoo The room is long.......19" by 11 (with a 2' bump-out at the window). The sofa is dark blue (very dark). Also causing me some restrictions with arrangement is that there is an eating bar at the kitchen near the brown club chair so it is as far as it can go without obstructing the path to the dining area beside the kitchen (near the patio doors). I have in the past had the couch facing the window but find it makes the room too cut up given where the tv cabinet is. I have also had it where the club chair is (infront of the hutch) but then never know what to do with the rest of the space.........

Barbara Griffith Designs That ceiling is fantastic, and I love the windows, but you need longer drapery panels..they should be hung at the ceiling. If you are planning a colorful rug (I would) then the drapes should be a solid color, maybe with texture..not sheers. If not a colorful rug, then choose a great pattern & color (maybe geometric) for the drapes.

peetsoo Thanks for all of the input......I had never considered having the curtains go above the transoms before......I love the idea of blinds but I'm guessing they would be very expensive...... I do love this room....my favourite in the home........just looking to make it the best it can be........and I'm not one of those people that can envision a room............The rug we have is a thick shag that is a taupe color and we actually love that (we have a matching one in the living room that is visible accross a hall so it kind of seems like it flows)...........I do like the idea of doing something funkier with the curtains though.........thanks all........this is fun!

peetsoo ....way more fun than going with my mother in law's suggestions..........I love her dearly.....just not her decorating advice

blindsdirectcanada If you went with the silhouette it would be quite pricey. However there is a company called
Shade O'Matic which is Hunter Douglas sister company. They make the same product at a much lower price.

Leslie Kreger I think I would move the couch to where the club chair is currently....float it out from the wall, facing the TV cabinet (which I would paint white to match your ceiling and trim). The club chair could possibly go in the window alcove, angled to face the couch. You could leave the chest where it is, or move it under the little window...you could centre the TV cabinet on the wall it is currently on (remove the art).
Great curtains, with a coordinating throw and some pillows and you should be good to go:)

Have fun~

peetsoo Jayme........the sofa could go on the wall near the club chair but then it would be almost 18 feet from the TV cabinet...........that is what is stumping me.........the room is so long......

Jayme Hobbs Has the tv cabinet been on the wall where the hutch is now? Sofa on wall where tv is now...maybe floated out a bit?

peetsoo I wish I knew how to do a floor plan on here............I had that thought too Jayme but if I floated the couch on that wall it would sit awkwardly infront of my dining table .(near the patio doors)....if you picure an "L" shape....that is my family room (the long part of the L) and dining area.........the kitchen would sit inside of the L.

peetsoo these are a few pics that will show how the kitchen enters the picture near the club chair (I posted them in another discussion)

cathyjoco Its very nice; If you want to move your furniture around I would try this: Switch the couch and the chair. Put the couch at an angle, but try to keep the front of it on the carpet. Move the table in front of the couch. Put the chair in the corner of the window - at an angle facing the couch. It is a large chair, so it may have to be on the outside of the nook. Put the ottoman in front of it. The light in the corner should be by the chair. You may want to move the TV cabinet over to make room for the chair. Put a tray on the ottoman with some of the items from the small armoire. Move the picture above the small armoire. You probably need curtains at 120", you should be able to find some on ebay, or use fabric and stitch up the ends for pockets. Get something with a large pattern or striped. Because of the leathery look - you may want to get a soft throw and cascade it over the top/arm of the couch. Get some soft looking pillows - try to buy a few with a pattern then coordinate a few solids. I don't work off a big budget, so I go to local yard sales and the estate sales.

peetsoo thanks cathyjoyco.........some great suggestions there.............I will be enlising the hubby to help me move furniture to try out all of the wonderful suggestions..........he'll be thrilled!

peetsoo Barbara Griffith Designs............the more I think about your suggestion, the more it makes sense to me......I can see from the pics that raising the curtains would emphasize the height of the ceilings......thanks so much for that suggestion......

Melissa Elizabeth Beautiful room and congratulations on your renovations!! I would consider raising the drapes, buying inexpensive canvas slipcovers (probably in ivory or another color of your choice both matching) for the chair and the couch, some inexpensive colorful throw pillows, and putting the couch where the chair is and putting the chair to the left of the window with a little side/reading table next to it. A hutch shorter than the small window would fit under it nicely! If you find a flea market table to go behind the sofa, you could create height and balance with some vases, florals, etc! Just some quick thoughts!

Melissa Elizabeth Another thought is Just slip covering the couch in ivory brushed canvas - that will look nice with the leather brown chair as well and save money on slip covers! Also, if new longer drapes are in the budger I see blues and whites (in the same shade as the trim). I would mimic the colors in the curtains in your throw pillows, a rug, a vase on a table behind the couch etc. Hope you have fun with this!

peetsoo last bunch of pics (I promise) just to show the space on the other side of the room........and the print I can't bring myself to remove as I waited years to frame it and love it.......but like the suggestion of putting it over the hutch............

cathyjoco Wow! everything is very nice. You can put your picture on any wall - above the computer table or in place of the candle holder. You can put the computer table behind your couch, so it functions as a library table; you can put a lamp on it and then you will be able to read while you are on the couch. .I think right now everything is a little stark, but as you warm it up with colors and fabric, the 'dark' items will disappear.

cathyjoco Here is website with curtains and colors: http://www.prioritywindows.com/contemporary-simplistic-rooms.html

peetsoo thanks again for everyone's help

cathyjoco Peetsoo - here is a nice photo from pottery barn...http://www.potterybarn.com/products/faux-amaryllis-pinecone-arrangement/?pkey=climited-warehouse-sale&cm_src=limited-warehouse-sale%7C%7CNoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

Barbara Griffith Designs After looking at all of this, I still think my original comments are where I stand. I think your best layout is where you started. The real problem is the lack of color and punch. It is about a colorful large patterned rug, Then maybe a geometric pattern on drapes(to the top) (white & 1 color from rug). Then colorful pillows. Currently everything in the room is either beige or brown...not good. You also need something very large, tall and colorful above the chest to the right of the big window. A solid or very small print pattern on your dining chairs..reds? The candle piece on the wall next to the table is way too small..buy a round framed large mirror for that spot. The computer area is messy looking. Find something with a solid back. It doesn't look very deep now, but I think you can find something or build it. You could install a board wall to wall deeper and add a piece of decorative trim along front edge. Add flat boards underneath to cover the back wall and the 2 side walls...a desk. The space then could have a large collection of framed alike family photos of different sizes to cover most of that wall above the desk. If you try any of this, find the rug you love first the rest will just happen.

Jayme Hobbs Agree with Barbara Griffith...needs color and some pattern..Love your home!

Keitha Just thinking of Melissa's idea of the slipcovers...even though I think they would look great I would have a little concern about them staying in place on very slippery leather?? I'll have to say that I haven't bought a slipcover in a long time but just a concern I thought I might share. Think the biggest improvement you could make is definitely take Barbara's suggestion to replace the drapes and hang them at the ceiling to add height. What a great renovation so far. You added SO much character to the room with the hardwood floors and new ceiling.

peetsoo Thanks........so many good ideas ...but at least now I have a plan. Barbara, I agree the computer area is messy. Before the reno I had the antique hutch in that alcove and used it to store my better better dishes. In the midst of shuffling things when the floors were being done the computer was set up there and never moved. I agree it should be moved. I will definitely raise the curtain rod and look to infuse some colour.......I think I tend to steer away from it not quite knowing where to start......I'll try to be more brave:) Greatly appreciate everyone's ideas. I think sometimes when you live in a space, you kind of lose sight of the bigger picture........interesting that I see some of my boo-boos/shortcomings when I see the space through photos however.....

Barbara Griffith Designs You can leave your computer in that spot just trim it out and paint it your trim color, cover your cables and it would be fine...start with the rug.