SFGate

despinach I think it does look too narrow...or too square.... A smaller photo or painting on each side of it could give the space some balance. I suggest you try to make it work and not replace it, because it's beautiful!

Corey Marsh Thank you. This is my first time decorating, so I really have no idea what I'm doing. Would adding a photo or painting on each side look too crowded? Also, what kid of photo or painting would be appropriate next to an abstract painting like this?

aishafawad i think so u should have one picture in rectangular shape
Urban Apartments
or above suggestion is also good if u remove that painting above the fireplace then it will not look too crowded
Contemporary Living Room

despinach When I first saw the photo, I thought of empty frames around your painting. They wouldn't attract attention from the painting, just complement it. But I know they don't all like them. Black&white photos are also always welcome and would keep the masculine feeling of the room.

Corey Marsh Despinach, what kind of B&W photos would complement the painting pictured?

despinach Maybe Paris in b&w...:-) Or landscapes, trees, rainy days...something like that:

http://www.google.gr/imgres?imgurl=http://corot.smugmug.com/Other/Stepping-back-in-time-photos/i-CH8TpBn/0/L/Paris%2520snow-L.jpg&imgrefurl=http://corot.smugmug.com/keyword/black%2520and%2520white/1986765358_CH8TpBn&h=600&w=784&sz=187&tbnid=twI8sWmmDdruzM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=106&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dphotos%2Bof%2Bparis%2Bin%2Bwinter%2Bblack%2Band%2Bwhite%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=photos+of+paris+in+winter+black+and+white&usg=__TN7E7h_fhMiDp0GHWuqgi5Z0Bfk=&docid=9mtblx5CWXDrzM&itg=1&hl=el&sa=X&ei=150gUeOmEcfJswaanIH4BA&ved=0CGAQ9QEwEQ&dur=1132

Corey Marsh So you don't think putting two B&W photos of Paris landscape will clutter the area? I'm having a hard time imagining what pictures on each side of the photo would look like.

despinach If you think it would look cluttered, you could group them differently...Your painting on one side and the photos on the other. Another idea: Have you thought of typography?
Big letters on the left and on the right? They do look on walls and fill empty spaces beautifully!

Sharon Would you consider placing your lovely new abstract over the fire place?

Corey Marsh Sure, I could place it over the fireplace, but there is something already above there (a map of NYC in the 1800s)

Corey Marsh I did a rough photoshop of some of the suggestions above. Any thoughts/suggestions based on these?

despinach I vote for the second and the third photo (with the painting on the left).

carolins Perhaps the enclosed link will give you some ideas (lovely painting btw). And if we're going to vote: I vote for the fourth photo :-) Feels nicely balanced.

http://erstes-og.de/2012/bilderrahmen-chaotisch-aber-ordentlich-aufgehangt-so-gehts/

carolins Also, this article on houzz may help:

sondramartina Something is still not right. Can you try to add two more small ones?
Btw I have the same problem.

mko120 If you got two taller lamps...altho I love the color of the ones you have...it would balance the space better. I like the final photo the best too.

Suzanne Regimbal I like the 3rd picture. What I don,t like about the the 4th one is that the two small photos seem to be floating because they are too small and placed too high:-)

www.etsy.com/shop/NewJerseyAccents Here's my suggestion, maybe some wrought iron on each side to give it some width.

pivoines The painting is perfect for your fireplace, It is too square to be able to make it work above the sofa and looses its effect if mixed with balancing art. The map needs another location. the four frames examples would work best but as your couch is hefty looking, three frames would be sufficient. Your floor lamp is too high and probably not needed as you already have a lamp in that corner . I think your room will be lovely.good luck.

DIAspoton take inspiration from the painting. it makes me think mirrors, thick antique glass,texture. if you look at the houzz article carolins linked you'll get a feel for what i mean in the 2nd to last photo. a glass installation a couple of pieces of glass like that hung on each side. you could even hang them starting at the mid section of the painting where the water hits. get creative with it.

asymetrical designs are NOT working because everything else in the room is balanced. nightstands,pillows,lamps.

the torchere doesn't make sense with lamps so close by. try a glass vase with chunks of tumbled glass or rocks and fill it will very tall branches. light it with a simple uplight from home depot to brighten the corner.

the painting has wonderful feeling and depth that invites a closer look. i'm glad you're putting the effort into showcasing it properly.

Suzanne Regimbal I love the wrought iron ,it frames the photo ,adds width and texture. Get rid of the floor lamp. Get some bigger cushions with texture to add warmth. Add a through et voila:-)

carolins I like Pivoines suggestions.

lpmenache This is a very nice room but it is a little predictable, one wall one painting, one wall one couch etc. I like the idea of adding to the wallscape. I would not add more art but some objects or a pair of modernist sconces so the room is not as symmetrical but still maintain its masculine feel. the idea of pushing the painting to one side is a good one. It is the scale of the items that you chose that will make or break this. You might try with experimenting with shapes rather than everything being square or rectangular. Type in "picture arranging" at Houzz and this will give you tones of inspiration. Go for the unexpected. Great start!

Milne Well Dressed Homes Your area rug is beautiful but because there is a lot of white in it, you should be repeating more white to continue the flow. Same thing for your lamps, add more of that colour in your space. You can accomplish this with accessories on your coffee table and cushions on your sofa. This would pop against your blue walls and the space would appear more cohesive. If you were my client, I would have advised you to get a picture or a series of pictures with colours from your lamps and area rug. You don't need to repeat the brown, you have enough of it , this is the fun part, bringing in more white and colour to bring your room to life. As far as size is concerned, the above diagram shows many ways you can do this. When you bring in more white and colour if you don't go Ahhhhhh that's perfect! Then your undertones are wrong. You will know instantly if you get it right. Have fun!

conniedial It looks too small , should be wider...maybe a totally different piece of artwork?? It seems too dark and dreary..with the gray background and the color of the sofa and all?
You might even consider painting the fireplace brick , then place the artwork over the fireplace? That would lighten up the room, showcase the artwork better. It kind of looks like the color (in the picture) of the floors fiights the wall color and the brick color... if u place the map over the sofa..maybe think about making a WIDE framework for it?..to make it more substantial.

styleenvy I think the painting is big enough. The additional frames distract from the art. Maybe a shelf or two with a vase or softer sculptural piece would compliment it. If its overcrowded it loses the landscape feel.

meri222 I agree the painting would look fabulous above the fireplace. If you're looking for something big and dramatic for behind the sofa without breaking the bank go for mirrors. Try grouping inexpensive full length mirrors , the kind people hang on closet doors, side by side. I found four wide wood framed ones at Home Goods a few years ago for $60 total and hung them over a buffet where I needed to fill the space. It was dramatic, on the cheap, and people were always commenting on what a great look it was. Bed Bath and Beyond has some great one's that measure 17 x 53 and come in a bronze or brushed nickel finish for about $40 each 3 or 4 should fill the area nicely.

groveraxle pivoines is exactly right. Do not hang anything else with this canvas. Hang it alone over the fireplace instead and find something else for the sofa wall. Three or four matted and framed photos or prints, a long wall sculpture, mirror (though I personally find mirrors boring), anything that occupies at least 3/4 the length of your couch.

This painting deserves to be showcased.

You're doing a great job with this room, BTW. Carry on!

Ramona I vote fireplace. The paintings proportions are just wrong for over the sofa. The fireplace wall will give it the prominence it deserves and it's proportions won't be out of place on that wall. Move the map above the sofa and if you need to, add a couple of other pictures to either side of the map. Post a pic of it over the fireplace.

If you struggle with getting other pictures to the side of the painting, you are just fighting with the proportion whereas you have a perfect place for it over the fireplace.

groveraxle After you move the painting to the fireplace, consider something unique for over the sofa. Try looking at common (or uncommon) objects with a new eye. Ask yourself what it would look like hanging on that wall. Think outside the box. A few examples of stuff people have hung:

Corey Marsh A lot of great suggestions here. I placed the painting over the fireplace in this picture. If you think this works, then I'll need to find something else for above the couch. Thoughts on the new placement?

conniedial Oh, wow! It looks so much better there :)

Jill Coert I like it there! Great work!

Milne Well Dressed Homes Much, much better! Keep the new artwork light, like your area rug. See picture below, even though there is no brown in that particular picture, trust me it looks fantastic with brown.

nononanna Personally, I think it loses all its importance mixed in with the brick over the fireplace. Put it over the sofa,where it was and don't gunk it up with a bunch of other little things - if you want it to be more important, put a fabulous frame around it.

Milne Well Dressed Homes I think that picture is just too dull for your room. Here are some pictures against blue walls that would work great with all the brown and also the white from the area rug. You can use these colours for inspiration when you're shopping. For some reason I have to do this one at a time.

Milne Well Dressed Homes Here's another one.

Milne Well Dressed Homes Heres one with brown

Corey Marsh Now I need something new to put over the couch. I know some of you have suggested something white, but I saw this piece at Urban Home and I'd like an opinion of how you think it will mix with my current setup if I place it over the couch horizontally. The reason I like this piece is because I have a rustic kitchen table, which is directly off of my living room (open floor plan). This piece feels similar in style. I'll attach a picture of the table and the piece I'm considering.

Ramona That was fast!! I think it looks perfect there. Now to address the brown and the furniture arrangement. We can't see the other walls, but is it possible to arrange your furniture so that it addresses the fireplace? Can you pull the furniture away from the walls? Do YOU like the painting there?

Don't add any more brown to this room please.

Corey Marsh @Milne - I'm a little confused by your advice. In your first response to the painting over the fireplace, you said it looks much better, but then you said it's too boring. Are you saying that I should keep the painting over the fireplace but put a "less boring" piece over the couch? Or are you saying to lose the original piece entirely?

Milne Well Dressed Homes That piece will die on your wall. If you want to go with something more rustic then choose a white or cream rustic look to tie in your rug and you also need to add more tangerine as you have some on your table and your lamps in the living room. Those are your colours, white or cream, tangerine and blue.

Corey Marsh @Ramona, I can't pull the couch away from the wall or the love seat will start to infringe on the walkway.

Milne Well Dressed Homes It is much better there than over your sofa but I still think you can do much better. A room needs a balance of dark and light and some contrast. You're room is very heavy right now with all the dark elements in it. I highly suggest you add pops of tangerine and also white so it ties in your rug which is VERY BEAUTIFUL, you want to make it stand out. Right now, it doesn't relate to the space because there is no other white in there.

Ramona Give us some pictures of the rest of the room.

riesy Since you want to lighten the space up why not a decorative mirror or a grouping of mirrors would look great. Maybe different shapes and sizes of mirrors would also make the area more interesting.

Corey Marsh I'm concerned about using a mirror above the couch because it would just be reflecting my flat screen TV.

Milne Well Dressed Homes About the floor plan, corner fireplaces are very hard to work with and you did a good job for the conversation grouping. Is there space to move the loveseat to face the couch? Usually with corner fireplaces it's best to have your largest piece of furniture (your sofa) to face it. Do you have enough space to do that? Pathways should be minimum 3 feet.

groveraxle The painting is dead on the fireplace. It's not the painting's fault. Paint the fireplace white.

Milne Well Dressed Homes Lol that would solve the problem!

Corey Marsh I do not have space to make the loveseat face the sofa. There is a wall opposite the sofa.

Ramona I agree that painting the fireplace white would be a good move. I do not agree that the painting is dead on the fireplace. I am trying to give you suggestions that don't require you to go out a buy a bunch of new stuff that may or may not work. The proportions of the painting and the fireplace work. If the rest of the room weren't so dark, it might all work. Corner fireplaces are hard to work with for sure. That's why I asked for pictures of the other walls.

Corey Marsh Paint the fireplace white? Wouldn't that hurt the look of dark mahogany floors and warm leather couches? I can't picture it. I think I will take Milne's suggestion and try to find a white and tangerine piece for above the sofa.

Ramona No. Milne has told you that you have far, far too much dark going on and need white and tangerine. Your instinct is to go brown and dark and you are overdoing it in the extreme.

Milne Well Dressed Homes If you painted it the wrong white, yes it could ruin it but there are some whites that work with your floor. I would look at Cloud white, simply white or Acadia White, these are all Benjamin Moore colours. I would get test pots and paint them on poster boards, that's what I do with all my colour consults. Place it on your fireplace but make sure you put white poster boards behind it because the brown brick will affect the colour. I really do think you can't go wrong with some tangerine and white over the sofa. If you find a picture with those colours and more that's ok, it will still go.

Corey Marsh Instead of a picture with tangerine and white, can I find multiple objects that do the same thing?

conniedial not white on the fireplace brick..would not look great with your sofas and the floor..or the wall paint, if you are keeping it. There are alot of colors that are more in the creme..antique..or even DARKER colors ...into the deep grays, browns that would look wonderful with the artwork... but there are also native colors..navajo whites , desert sands that would do well. U can pick up some small samples to paint on a white background paper/board and place them up there to get a feel for them first. a deep navajo shade of natural would open up the room a bit and truly set your art as a focal...

Corey Marsh Here are pictures from different angles of the room. Sorry, the bright daytime light is hurting the appearance.

conniedial A friend bought a "fireplace kit" to pain their firplace brick (which was not a pretty color brick)..theywent with a coppery shade of deep coral..I have to say, it is beautiful!

Corey Marsh Whoops, obviously the painting is no longer over the couch, so ignore that pic.

conniedial I am not a fan of mirrors over sofas..reminds me too much of long long ago..my mom did that a lot! Plus, unless there is a beautiful something view that you want to "mirror" ..it really wrecks the room.

Ramona I don't think any of us who were suggesting white meant pure white. And yes, of course you can use things of all sorts above the sofa as per the suggestions above. Do something about those wires. Perhaps put a console under the tv.

conniedial I know you are going to do something with the tv cords...when you get the time. Maybe a size appropriate piece of furniture placed beneath the TV would look really cool. Could even go with a patina'd piece..if not that, then those things that cover the cords..gets two and space perfectly ..attach to the wall and paint to blend....

Milne Well Dressed Homes They are putting more and more white with browns these days. Generally cream is the selected neutral but if you get the correct white it is beautiful. Cloud white is between cream and white, Simply white is 50% lighter than cloud white but the same undertones. You can get pretty creative above the sofa and yes you can use different things. You can even hang 2 long shelves and accessorize it with vases, books and smaller pictures. You can also buy ceiling medallions and paint them and place 3 over your sofa. There really is a lot you can do, as long as you keep it light and in your colour scheme. Your room will come to life once you add the colours and the white. I would also add some tangerine pillows on the sofa. I agree about the TV comments and I really would paint the brick fireplace. These small touches will change your room. I can't really tell how to place the furniture without a floor plan, but I find most times, a sofa and a loveseat doesn't work. It's usually best to have a sofa and 2 chairs. This would enable you to angle the sofa in front of the fireplace and flank the chairs all on an angle within a conversation group. I blame the furniture stores for this, because they often sell them as a set or make the chairs too expensive.

G.Elizabeth Designs Moving the painting was the right choice, anything beside it would have taken away it's impact, it's lovely by the way. I think that whatever you choose for over the sofa, should be more horizontal and should integrate some of the tangerine, copper or umbers and as already suggested some lighter off white elements. I would go for a painted or glazed colored piece of furniture under that TV, pull in the colors mentioned to lighten the space. You have done a great job, it's looking good but agree you could lighten up a lot of the dark with accent colors. Your table and benches could use color - a runner, center piece. cushion on bench, a gain pulling the accent colors above. Send more photos!

What's Inside Design Ltd. Hi Corey,
You sure have gotten a lot of advice! :)
I've read through everything and tried to create a visual for you.
At the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which advice best suits your needs and style.
Again, have fun with it! Don't be to serious and make sure it reflects YOU!!!
Caroline :)

Bargain Backer I believe you are right you need something a little wider above the couch or even divide the space with 2 or more.
We have some very nice wall decor you may want to look at:
http://www.bargainbacker.com/Wall-Decor_c_13.html

Donna Colvin-Smith Great suggestions so far! I personally love the picture over the fireplace, and think like G. Elizabeth Designs said, get a really nice piece for under the huge flat screen, Ballard Designs has some wonderful ones that would work, also a cheaper option, Home Decorators, they have some awesome TV consoles. I loved the arrangement of option #3 in the placement above the couch that you posted, find some more things that would work like that, and I think you'll be happy! Nice job on your first attempt BTW. Oh, and I posted a picture of my really awkward corner fireplace, SO many of the posters suggested I paint my brick as well, and believe me, I am not a whimp when it comes to painting and decor, I do home and store staging, interior designer for 20 yrs., and a color consultant, but painting brick?! YIKES! That can go so horribly wrong!

Milne Well Dressed Homes Great picture! The room is coming to life with more colour, and I also do home staging and interior design and brick can be painted, but Donna is right, it's not for the faint of heart!

lorrieporrie The painting is lovely but may show to better advantage over the fireplace. A more rectangular shape would suit the sofa area better. Could you just switch them? Also you would be able to enjoy it more if it is where you can look at it all the time.

conniedial Painting the brick is not that hard..takes a plan, some time, patience and open a window. Be sure you use a couplegood brishes of brushes for the job. The will help you out with that at Lowe's or Home Depot...

pivoines Please read the comments first, there is a lot of repetition .Only comment if your ideas are different from the advice already given, please.

anitajoyce I agree with You, the painting does look too narrow for the sofa. Maybe two to three similar pictures would work much better. The walls still seems a bit empty, even with the picture there.

groveraxle .

lpmenache I do like the painting over the fireplace although it also worked over the sofa. If it is to stay over the FP do a collage of items over the sofa so it is not so 2 +2. I do like the somber feel your place has and I think that adding bright colors might spoil the vibe. Not all rooms have to have pops of color. A momchromatic feel is perfectly fine with somber touches of similar muted tones will be very effective.

What's Inside Design Ltd. lmpmenache is completely correct!
Before making any final decisions, you need to determine if you want your room to feel energetic or peaceful.
Most of the suggestions on this feed lean towards the energetic and colourful side.
However, if you choose to keep the room serene, there are ways to do that as well!
By making colour choices that are all of similar value, and adding your interest in varying textures and patterns instead, you will achieve a more peaceful space.

Corey Marsh I did some more shopping today based on the recommendations on this page, but could not find a painting that was both large enough for the couch and inclusive of both a white and tangerine color, as suggested. I did add a few pieces: 1) I bought a couple of tea light accessories that I filled with blue glass and put on the coffee table 2) I added an orange pillow 3) I purchased blue and WHITE striped pillows to add texture to the room. Caroline Photoshopped a blue and black striped pillow, but given that there were many comments about brightening the room, I opted for blue and white striped. The problem is, I think it looks off. I tried placing the new pillows both on top of the solid colored muted blue that I had already purchased, and as stand alone pieces on the love seat. See pictures and tell me what you think.

riesy I have made this suggestion before to someone else and this might help temporarily. Purchase a large blank canvas (Joann's) and cover with a great piece of fabric. This would tide you over until you find the perfect piece of art and be inexpensive. I have done this and on occasion will change it out for different looks. Good luck!!!

Terri Weinstein Design, Inc., ASID, IES, MFA Keep the artwork above the sofa. It's lost on the brick of the fireplace. Just center the artwork over the first two back cushions of the sofa so it's asymmetrical. If you feel you need it you can accent with a very small painting to punctuate the space to it's right and even with the bottom of the existing piece.
I like the idea of painting the brick off-white. The room feels dark.

lpmenache Your new pillows look off because they do not match the vibe of your room. Keep to the muted colors and just add texture as suggested by whats inside design ltd. Keep to what you like and follow your instincts as the room will then reflect who you are or what you want the room to be. Also art work does not have to match your sofa or pillows. Art work should reflect who your are and the mood you want to achieve. Good art always looks good and can stand on its own. It just needs to harmonize with the room, not match.

aishafawad I think so u should paint the fireplace wall white or off white color it will light up the room and ur cushions will look more "according to the theme" thing and i prefer first picture of cushion setting

LEYA Matalas Wow - you could write a book on all the comments- if Id have seen them first I would have been scared off!- I have no idea what they all said. Here are the changes i made. I introduced the complimentary colour- orange to add some life. I painted the dull brick fireplace to ivory( Benj Moore Pale Oak) added a mantle of wood. I added a beige square of ivory around your painting- it needs a ceiling mould to offset the blue and define the wall from ceiling. Lose the Eifle tower and the print over the fireplace. Good luck reading all these notes!!

mko120 The blue and white striped pillows are not right...return them. Too nautical, too bold for the room.

Sigrid Put it in a wide frame. Go to a framing store for something that will work with your style.

beekay33 What if you swap the painting you have above the fireplace, which seems to be better sized for above the couch?

hollybar Who are YOU? My advice is to stop shopping for a bit & consider what you would like to see above the sofa. One painting,a few, something sculptural,ledges with evolving items,aged mirror,nothing at all,something else? You seem to have innate taste,trust it. Maybe take some time and enjoy looking at art for art's sake.
(and yeah,return those pillows...too white & too generic.)

peetsoo now the thread has managed to come full circle...........:)

handymam Wow...all he asked was if the painting is the wrong size and now it has turned into painting the fireplace and comments on everything under the sun! Why do people suggest wild abstract when he obviously did not choose that to begin with?

I think people need to stop inserting their own tastes and take into account what the person that asks the question likes.

conniedial Hey, handyman...Corey seems pleased with the interest and suggestions. I don't think anyone was insisting he do anything...just suggestions...plus, he could say..Thanks, Everyone..made my decisions and ended the discussions. It is always fun to mentally "create" virtually. I think Corey is heading into the right directions for his likes and dislikes. He did say this was his first endeavor at decorating, right? Well, that is like catnip to us :)

conniedial Corey, congrats on your first "nesting" in the decor game :) This site is wonderful for visiting homes and ideas. Hope none of us forced anything on you...have fun and remember...everything is reversible, short of demolition :) Maybe post a finished pic when you have it to YOUR liking?

What's Inside Design Ltd. You're doing a great job Corey!
I'm happy to see that you're busy trying some of the suggestions!
Obviously you love your space and are motivated to make it your own!
Good luck....I know it will turn out great!
Caroline :)

Leya Matalas I think painting the fireplace beige, moving the painting to the fireplace. would boost both the fireplace and the painting. Where you tried it looks SO SO much better. Over the sofa.. focus on something light in colour. Im okay with the grouping idea, B&W prints of Paris if that is what you like. Go for it. Google pics of groupings for an idea. Try to introduce orange, not more blue. you have tons of blue, and you need to go to its complementary to make it pop. Im afraid though- you have to lighten the bricks, its too dreary for that paint colour. One or the other. If you go to that darker blue- Lighten the FP- if you go lighter on your walls it may be okay.

Judit Hello. What if you replace the narrow art work with a 3-piece one, plus add more white to the room?

conniedial Judit..that is a pretty piece(s) of art. love the colors:)

Judit You will have to hide the cabels too. A chest of drawers perhaps?

joannpb I'm not sure you need any more suggestions, but here's my contribution. Going back to the original pictures you posted, and the arrangements with smaller pictures; The smaller pictures are too small, (about 1/4 quarter the large one) Try something larger - 1/3 the large piece. Position them on either side of the larger, either centered vertically or level with the bottom of the large one. Look for pictures with the same theme (if you find reflective water scenes, you could have the water level runnin straight across. If you search "reflective water scenes" you'll find lots of inspiration. Here are a few that I found.

joannpb If you want to add color, sunrise and sunset offer the entire spectrum

Corey Marsh Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I'm still having trouble finding the right piece of art for above the couch. Can anyone point me to a place online where I can get a relatively inexpensive piece that plays with white and orange/tangerine AND is at least 52" long (2/3rds the size of the couch).

Also, I saw a couple of large black and white NYC cityscape pictures at Urban Home. Will that look good over my couch, or will it keep the room dark since it doesn't play with whites and tangerines?

mpoulsom corey, have you tried Etsy? I would recommend that you go there and see what's available. There are many talented artists and craftpeople there to choose from. I would also not rule out a rectangular piece of wall sculpture either. You could probably find or make something really nice out of driftwood or something that would look beautiful and tie in with your rustic vibe. Also look at ebay, you may find a piece of sculpture in metal or something that would work.
I think you did a smart thing by moving the other painting over the fireplace, btw.

Judit :) if you like it, go for it! But why black and white? You will need more stylish lamps for that.

Judit You can get a print cheap and get it framed.

mpoulsom this may be a bit too mod for you, but to show you an example of what i am referring to, here's an example. This metal sculpture costs $199. It is 68" across, 24" tall and 2" deep. I think this one is by Jon Allen, and there are many styles and colors that he makes. I'm sorry, but you can't beat the price for something that's original.
I think something in wood would be better suited for your room, but think outside the box here. You may run across an ornately carved wooden door or something that could be mounted horizontally above the couch. Just keep your eyeballs open and don't rush. Get something you love and want to look at everyday....or something that tells a story for you. Even if it was just the adventure of trying to find it! :)

joannpb Corey, try the local resale shops. For some reason, the art that cost someone a lot in a store generally can't find buyers second hand so it's really inexpensive. You're likely to find anything from gorgeous to godawful, but it's fun looking. I've had some of my best luck at the Habitat and St. Vincent stores.

Corey Marsh @mpoulson - Is that a metal sculpture? It looks like a painting. I like it. My concern is that someone said I need tangerine and white to complement the room tones and brighten it up, but I don't know where I'm going to find a sculpture that contains those particular colors.

Corey Marsh I returned the nautical striped pillows and purchased 3 new pillows - 2 orange and one blue - for my love seat. I wanted to reverse the pillow colors on the couch, and also provide more orange for the room. I'm concerned the new pillows don't work because: 1) the orange pillows are slightly shinier 2) There are too many pillows for a love seat.

What do you guys think?

Corey Marsh Oops, forgot to attach the picture. Here it is.

Corey Marsh Also, regarding a TV console for this room, can I put a white unit in a room with all leather and dark woods? I saw this at Pier One, but I'm not sure if a white stand will work in my room.

mko120 The pillows really add life and "jazz"...nice job! If you think it's too many pillows for the love seat, I would drop the middle blue one. I really like the orange.

mpoulsom Corey it is a metal sculpture. It's silver which is kind of like a white or light. It will reflect some colors you have in the room already. But that particular metal artist does them in all colors. I'm sure there's one available in a coppery color or even a specific orange color if you liked it! :) I think I've seen his stuff on ebay and maybe on "thefind" or even amazon. You can always put some spot lights on it as well and really make it look cool at night. Just a thought. I think that particular one is called ripples, or something like that. It looks like water. pretty neat.

Corey Marsh I found a couple of metal sculptures on Etsy. Would like the group's opinion of whether either of these will work with my room,

conniedial LOVE them!! I have a thing for trees...either one would work , I think...you picked well..:)

Corey Marsh I photoshopped in 3 choices from Etsy, including the two tree sculptures above. My only concern is having TOO MUCH blue in the room. Would love to get thoughts on these choices.

mko120 Oh my....love the tree on the right....looks great!

joannpb The original painting looks great on the fireplace -- PLEASE don't paint the brick white. There are enough light elements in the painting. Against a white background it'll stand out like a sore thumb. You have a very nice eye, in my opinion, and have already achieved a very warm and welcoming room.

The first metal sculpture has a very similar mood to your painting, and you're right, it is a lot of blue. Try photoshopping in orange pillows instead of the blue ones, that might do it. I think they will pick up the light rusty line at the bottom of the piece and tie in the lamps and eiffel tower.

If you don't want to change the blue pillows, then the second, orangey tree works well.

The third one is an interesting piece and I like it for itself, but it just doesn't work, somehow - it might be a balance thing.

Or, no I think it's mood - the mood just isn't right.

Looking again, I'd say the left tree is more peaceful and the right one is more vibrant. So that comes down to which is more you.

Helpful?

Judit The second painting looks awsome on that wall!

mpoulsom corey, i think either of the first/top 2 would work.....first one is more peaceful looking as someone else mentioned and second is a big burst of color. Pick which one you love the most! :)
And the sizes are perfect for above your couch.

nononanna It's true that the tapestry could coordinate lots of color without being bright and shiny