SFGate

mkritt Okay I was wrong about only being able to post one at a time!

AMN I like the pops of color you get from the panels. Grab the colors and incorporate them in your decorative pillows.

Are you open to painting the fireplace? I don't usually suggest doing so, but I think it might help this room's look.

I know it took time and effort, and you did a great job, but I have to say that I'm not a fan of the valence over the kitchen window. My suggestion would be to find a clean roman shade in one of the bright colors from the panels and replace the one you toiled over (sorry).

Obviously the L-shape configuration is more conducive to watching television in that room. So, I guess it's up to you on that one. I like this convo cluster too, and I think L-shapes look fine.

I think you'll begin to feel even better about the room once you get a good rug in there.

I like the wall color.

I can't decide on the lamps. I love their shape, color, and style, but I'm concerned about the height.

+ Artwork referencing the color in the curtain panels.

+ A live plant or two.

rivers300 Hi,
I think the lamps are way to big for the small tables they are sitting on, the scale of the items are off. If you want to keep the tables I would get different lamps that are more in scale to the table size and other items in the room. I would suggest lamp shades of a different color; maybe a color from drapes or the brick color of the fireplace. If you love the lamps spray paint the base in a fun color and get different tables that are bigger.

mkritt Thank you, you've brought up some of my concerns too especially about the height of the lamps. I have thought about painting the fireplace, but am not sure my husband would agree. I thought about having him encase most of the brick in the trim we have in the foyer and the dining room.Would that be too much wood? The valance in the kitchen is just napkins from the same material as the tablecloth curtains; I definitely think you're right about it! Thank you for your suggestions!

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I would replace the end tables and lamps with a sofa table and one or two shorter lamps, placing them behind the sofa that faces the TV. Then I'd move both sofas closer to the FP, allowing room at the opposite end for perhaps two slipper chairs, or a bench. The first table below from Ballard Designs ($169) would only require one lamp, while the second one from World Market ($229) would need two.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

movethisnotthat you have a very nice space ! Knowing you have tried many things in this space,leads me to say, only you know for what feels best to you. You are on the right track to finding a new rug for the space. Once you find that the rest of the room will fall into place, I like the white too, but wondering what other color it has been to show off all the white trim/millwork on the the walls. Use a color from your new rug, your space is bold so you could go bold. The size of the lamps is off to me, at least where they are. The lamp in the corner by the window and TV is just not right there either so I'd replace it or add a chair and ottoman in that corner. I understand why the couches are placed as they are. and also the L shape that would seem easier for watching TV. Is there another room for watching TV ?? If not...beefing up the wall where the TV is would be a good idea. Good thing your couches have nice low backs. Can't wait to see more of this space as you work on it.

cjohnston Those lamps are so fun and funky! I'm envisioning a longer, lower media cabinet, with these lamps flanking the TV.

rivers300 Hey, what about just painting the mantel for starters in white, that will make the brick look fresh and new and it will bring some white over to that side of the room. Also can you add the white ceramic items next to the TV to the mantel. I might also try placing the tv on an angle between the fireplace and the wall it is on now. So in other words like angled slightly in front of the window but not blocking the light cause it is a good distance away from the window. That way the other sofa can be placed facing the fireplace and can be used to view the TV. If you do this you will definitely need different end tables.

bollmansct I like the arrangement with the sofas flanking the fireplace.....very conducive to conversation. Agree with comments on the lamps being too big and I like the idea above of a console table behind the sofa with a lamp. I would pull out that red shade in your drapes as an accent color....a few pillows on the sofas with that shade of red would really pop. Bookshelves that blend with the TV console and placed on either side of the TV would be nice, perhaps with some red accent pieces (like a vase, tin boxes...etc.) on the shelves. Have you considered taking the art piece on the side of the TV and resting it or hanging over the mantle? Any possiblity to shine a light on the fireplace? That wall seems dark and the light would play up the red in the brick. You have a wonderful, open space. great for entertaining!

nononanna The lamps are so fun - try to use them somewhere. You could use a little slipper chair or two in some fabulous print and then a coupld of pillows in one of the strong colors from the print- maybe a mix of shiny sating and the print... But moving the lamps means that you'll need a couple more for next to or behind the sofa - one table lamp and one cool floor lamp maybe.

Something longer on the TV wall would be great.

mkritt @Carolyn, I like the idea of a sofa table and the slipper chairs too! @movethisnotthat, I have painted these walls pretty much every color variation (my family just shakes their heads) on the wheel and never thought I would actually like the white. I used to have a chair in the corner and I moved it. I'll have to put it back and see what you think. We watch TV in here just enough to warrant keeping it. Should the rug be a bold color like orange? Thank you for the ideas!

Keitha Cjohnson, I was thinking the same thing about the media cabinet and lamps. Love your choice and love the quirky lamps!

mkritt I love all of these suggestions! @cjohnston I love the long media center and the idea of putting my lamps on it. That side of the room need light at night and I do love those lamps, but I see that they are too big for where they're at now. Painting the mantel white would be easy and I could always sand it back down if that didn't work. Tomorrow I'm going to move some stuff around and see what you all think. I have other side tables (from other failed decorating attempts) I can try and some shorter lamps. I have this notion in my head that the TV needs to be under the beam to keep everything balanced.

Rosalinda Marie TV over fireplace?

nononanna Just came across a Beautiful room on the blog "good bones, great pieces" that's almost exactly your room but with a little more ooomph. I can't seem to get the picture over here - if you've got a second, take a look.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design TVs are best placed at a lower height than most fireplaces allow . Chiropractors and physical therapists will be making money off those lofty TVs that produce neck strain, and I'm sure they'd prefer to make money on problems that do not involve TVs placed too high

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Regarding your tall lamps, you could easily shrink them! If you change their harps, you could then place shorter shades on them and they would, thus, be shorter lamps. BTW, the harp is that part of the lamp that supports the shade. They come in variable heights and cost a pittance to change. Of course new lamp shades cost much more than a pittance. Life is tough.

collettec Lovely room and great job! I think you could add some architectural interest by painting the beams on the ceiling. A color the shade of the floors would still keep the light feel but add more visual interest to the room.

mkritt I don't like a TV too high either. The lamps are from the seventies and have a glass bowl that the shades sit in. Moving everything around tomorrow-have to do it while the husband is at work-he finds annoyingly funny that I change things around so much. So glad to have advice to hopefully stop the madness haha!

mkritt @ emzc Thank you! Years ago the beams were the natural cedar color and I painted them ( and took down the ick popcorn ceiling). That's an idea to maybe paint them. @nononanna I looked at that blog. I love that room!! I pinned it :)

cherylsorelle I love the way you have your room arranged! The sofas look great facing each other, and it's very inviting. Is there another family room space where you can put the TV? I think it throws off the whole look, against the wall with a sofa back to it. However, I agree with others that the TV would be way too high (and awkward) hanging over your fireplace.

mkritt Here are some images of what the room has looked like. I still have this entertainment center downstairs but was looking to make the room lighter. In the picture is a matching loveseat instead of the sofa. We put the window in a couple of years ago. That is a different lamp..apparently I have a thing for lamps that look like that.

mkritt Here is a pic when I had my orange chair in the corner.

mkritt This morning I tried the L-shape again, but I have this quirky balance issue and when the sofa facing the TV is even with the TV wall then the other sofa has to be in the way of the walkway. Oh and suggestions on what to replace the ceiling fan with would be appreciated too.Would a crystal chandelier be odd. I like accessories that make me smile when I look at them, like my Kohler's Pig picture.

cherylsorelle Personally (working with what you've got), I would move the TV more to the left on the wall and push the couch in so it doesn't obstruct the hallway. If you have a table to go behind the couch facing the kitchen, I'd do that and put a lamp on the left hand side. I would then get a table to go between the couch with a wide, chunky lamp. I just think this room needs to be functional since it's the family room. If it were simply a living room, I'd keep the couches facing each other...However, with a family room, I would sacrifice a little aesthetics for functionality...

movethisnotthat I love the way you are able to change up this space, it has a totally different look now with the paneling gone and the window added. I like the other end table too. I like fun and unexpected things in a room too so maybe you answered your own questions about the rug. Bright and fun, Orange or Red. I do like the orange chair in the corner just not "boxed in with plants. I like the white on white! L shape does look nice. Find a funky fun fabric ottoman too. Both couches are the same size right ?

cherylsorelle There are few great ways to decorate this room, but I'd keep the L shape as the foundation, unless you move the TV to another room. I think decorating a family room needs to revolve around the TV and what's the most comfortable...

bollmansct You have a very versatile room! A crystal chandelier would be interesting and fit the fun and eclectic style. But have you considered how you could use light in this room to create drama, accents and atmosphere? You might have more fun with small concealed white track lights or brushed steel cable tracks along the center beam or cross beams (and on a dimmer!). You can then direct the light to wash the fireplace wall, and the wall/ post leading to the hallway, the corner or center of the room, or highlight a piece of art or furniture, (direct away from the TV to reduce glare etc). This would create dramatic lighting in your room. Just a thought ... a way to use the lighting to create drama vs. having the light fixture be the drama.

Showcase Kitchen & Bath You have a nice large space so consider getting some larger pieces. I like a the height of the tall media cabinet you had before, or even have a built-in media center made on the wall where the TV is. The current cabinet and TV seem so small on that wall. Something else to consider is mounting the TV over the fireplace, then there is no quirky placement issue with having a sofa in front of the TV and you should still be able to see it from the kitchen. If you did move the TV off that wall that would give space for a large mirror or piece of artwork.

The fireplace, I hate to say needs to be painted or something. Stone would be great instead of that old dingy brick, but if that's not in the budget maybe painting the brick so it's "whitewashed" or weathered, and not just a flat white.

The color contrast on the walls in the older pictures adds dimension the the room. I believe you said you wanted a lighter feel to the room, which you can achieve with cooler colors like a light grey paint color. Then it isn't the stark white and not the warmer colors like you had before.

I like the lamps but they seem too thick for the space. Maybe it's just the scale of them on those smaller tables and the dwarfed TV beyond, but something is definitely off.

The ceiling fan is great to have, I would just get a new one that is larger, matches your decor better, and drop it down a few more feet.

mkritt So many wonderful ideas; my head is spinning! I definitely think the fireplace needs work. We had it converted to gas last year and now I love the front but not the brick. We have an identical fireplace in the basement; maybe I could practice different washes on it.We have talked about stone. I agree that the TV wall is just not working. Would just getting a longer media unit work and maybe mount the TV on the wall surrounded by artwork? @bollmansct thank you for the lighting ideas. @cherylsorelle If I move the TV unit out over from the middle of the beam will it look off balance or could I balance that with artwork? @movethisnotthat both couches are the same size, I do also have a loveseat that matches the sofas. I think I really like the idea of an orange rug.

peggib I love that orange chair! Not sure if anyone else has commented on it, but it is fabulous!! Please try to incorporate that-- too great to hide somewhere!

bollmansct Perhaps you could get a longer media unit and balance it with those great lamps of yours...the ones that looked too big next to the sofa. Find some thing you can prop them on and try it out to see if you like the look and proportion on that wall. Another althernative might be to paint your old media unit that had the bookshelves on either side. You could really have fun with a color that would make a statement on that wall.

mkritt @peggib I love that orange chair too. It was my daughter-in-law's grandmother's chair. It is in excellent shape. @bollmansct I really like the idea of painting the old media unit (not sure what my husband will think haha I was SO sure I didn't want to use it anymore and it was quite an ordeal carrying it downstairs) I'm not afraid to paint furniture; do you have a color you can picture or would it be best black? Oh my goodness that idea is really intriguing to me thank you!!

bollmansct Here is a link with great pics and tutorial for whitewashing the brick. Try it in your basement.....one coat is probably all you need. Remember - it will look very white at first, but then the brick will absorb the paint and you will get the variations that make it so interesting. Also -you can start by blotting it on with a rag and then you can always add more if you want. If you have some spare bricks in the yard or around the house....try a few and prop them up on the fireplace. You can get a sense of what it will be like before you are in "no turning back territory" . http://www.theyellowcapecod.com/2012/03/white-washed-brick-fireplacetutorial.html I happen to love the look of whitewashed brick....but many don't.

bollmansct Color for the media unit....hmmm. Black would work well. Is there a gray or deep charcoal gray color in your drapes (stems of flowers?)?? Here are two pics that might give you some ideas. Decide if you want the fireplace or that wall to be the focal point. Also - if you want to make that wall a focal point, then you could frame some colorful pics in simpple black frames and hang them in a line above the unit. This would draw the eye up on that large wall. (Are you into old comic books? pick some up at a flea market and frame the covers....fun and colorful. Makes an inexpensive but effective art grouping)

sfrealtor I prefer the sofas facing each other as well but it creates an incredibly odd and quite honestly dues functional setup for watching tv. I personally would have a surround built around the fireplace to hide the brick and accommodate the tv above. I hear you about not wanting the tv too high but it beats watching the tv over another sofa. This way you have one focal point instead of two. A long table could go against the wall where r
The tv is now and to accommodate the cool lamps. That's my 2 cents anyway

concordhome I think the couch in front of the media center looks odd. I like the L-shape arrangement but understand the problem with cutting off your walking space behind it. Perhaps you could use the love seat of the short side of the L next to the fireplace facing the TV wall and the longer couch with it's back to the kitchen forming the longer part of the L. That shouldn't take up as much walking space. I like the idea of using the larger media center and painting it. I would not put the TV over the fireplace. Please post your progress. You have the makings of a beautiful room.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I don't think that the sofa with its back to the TV looks odd at all. It appears to me that people in this house can watch TV occasionally, but that their whole lives are not tied up in it.
The sofas look wonderful flanking the fireplace.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

concordhome I'm sure, as professional designer, you are correct.

onthefence Carolyn, I don't have enough thumbs up for your comment about the TV. Thank you.

mkritt @Carolyn you are absolutely right, we don't watch TV in here that often (I probably do more then my husband) and mainly when I'm in the kitchen doing something. Our children are grown, we share our home with five rescue dogs and one cat. I really like your idea of a table behind the sofa.

@bollmansct thank you for the link and the media center pics. This room has always been a source of a decorating nightmare to me. I think I've changed it so much because I just can't quite make it like I like.

@concordhome thanks for the ideas. I get more excercise moving furniture around!

@sfrealtor I would love a pretty surround for our fireplace but I don't want the TV in there.

What if I took the TV out; any ideas on how I could arrange the room then? I really appreciate all the imput.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design If you got rid of the TV, you could put a large antique piece there.

concordhome Carolyn - this is a lovely piece. Perhaps the homeowner could put a TV inside a piece of this type, since she comments she does watch the TV while in the kitchen at times. This way it could be closed up completely when not in use or when entertaining. Love the baskets on top and she certainly has the ceiling height to make this work. I know she appreciates your help.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Indeed she could, concordhome. Great idea and thanks for the nice comments! She could alternately add some bookcases to the wall.

cranch39 I like the placement of the couches so, going from there...I'd enclose the fireplace with paint grade wood and paint it white, get a bigger rug with a pattern and color on it, pull the colors from the rug to put color on the walls and pillows to spice up the space. I also would put the TV above the fireplace because if you have the couches the way they are placed now, which I said I liked... :), I think the TV looks funny on the wall behind half of the seating in the room. Aren't there usually two or more people watching the television? Do they all want to line up on the one couch that faces the TV? I do like the idea of a large antique piece or some sort of wall unit put onto the wall where the TV is now...like the picture a couple of comments above. Once the TV is out of the way, you also can put a long table behind one of the couches with lamps on either end.

hormonal Is there anyway you could get more tablecloth material that you used on your draperies? If so, then make your draperies much fuller. Instead of only using one panel, try using at least two or two and a half. It will soften the windows and look much richer. The lamps. Are nice but too large. Wonderful space. It looks like red on the draperies. Why not use a nice pattern with red in it for pillows for sofa's. a larger rug is needed.

Keitha My vote is for the chandelier and if you remove the TV Carolyn's ideas of bookcases would give the room a cozy feel... Sneak that orange chair back in and you have a great reading nook?

patriciarhall @mkritt, here's how my dark cherry tv cabinet turned out painted old white with a tea glaze.

mkritt @hormonal I could make the curtains fuller. Good ideas thanks!!

@Keitha thanks for the chandelier vote!

@Carolyn I LOVE that antique piece and I could possibly hide the TV in there as concordhome suggested.

@patriciahall your tv cabinet is beautiful!!

So many ideas!

rivers300 Hi,
The couch placements look great. I think if you keep this setup you will need to move everything over to ward the wall a bit and in toward the fireplace so you have a walkway behind sofa.. If you try the TV slanted in front of the window you could place your orange chair back in the room in front of the new TV placement on the other side of the sofa you moved. The TV could be lowered off the component box you have it on and a nice size wall picture could be your new item that balances the room. Place picture on the wall in the same spot that TV is now.The best part is there will be no bad seat for TV viewing in the room.

mkritt @rivers300 I remember when you mentioned slanting the TV in front of the window. I wanted to try that today and then remembered I wasn't SuperWoman and will need help moving it. When you mention the couch placements are you talking about when I moved them to the L-shape again? I'm confused about where the orange chair would go. Thank you for your help!

sjkingston The orange chair "had me at hello" and I don't even like orange. That chair is fabulous as is the positioning in the corner with the lamp, cat and picture. Looking at the room with the two couches facing each other, a couple of things come to mind. try. The curtains are white with a splash of orange on white. They are pretty, but the pattern isn't strong enough to balance the fireplace. If you're going to keep the walls light, consider orange curtains in a color that is in a shade in the tone of the orange on the chair, but more muted like a linen or twill fabric. The background should be orange and the pattern white or ivory. The solid curtains might balance out the heavy fireplace so before considering painting or whitewashing the brick, find your curtains first. Look for a fabric in an ikat or soft edged pattern where it reads from across the room as a similar tone to the chair but a bit muted.

Then find pillows for the couches in a print that you love - maybe a suzanni, another ikat, or a tapestry - they often have orange and ivory in them - and then pick one or two other colors from the print for solid pillows. It could be a tan, a brown, a gold or a navy. The thing about picking pillows is it can take a while to find the right fabric to base it off of so feel free to bring them home and try. Just save the receipts! Crate and Barrel has a ton of orange and other good solids in silk, cotton, velvet and other fabrics with textures. (See their Fremont which is a neutral dark base with stripes including orange for a lumbar cushion for the orange chair.) If you find two complementary prints for the sofa, use one print on one couch and the other on the couch facing it. Consider flipping the direction of the side tables so the low part is at the back with the tall lamps and the high part where you'd rest a glass or book is at the front. Don't know if it would work, but it might lower the lamps to a more balanced height. (If it works you'll know because no one will notice unless you point it out.)

The coffee table is a great size for the space. What's throwing me is the casters. It appears to need the height but should be a bit more trimmed out. What about finding some newel post tops to replace the casters and staining/painting to match. The a big tray with a nice orange vase (or a big vase of orange tulips at this time of year) to set it off. Once that's in place, if you felt the fireplace needed softening, a slight lightening with whitewash would bring it into the tones of the room, but it may not need it.

onthefence I'm glad the fireplace has come up again. I'd like to cast my vote for NOT touching the FP. I do agree with what was mentioned earler - painting the mantle white. As you mentioned, if you don't like it, you sand it back down and you're at ground zero.

I think some fireplaces need to be encased in stone or drywall or whatever. Yours isn't one of them. It's beautiful and proportional to the room. It doesn't need any kind of plastic surgery at all. Maybe just a little change in eyebrow pencil.

I'm agreeing too with the fanclub of the orange chair. I'm another who nornally isn't a fan of orange but that chair just sings in there!

I had noticed your coffee table earlier and meant to comment on how much I like the feet. IMO your great room has some little pops of contemporary/industrial and they're just perfect to keep the room fresh. Because of that, I like the chandelier idea -- but personally think it needs to lean toward the contemporary design side.

Whew - sorry. I crammed a whole lot in there!

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I too, like the orange chair and think that in the photo it seemed pushed too far into the corner. I'd bring it out about 8" and let it breathe. I frequently see chairs shoved too far into the corner when I visit new clients. Chairs in corners need space around them. They've not been naughty.

mkritt @sjkingston Your curtain and pillows ideas sound great. I'm going to try flipping the endtables. They are very awkward for sitting a drink on. We put the casters on the coffee table so we could slide it back and forth between the sofas. Your idea sounds nice but it took weeks of having that slab of butcher block sitting on a crate before it was done haha. Thanks for your wonderful ideas!

@onthefence Thank you for your vote for the fireplace. I've been all over the place with it. I would like to have a prettier thicker mantel for it and that's on my honey-do list. Good idea on the chandelier. Do you think I should leave the sofas the way they are?

I keep wondering if I were to get two chairs that swivel to replace the sofa closet to the TV and bring the TV back down if that would be more pleasing to the eye.

Thanks again for all the imput!!!!

Staged for Perfection I love the orange chair too. If it were me I would get a rug that is more colorful and picks up colors from the curtains. to anchor the rest of the arrangement.

concordhome Personally - in my unprofessional opinion - I believe the two swivel chairs to replace the sofa with it's back to the TV is a great idea. However, if you are truly the only one ever watching the TV and you have another room that is used for family - or even company watching a game - then the cabinet with an enclosed TV that you can hide should work just fine. Also - if you should choose to use both sofas in a L shaped layout - then you could bring that wonderful orange chair more into the layout much like the way you have the "ikea" like chair in a picture of your previous layout. That said I really believe you should use the advise of the professionals. I cannot believe the wonderful way they are willing to offer great free advise. Just please - use that orange chair somewhere, somehow - I just love it.

mkritt I love that orange chair too. It once belonged to a much-loved, artistic, and talented lady. I'm honored her family entrusted me with it.

@Carolyn You are funny!

@Staged for Perfection rug shopping soon!

@concordhome I think your ideas have been great. I love the mix on this site. I've loved Houzz for a long time and just recently started getting hooked on the discussions. Then, of course, I had a lightbulb moment and here I am. I just moved the sofas into the L-shape to try again. Will have to wait for help moving the TV unit over a bit. I'll post pics as soon as I try. Putting my YaYa hat on for a bit today so it will be a while.

bollmansct HI there - if you decide to use the L shape, I think you mentioned you had a loveseat like your sofas? If you put the love seat perpendicular to the fireplace wouldn't that allow you to pull the longer sofa closer to fieplace and out of the walkway? And your great orange chair can then come out of the corner and into the seating arrangement on the other side of the fireplace. That leaves the "media" wall open for whatever you want.....a concealed TV cabinet (mine is an armoire....love it!), bookshelves, entertainment center, art work grouping etc. etc. You have so many options and great advice above! Hope you are having fun!

concordhome When I have a YaYa day I'm spending it with my sister. I hope you have fun whatever you do. Bollmansct - we think alike - I really like the couch, love seat, orange chair arrangement too.

lynette7556 In regards to painting your fireplace, my husband and I did that in our last home. There was a special primer that we put on the brick, and then we just painted it . It looked fantastic...so updated and we got lots of compliments on it. I loved still having the texture of the brick, but the more contemporary look with the paint.

mkritt 2lynette 7556 I would like to experiment on the fireplace in the basement with the paint. I would really like to cover most of it with wood to match the wood in the foyer and dining room.
We have covered up the brick in the front of the house (still a work in progress) so I know we can do it haha

concordhome Nice home - beautiful setting. What state are you in?

mkritt @concordhome Thank you It sits on nine acres in Missouri. That why I have to get the inside stuff done in the winter. I lose my husband to outside as soon as nice weather hits! With the way our winters have been lately, that will be soon :)

concordhome We're in North Carolina. We hardly have any winter at all. A week or so ago we had some "wintery mix" predicted and when not much happened the weather men resorted to talking about "frozen fog"! How funny is that!

mkritt Here's some new pictures with the orange chair back in. I also turned the endtables as was suggested and the lamps do look so much better lower. New lamps on the list. Another question please; I painted the front door and the french doors leading to the sunroom this palm green color (except for the fireplace I'll try paint just about anywhere). Should I go back to white for the french doors or maybe black? The front door used to be black. On my ever growing list is a new front door and tile for the foyer.

I have a friend coming over Friday and I'm hoping to persuade her to help me try the L-shape again with the orange chair and TV moved down a bit.

Thanks again for all the imput. It is so helpful.

mkritt @concordhome Funny I have never heard of "frozen fog" haha! My cousin grew up in Durham.They always got out of school for barely a flurry. I was always jealous because the school district I was in never cancelled classes when it snowed!

concordhome Trust me - we'd never heard of "frozen fog" either. They were just so desperate to have something to talk about that I think they were grasping at straws. We seem to have a lot of transplanted northerners in our area and they must think we're crazy. I can't believe how the end tables worked. That was a great idea. I do really like the lamps and if you get new ones I hope you'll be able to use these some place else. I love the chair because it is a traditional style in a really updated color. Did you have it recovered or has it just come back in style? Great to be able to use something that means so much to you.

eztia Hello. I was scrolling through Design Dilemmas, and my eye caught the phrase "frozen fog." I just learned about it last week from someone who lives in northern Idaho. She said every pine needle, blade of grass, everything had frost crystals on it. She said it was just beautiful.
Sorry to interrupt your designing. Best wishes with that.

concordhome No interruption at all. It's fun to learn where we all are. Seems we're touching base with decorating friend all over the country.

Lydia So much to say about this room! First of all, the room needs some height so I agree with a big armoire (you could even paint it orange!) where the TV is. The height of the sidetables is now better for the lamps but they just look.....backwards. You could stack some books or magazines to make tables and adjust the height to fit your lamps. The curtains need more substance....just add more of the same fabric and some sheers and install more robust rods. I would paint the fireplace white and remove the mantel to hang the TV. I know it's cliché but it works in a family room. You could paint the french doors orange (if you decide to keep that colour in your drapes). This would balance out the colour scheme. Definitely a BIG chandelier.....the room can take it! A bigger neutral rug (maybe sisal) and lots and lots of colourful pillows with an ethnic feel. Randomly add a foot stool or two to give the room a cozier feel.

mkritt @Lydia Nasso Thank you for your imput! I think I have just about decided that I would like a big armoire to put the TV in. I really, really like my sofas where they are (although I am going to try the L-shape one more time) and since I put the orange chair back in there I like it even better. I have been looking here at painted fireplaces and I am really being swayed. But I don't want the TV up that high, I would rather have it hidden. I can definitely beef up the curtains and get a new rod. I'm excited to start chandelier and pillow shopping. Orange doors..I may have to try that! As much as I love those lamps, I think I'm going to have to find a new home for them. Thanks again!


@concordhome The chairs original. I was thrilled when my daughter-in-law asked me if I wanted it! I would like to be a transplanted midwestener to NC some day. I think it's a beautiful state. My granddaughter was born in Johnson City, TN and on the morning after she was born I jumped in my jeep while everyone was still asleep and drove into NC. It was beautiful! I ate at a little cafe at the base of the mountains.

Lydia I think it's a great idea to hide the TV in the armoire. I prefer the current setup to the L-shape. Those lamps are funky! You could leave just one next to the couch (the one opposite the fireplace) and possibly put one adjacent to your orange chair (and removing the one behind it).

mkritt I love those lamps too! They have the glass bowl that the shade sits in.They were the most awful gold and black swirly color, the lampshade too. They were my aunts (the end tables also) and my cousin had put them in an estate sale after my aunt passed away. She was asking $3.00 apiece for them. I jumped right on them! She just gave them to me. Lucky!! Thank you for the vote of the way the arrangement is now. I think I will move one of the lamps next to the orange chair. What a good idea. I just painted them with some paint I had (I have lots of sample quarts) so that's another question. Should I change the color? Thank you so much!!

Lydia Great job on the lamps! Hard to tell which colour they are.....white or light blue?? If they're white I would leave them like that and add a ribbon (any colour!) to the top and bottom of the shades to break up the white so they won't look as overpowering. You could even cover the existing ones with fabric (or burlap!). Of course you can paint them a colour from your drapes but that would be too predictable.

mkritt They're actually a silverblue. I like the idea of the ribbon. There are so many choices. I'm anything but predictable (my poor family) haha!

Lydia Silver blue would look great with orange ribbon....lol!

sjkingston Love that you're working with family furnishings and the pale blue is a lovely color to work in. Lindsey of Better After showcased one that was "slimmed down" which is a brilliant idea. See http://www.betterafter.net/2013/02/slimming-secrets.html?m=1 The depth was cut in half which makes it suitable for a flat screen and it can be painted in a custom color. I was thinking one large lamp needed to move over to the fireplace side of the other couch, but the idea of moving back to the orange chair is terrific. And is that a ceramic dog to the right of the tv. console? He needs to step up, maybe on the fireplace hearth or over sitting up against the orange chair? Love how the ideas above build on one another.

mkritt @Lydia I had to laugh. My husband came home from work and said "somehow I just feel so backward in here" referring to the endtables haha!!

@sjkingston Thank you I will check that out. That is a ceramic dog. He can be moved anywhere, but I put him there to hide the outlet with the cords to the TV. I had one of the endtables and lamps on the other side at one time, but that means that my husband will have to drill a hole through our wood floor for the cord. For SOME reason he doesn't trust that I won't change my mind about this rooms layout and we'll have a hole in the floor haha! That is what I love about this site. Good ideas that will get me to where I won't keep redoing things!!

onthefence You've just cracked me up mkritt! Your husband story reminded me of a friend who worked for the railroad and often came home from work in the middle of the night. His wife would have rearranged the furniture during the day and he always ended up falling over something that was in an entirely different place than when he had left the day previously!

mkritt @onthefence That does sound like me ha! Since I've retired my husband says I've rejoined "The Room of the Month Club!

nononanna Hi - my dear husband cut a hoe in an oriental rug in order to use plugs in the floor! It was fine until we moved, and now we have to try to hide the hole under a chair that has to sit JUST SO. I could throttle him!

mkritt Well as much as I loved those lamps and endtables, you all were so spot on..they just didn't work. I have moved them out, and "shopped" in my home for a temporary replacement for one of the endtables. I moved one of the lamps into my little reading nook in the kitchen and the other one is still looking for a home but residing in the sunroom for now (as are the endtables). I will be rug shopping soon. For now the TV is staying, but I have lots of ideas to ponder about it and the fireplace too. Thanks for all your ideas!!

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design You've been a wonderfully good sport about all of us telling you to do this and do that, many times over. It's looking great and we hope you'll post more photos when you've finished shopping.
Thanks for allowing us the pleasure of helping you.

rivers300 Hi , ditto for me on the comments from Carolyn. Just an idea for items that currently don't have a home; I have placed a shelf unit in my basement so I have a go to place to move items that currently just don't seem to fit anywhere, It helps that I don't have to either get rid of something or have it on display.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Great idea, rivers, to have a stash of "beauties in waiting" right there in your basement.

concordhome I agree with Rivers. Our family is grown and we have retired so we are not decorating around babies or teenagers. Our entire house "flows" with the same colors used in the whole house - differently in each room. My husband set aside a space for me in our basement to store accessories that I'm not using at the moment and also seasonal items. This is a luxury to have the extra storage space. If I tire of something I can just store it until I have a place in another room to use it. I never feel like I have to use everything I have all the time. When I take it out it's "new" again.

nononanna It's like you're "curating" your items! What a great idea.

mkritt We have a large detached garage that has an attic upstairs where I put things I can't part with and might use again or that I think my children might eventually want. It is fun to look up there every now and then and reuse things or get rid of them when I wonder "what was I thinking!"

concordhome I'm thinking some day one of our grandchildren will have a first apartment and can come "shopping" in my collection!! At the very least one day my girls can have a great attic sale!

concordhome We talked about the weather here in NC a while back - thought I'd let you know we actually got snow yesterday! Only about 1 inch here in Concord but some areas around got 3 or 4 inches which is a lot for us. It covered the grass and trees but is all gone today. Winter in the South - gotta love it!!!

mkritt I could definitely handle Winter in the South! We had a beautiful day today; predicting possible snow on Thursday, but it's still been milder than normal. Fine by me haha!

Laura Ewing-Mahoney I would get a different rug with a pattern and a pop of color and then get pillows with the same colors. The pillows on the couch are too muted and the rug does not add any visual interest. It's a nice room with great floors and flow. The lamps are interesting but do seem large for the tables.

Rita Henry Could those 2 lamps go on a table behind sofa? The room looks very good actually. The one wall with the TV might look better with a little deeper paint color (a neutral paint, not a serious color) I like the pattern drape...

mkritt @Laura Thank you for your imput! Rug is the first change on order. I have moved the lamps elsewhere; you are correct, they really are too big.

@Rita I like the idea of a table behind the sofa maybe with some shorter lamps. Thank you for your suggestions (the paint idea is great) and compliments. The drapes are made of tablecloths and I love them!!

mkritt I visited a friend the other day. Her house was so beautiful and warm and cozy feeling. When I came home my house just felt stark and cold with the white walls. I spent all day yesterday watching it snow and picking out possible color choices. So as soon as I can get out it's off to the paint store for some sample paint. I'm shaking my head at myself :-)

nononanna But your house might be much larger and more sophisticated that hers, so it's hard to compare. That said, paint almost never hurts.

concordhome Choosing paint is hard. Get a few samples and paint them on poster board - then move them around the room at different times of the day because all types of light affect the way it will look. Take your time and you'll be happy in the long run even if you have to get more samples. I know it's "just" paint and it can be done over but you have a large space and you want to be happy with it for a good while. Enjoy the process.

mkritt @nononanna Thank you for your thoughts

@concordhome Thank you for the reminder about the poster board, Just a thought here that maybe you might give me an opinion on. We have crown molding in every room in this house except the great room. What do you think it would look like if we put crown molding around the perimeter of the room and across the TV wall (which is 12 feet high, compared to the other walls which are 8 ft). Would it break up that massive wall? We have a lot of woodwork going on on the dining room side and I don't know if that would be too much.
Husband is leaving the country for a couple weeks in March. I thought I might start painting then so he doesn't commit me before he goes!

concordhome I personally like crown molding. I think it gives a finished look. We had similar height ceilings in our previous home and I really liked it. Our house now doesn't have them in our great room and it is on our never ending list to add. Also - I like them painted white - not stained. There again - this is just my opinion. I'm not sure exactly what they it would look like with the beams but I'm sure an experienced carpenter would know what to do.

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic Sad your lamps are gone. Liked your earlier idea of longer console for tv & flanking with the tall lamps. Grays would look great on your doors & complement your orange chair. A multi toned rug with grays & taupes. Pick a pattern that speaks to you. Keep sofas facing each other.

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic See decorate with intention idea book about tvs. Love this design by Dana Nichols.

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic I like the blue you had in the dining room. Your current rug looks like it would fit that room too. We are in process of purchasing a condo with a great room with volume ceilings. The kitchen is a tiffany blue, dark cabinets like yours. Very bright & happy. I want to paint my great room gray. It goes with everything! Blues, oranges, coral, yellows, plums, brown, beige, cream, white, black.

mkritt @concordhome My "experienced" carpenter is my husband haha. He did all the molding in the house. I appreciate your opinion!

@Lisa The lamps are temporarily moved. I think I really like the idea of the long console for the TV with the lamps on it. I also liked the blue of the dining room but when I changed the curtains..not so much. Your condo sounds like it will be beautiful! Thanks for the suggestions, I love that TV console!

mkritt Could someone please tell me how I post pictures from my ideabook to this discussion group to show ideas that I like. No computer smarts here :-(

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic I am on an android tablet. When I write a commen, I can click on the "Attach images" below the comment box (it's green). Then i go to my gallery to click on the photo.

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic Have to download & save pics first to your computer/device

onthefence There are probably more elegant ways of doing this -- but I just open the ideabook in a separate window/tab. Then open the photo I want to look at. Copy and paste the entire url to the body of this message. And bingo, here's the pic.

This one is from your ideabook.

bweingarten Hi, I love your floor. It is beautiful. I would like to see the ceiling beams painted the color of the floor. I would add pillows the color that is in your panels. Maybe hang a mirror over the fireplace.

mkritt @onthefence Thank you for your advice..is the url that jargon that comes up when you right click (see I told you not smart)?

@Lisa Thank you I do know how to save pics to my computer. By the way I love that picture you posted!

@bweingarten Thank you for your suggestions. That floor puts up with 5 sets of doggie paws daily and still hangs in there. The ceiling beams used to be the same color as the mantel. I painted them to lighten up the room.That was before we tore down the paneling on the fireplace wall and removed all the carpet that was making the room seem so dark. Adding the window really helped.

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic The brick & hearth look similar to yours. The accessories are a little industrial & would tie to your coffee table. The mantle trim looks similar to your existing moldings. Could be mounted "temporarily" & would lighten up the fireplace. I do like your beams white. Seems more updated. Wood seems eighties.

ltllefty I saved this makeover photo and thought you might enjoy it and give you inspiration for your fireplace.

mkritt @ltllefty Well like minds..I have pinned this on Pinterest. This is almost exactly like ours except our brick curves over the insert. Funny note, my husband was looking over my shoulder when I originally had this pic up and not knowing this was a fireplace makeover. "I like the one on the left." Ugh

ltllefty That's so funny. We have similar rooms so I feel your decorating pain. My fireplace is exactly like the one in the picture. One day I'll redo it. You're making great progress and you're such a good sport with all the comments and then posting pictures. BTW, I love, love, love, that orange chair, too. Good luck and keep us posted.

drmom2 Momy bed

drmom2 Hfffmymfgggnhgybhbbed

Stephanie Kraus Designs, LLC The first thing I thought was ... LOVE the lamps. I would either get bigger side tables so the scale works or use them on a much larger piece perhaps a longer console table that would go under the TV. The lamps would flank the tv. Also I would put the sofa is in an L shape so it is much easier to see tv. I f you do not watch tv leave as is. Or you could remove the sofa that has its back to the tv and add two upholstered chairs on casters that you can swivel around to see the tv. One last option people love it or hate it which would be to install tv above fireplace makes sense so you can see tv image better. I would paint fireplace brick white or panel it like image above and add a larger rug under the furniture arrangement. Looks great so far!

AMN URL is the web address for whatever page you're viewing. (http://www.xyz.....)

So, if you find the pic you like, click it so it opens to its largest version on the Houzz site. Go up to the address bar and copy the full address shown in the bar. Paste it in your discussion post.

It is easiest to open another browser window or tab to do this instead of going back and forth in one window/tab.

mkritt @AMN thank you for you help. I tried it but all that went in was the address when I pasted. Not sure what I did wrong.

@Stephanie Thank you! I love the lamps too. Your ideas are great. I would like to have my husband build a long piece similar to my coffee table to put the TV and those lamps on. I would really like to replace the one sofa with two chairs that swivel. On the list :) Right now I've gotten a wild hair that I want to warm the spaces up with color on the walls!

Stephanie Kraus Designs, LLC Great idea -- what colors are you thinking?

Lisa Ruggerole Kasunic Saw this pic for mantle styling:

mkritt @Lisa Very nice!!

@Stephanie I think something in the greenish brown family?? That seems to be what matches my curtains the best. Planning to get some sample paint next week. I have brownish backsplash in my kitchen, and these colors seem to go well with my cherry cabinets and dining room table.

mforr Take a look at SW6415 hearts of palm

concordhome I've used this color - Hearts of Palm - before - in our last home in our living area- it's pretty bold but we loved it. I finally repainted it when our house was on the market to a more neutral color and it sold BUT the new owner wrote me to find out what color we had used previously because the laundry room as still painted Hearts of Palm - she loved it! Sure wish she had bought the house before we repainted it. Just our luck. Our living area in our new home is Sherwin Willliams Comfort Gray - a green, blue, gray - it's softer and very nice as well - easy to live with.

mkritt I actually just got done painting it yesterday (and rearranging too). I used Sherwin Williams Cargo Pants. Next up is the dining room which I'm doing in SW Herbal Wash. I'll update pics when I get done. @concordhome..I need to move to NC. It's snowing here!!!! Craziest Spring I can remember in my 50+ years.

concordhome No snow here for sure but really cool and rainy all week - unusual for us too. Please do post pictures when you can. I can't wait to see.