SFGate

decoenthusiaste Before you put anything on the wall, I think you may want to do some better furniture arranging. Can you post more pics so we get a perspective of the entire space?

kimwilliams0919 More pics. Thanks! We also have a mantle being built and installed next week.

madparkermom Is that a tile floor underneath the red oriental carpet? It's looking a bit hodge podge with so many different elements & could use some clearer 'focal points' like more integrated seating areas, more unified color scheme & less clutter...even small fixes like the right throw pillows an accent chair, mirror and lampshades could be used to pull the room together if color is considered here, say an accent color like red to pop out against the otherwise rather netural tone of the upholstered furniture and walls.

cypress I think you need to rearrange your furniture pieces by pulling sofa and large chair forward into the room and on the carpet. Right now everything is lined up. Remove small end table next to the sofa and if budget allows add a console table behind the sofa with lamps. I also think you need a larger coffee table. I can't see the fireplace wall, but maybe furniture could also be arranged with your fireplace as the focal point.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Either a large picture or a group of smaller pictures would work well over your sofa. Even a rug hung over the sofa would be interesting.

Other houzzers have raised some valid concerns above, but I know it's tough when you join two families to sort out which furniture pieces to keep and which to sell or give away. That can lead to a chaotic look to begin with. I'm sure that with time, you will figure things out while keeping all family members happy. Best of luck!

madparkermom Also I can't tell from the brightness of the light in the picture what kind of windows & treatments might you have or be considering? I would attempt to pull this element together with an accent color like red in this room. Where is the mantel going? If you're adding some custom woodwork elements, how about a cabinet to enclose the television? Consider fabric to pull this space together--maybe it would warm up the room and make the room seem cozier to add two drapes tied back to hooks on the wall over the doorway opening into the kitchen.? Just some thoughts...

Ramona I can't get any sense of this room at all from these photos. Maybe you could post pictures in order as you go around the room. We don't even have a picture of the fireplace wall. Generally, the problem of what to do with the fireplace and tv has to be solved first, then the furniture gets arranged in relation to those focal points. Take all the small objects out of the room, arrange the furniture so that it is oriented towards the tv and fireplace, then take new pictures. Don't put anything on the walls at all, yet.

Where do the double doors lead to? Why do you have your furniture lining the walls when the tv is across the room? Is there a dining room attached?

kimwilliams0919 The living room is "sunken" by one step. These pics are clockwise starting from the fireplace and TV pic. (Tree is headed up to artic). Double doors stay closed. The other side is a bedroom for now.

kimwilliams0919 This is our dining area. Picture take. From liv room

kimwilliams0919 Pic taken from liv room (moved the tree again!)

nikitasmom Does the television have to stay on that wall? I think it would be better on the opposite wall.

Donna Hethcote Well, first of all, I would move that book case to the other side of the room next to the doors and push the sofa over a little. Then I would hag a big mirror or painting above the couch. Then I would move the tv over some and put the recliner on that side of the room too.

Valvorie Dunn Do you have to get to the bedroom through the double doors?

Doreen Perez Archilla To add some interest and not break the budget, pick up a Pottery Barn catalog check out their furniture arrangements and for that wall you might try creating a PB inspired collage with some nice black and white pictures or whatever pictures you like and other decorative items. Their magazines will give you a ton of ideas. Try moving the couch up closet to the rug, too. Another thing, you might consider is covering the couches with slipcovers and knocking down the wall behind the small couch for a more open floor plan and better lighting. You should also change the wall color and paint the longest wall behind the large couch in an accent color since there is just too much beige going on in the room. Besides Pottery Barn's magazines, you can try Ballard Designs, Home Decorator's Collection and any other interior decorating magazine that fits your style. Start with the floors, then the walls, window treatments, furniture pieces and placement, and then the accessories. Don't be afraid to mix styles and colors, either. Most importantly, have fun with the entire creative process.

Julie Goodenough The room is too beigey-tan. It needs color. The walls need art that you love, preferably colorful art.

maryellen_perone I agree with a previous comment. Move the tv to the wall opposite and then reconfigure the furniture in an L configuration with the longest seating piece on the wall and then the shorter seating pieces on the other part of the L. The end table with the heartcutout is too skinny and does not go with the rest of the furniture. Replace with a larger end table. If you must do two lamps on either side of sofa, for light, consider balancing out one of the lamps on the table with a standing floor lamp of same height. I would also add a large potted plant, or tree (not plastic) somewhere in room to balance out floor lamp height. Maybe a large decorative mirror over longer sofa.

kimwilliams0919 Thank you all so much for your comments! The double doors are kept shut. There is a bedroom door for entrance. I really like the idea of moving the TV to the opposite wall! My husband has a huge subwoofer and two large speakers that are an awful eyesore. I think they would be less noticeable against the sofa wall. (The sofa wall is load bearing with a half bath behind it)

rlgirl Could you pull your furniture away from the wall, centering the couch facing the fireplace as your focal point? Place the love seat, with a table at one end of the couch, forming a "L" shape. (rug angled in the center of the seating area.) The TV may have to be moved closer to the fireplace. Hopefully there would be room to pull the chair into the seating area, too. Also, I think you would be able to access your double doors if needed.

loroca I agree with the comments about bringing your furniture closer together towards the rug, but its an awkward space for furniture placement. Corner fireplaces kind of limit your options too. I was thinking.... This room would be perfect as a dining area. Maybe the room on the other side of the doors could be the living area? Something to think about.

Teri Fortner I think some nice uppercase living vinyl decor sayings would be a great idea just saying lol since I am a demonstrator for them and add some family pictures in groupings and rearrange furniture a bit add a few new pillow to add a cheep new look !!! Adding a few pictures of a few ideas will be in two groups !!!

Doreen Perez Archilla Here is a pic of a collage I created in a guest room.

Teri Fortner The pallet idea I shared would be a cheep idea you can get them from lots of stores FREE !!! Tree branch you can ask around and get from from friends cutting down trees or talk to a few tree trim places and see if you can get some branches from them for FREE !!! Picture frames and also be bought from dollar stores!!!

pjoa I have a living room that has lots of big openings and nothing lines up square. Makes me crazy. What I did was put the sofa on an angle from the edge of the fireplace and the TV angled in the corner across from the sofa. If that works in your room you could then put the large chair in the corner where the bookcase is and put the bookcase flat against the wall where the sofa now is. If you must leave the sofa where it is I would move that bookcase cabinet to the dining room and center the sofa with tables both ends. Michaels has some collage templates for wall art and one of those may work for you for artwoork/pictures over the sofa. Then you need something soft between the fireplace and TV. Maybe a stack of floor pillows....??? Good luck!

Teri Fortner heres a few more ideas OR a nice family tree would be nice !!!

Angela Himmer I would get some 3D wall squares to fill the wall behind the sofa, then paint them a nice rich colour, such as a copper orange. Here is the link for the panels. http://3dwalldecor.com/
Also take the cabinet at the end of your sofa and put it over in the opposite corner beside your TV console, which you might have to slide down a bit towards the fireplace

Caroline Thrasher Chappelle I agree with with above but would buy a throw for sofa with throw pillows to match rug, not to many u need sitting space and u don't want it to look over crouded. Iwould paint both ends of room red and the rest to make it pop.Go to estate or thrft stres and get square coffee and end tables, lamps with color on the base or shade.Over the sofa put a collection of pictures that u can buy at a thrift store and paint the frames black and add some black in other places.Add some plants here and there, it wii not cost alot and will pull every thing togeather, will give u a beatiful and welcoming room that people will think u spent a lot on.OH'' ADD SOME CANDLES.

Teri Fortner The board with spoon idea I shared would be a cheep way to use just an old board painted or stained and spoons bent and added can get the spoons and tea light candles all from a dollar store or get things from thrift stores or garage sales !!! I think the carpet in the middle needs to be a solid color and also add some color in room even paint the doors at the end of room would help some!!! Move Tv to the end of room !!! Paint the coffee table or use some pallets together put wheels on them . Good Luck have fun doing the changes don't let it stress you out have the kids do art work and put that in frames!!! Take care

Mary Bert Look around your home and see what pictures you have...maybe you could either create a memory wall...which is just getting similar frames in different sizes and trying it out for trial on the floor before mounting...or doing the same with a collection of art...If you got some brighter pillows, it would help the room colour not seeming all so similar...If possible remove the book shelf to another area and center your couch on that wall, but still put it out...I see you have a table behind another couch...you could put that behind the couch you pulled out...Good luck...and make sure to have fun...

Brenda Drexler When I look at the pictures I like the paint color you have. It is neutral, but not too light of a shade. I think your basic furniture is nice, but the large sofa and love seat are making the coffee table look small. The coffee table is not large enough to the scale of the other furniture. I would take it out. I would put a collage above the sofa. (There are awesome ideas in comments posted above!) I would also replace the pillows with new ones that are large scale to medium with various textures to add interest. Don't forget that you don't have to always use pictures on walls. There are mirrors, sconces, tapestries, shelves and florals that add interest without overdoing it. And, remember, some "dead space" is good. You don't have to fill every nook and cranny! Good Luck!

Teri Fortner This would be a cute idea use all the kids names on a wall !!!

Valvorie Dunn I know there is a step at the double doors, but I was thinking if you could hang some inexpensive curtains over the doors as if there was a window there it would open up furniture arrangement possibilities. I like the beige (I've lived with red, green & gold for so long). Two red pillows & artwork with red would give it some punch. Home Goods, Hobby Lobby, even Garden Ridge has some inexpensive choices.

Show to Sell, LLC Remove the floor lamp. Then do a wall arrangement with different shape mirrors. Throw in a photo of a sunset framed by you!

Valvorie Dunn BTW, if you have a Hobby Lobby by you, they rotate the things they have on sale at 50%. Watch the sales & you can buy prints one week & another week you can buy frames. They also have some great accessories you can get at 50% off. I did my daughters 1st home this way.

Teri Fortner check out pinterest or ikea for ideas or google ideas !!!

Ramona The more I look at your tv, the more I see that it has to live where the sofa seems to be now. It is just too big to be on that wall next to the fireplace.

Theresa Ferrari So many options with Uppercase Living!!!! http://www.WhenWallsTalk.com

casarietti studio How about a beautiful painting or print...bring some color into the space and make it a larger scale piece to fill the wall 72 x 36...or do like (3) pieces 24 x 30...it seems like you already have a lot of textures and shapes and sizes going on in book cases, pillows, etc...

Jane Pollard you've dedicated an entire wall for a tv and horrible speakers... first suggest you get small wireless speakers and rearrange your furniture. there are some fabulous suggestions above... the walls definitely need art and the room needs a punch of colour.

dellaann You mentioned that you have a blended family. How about a nice oversized black and white family portrait hanging above the couch? You take one or if you already have one that you love even better and make it into an awesome piece of artwork. There are places - search online - that can turn your photo into a large art piece. Then maybe you could punch up the space with some fun black, white, beige, and * insert your favorite color here * throw pillows. Then you could accessorize the room with that favorite color and that would tie everything together. Choosing the family portrait, coordinating pillows, and accessories would be an amazing project for all and I think would make for a really lovely family room. :-)

centaurita Have you tried taking everything out of the room? I mean everything! Clean Slate!! Walls and floor!

When you do that it is easier to visualize where things should go. I would do that first and decide what exactly must go back before picking any new wall colors or buying more stuff :).
Bring things in one at a time (starting with the tv and couch of course), and have friends and family there to help decide what is best.

Paulette Markham 1. Empty room
2. Remove shelf above fireplace. Replace it with a metal sculpture of tree branches. Not too red or
too shiny. Something in a copper-bronze color.
3. Center the T.V. on the wall (if it is to stay in the room). Get rid of the clutter in the T.V. stand. Leave
your electronics in the stand and consider removing the plain glass and replace it with wavy glass.
That way it will soften the look. I noticed there are speakers set apart from the T.V. If they can be
brought in a little closer without messing up the sound then it would look better. Nothing else
should be on that wall.
4. The corner area where the wall bumps out would be a great reading area. Especially if you are
not using the doors to the bedroom I wouldn't cover up the doors, but if something is a little close
it wouldn't matter. I would suggest a small table (the demilune behind the chair if it is not too wide
would work.) Angle a small reading chair with traditional lines. Place a candlestick lamp on the
table along with about 3 books either lying down, spine facing out ; or standing up between small
bookends.
I have other thoughts but no room to post.

Paulette Markham 5. Leave the sofa where it is pulled out just slightly from the wall so that it won't rub the wall. It looks
like it is a great size for a slip cover. (Pottery Barn) or if it is in good condition, leave it as it is.
Place an end table on the other end of the sofa. (NOTE: if the end table in the corner takes up
to much space, replace it with a floor lamp). Get rid of the "country" drop leaf table.
6 The chair that matches the sofa, if slip covered, should also match the sofa. But leave it in the
same position.
7. Let's talk about the end tables and coffee table. First of all, you need to rid yourself of all the tables
except for the demilune. Search for coffee table in a metal that blends with the sculpture over the
fireplace. The insert should be glass.
8. I can't really tell how much room you have on the other side of the door opening to the dining
room; however, it appears you do have room for a bookcase. So I would keep it. It appears to
look good angled as you have it.
9. You do need a rug, just not that rug. Something a little more contemporary. A large sisal with
a light or no pattern. Place pillows on sofa starting from the corners. Choose patterns that
compliment each other. Here is where you can burst with some color.
10. GETTING TO WHAT NEEDS TO GO ABOVE THE SOFA: A rather large oil painting. Here is
where you need to really bring in the reds, golds, pear greens, etc. Then work the pillow fabric,
lamps and shades in with the colors in the painting.

Ron Kith How about having a recessed wall to fit the tv in and also room for any family photos and memorabilias wall behind the sofa and put the sofa where the tv is!!!

Valvorie Dunn Do you have any current pics to show us? Would love to see your changes.