SFGate

Maryl Hershelman Could you angle the rug so it's not totally covered by the bed and bench?

taniamelis I could pull it down towards the foot of the bed so that more of the rug shows. It's a pretty heavy bed, my husband and I killed our backs just getting it there.

asceneth03 It totally works if you change the wall color. A crimson/red would pull everything together and warm up the room!!

taniamelis Uh oh, we just painted the walls light blue! Either we'll get rid of the cushion or perhaps consider crimson tones in the bedspread?

CMR Interiors & Design Consultations Inc. Cushion looks okay with rug but needs to coordinate with background too...a Green from the rug or cushion.

CMR Interiors & Design Consultations Inc. Also I'd get rid of the verticals on the left window and go with something more modern.

taniamelis Yes, we will eventually put in Bahama shutters (I think that's what they're called)

taniamelis Should we stick with white when we get around to the window treatments? Or go with a darker wood color?

chonnie I'm not liking the wall colour. Sorry! I would have tried to pick one of the colours from the carpet and/or the cushion on the bench. New shutters will look nice. I really like your bedroom floor. It is very warm looking.

taniamelis We kind of like the blue on the walls and would be willing to ditch the cushion for a different color. What about comforter colors? Any ides? The walls were just painted, thus our reluctance to change!!

standinginline You just painted your walls, leave them as is. It is a nice serene color and works well for your bedroom. I think what doesn't work so well here is your rug...

Based on your style furniture it, the room says "simple farmhouse" style and the rug is leaning more towards the elegant traditional. I think you should find a different rug.

collettec I would consider the cream color from the rug for the comforter color, or perhaps the gold. I would go with a richer fabric for the bench, in a solid and in a darker color, perhaps that deep red from the rug or even a deeper shade of the wall color.

kgarrison1 if you want the rug to pop, i would put a darker color cover on the cushion, something with texture but not a print. the darker color will allow your eye to slide past the bench and catch the lighter/brighter rug and its detail. Perhaps tie in the wall color here? I love elegant and simple bedding--there are so many beautiful neutrals, I especially like the "Hotel" lines--Macys, Target, Bloomingdales all have a version.

taniamelis @emcz: good idea, I'm more attached to the wall color and the rug than that bench cushion and anyways we need to buy a comforter so I will def keep that in mind!

taniamelis @kgarrison: I'm going to keep that in mind as far as cushion and comforters, I love the Hotel line from Macy's as well.

Welcome Home designs Check out the attached photo to see how they coordinated their striped bench and Persian -style rug. ( hint - cushions )

asceneth03 I can see something like this working in your space:)

mckstacy Love Welcome Home Designs' bedroom pic! A great light & neutral textured duvet - with a lighter toned stripe or print fabric bench & pillows that match & pick up wall color, and then pick up a darker color from your rug for Euro shams in a solid - all tying in with your rug colors! Beautiful!

taniamelis Thanks for all the great advice! I think I will have the bench cushion reupholstered in another color and perhaps have some throw pillows made with the same fabric (got to go get some swatches and see what will look best) I went out today and bought a gold colored duvet cover (same as one of the brown shades on rug) as was suggested, from the "Hotel" line, its called "Jacquard" love it! Also bought 2 matching shams. I'll decide what color sheets later.
What doesn't show well in the photo is that the rug has bits of light blue in the design, in almost the same shade as the walls. It's going to take a while until we have it just right but I got a lot of great ideas from all of you, thanks again!

Eye of the Day Get some color Girl!

taniamelis I'm trying! What do you think of the bench cushion? Others have suggested to go with a neutral color fabric instead.

Jayme Hobbs I think it's too warm for the wall color...But could be wrong as it's not always easy to tell from a computer screen...If it had some of the blue in it I think it would work a lot better.

Jayme Hobbs I would try to find something either really plain, lie a cream..or a fabric to tie walls to carpet if u plan to keep the carpet...warms and cools can work if there is something to tie them together...You have a good start! :)

taniamelis Ok, this is the duvet and shams we bought, now I need to choose a cushion for my grandmother's rocking chair in the corner. Somehow I need to tie in: bench cushion, rocking chair cushion and I'd like to add some color on the bed in the way of throw pillows.

taniamelis The bench cushion can be reupholstered to something different.

taniamelis I also need to add new lamps for night stands and some wall decor in the form of art, enlarged photos, ....????

Jayme Hobbs That cushion DOES have blue in it! In the first pic, it looked all earthtones...Now that I can see the blue..it looks a lot better to me. I maybe a blue pillow or two on the bench and bed would do the trick. And if u had some of the bench fabric, an accent pillow on bed too.

collettec I would consider a rose color from the rug for the cushion and for pillows on the bed. For the art, I would go with softer colors, perhaps incorporating some of the softer colors in the rug, perhaps florals or a nature scene, whatever you like. The chair looks a bit undersize next to the bed, perhaps somewhere else in the room? I would consider changing the cushion on the chair to the cream color in the bed and rug. Perhaps wall sconces as shown in some of the above pictures for lighting.

taniamelis Thank you for your suggestions. I'll post photos once it's done but it's going to take some time, I don't want to rush this. I love my rug and wall color, just have to decide on the rest.

Jayme Hobbs The first pic was deceiving at least from my screen..I would do small changes first..good luck!

taniamelis Thanks Jayme!

Jayme Hobbs @taniamelis...sorry I didn't know the blue was there b 4 I spoke!! :)

taniamelis I know, it's hard to tell from a photo, that's why I took a close up of it. I'll take your advice!

carolinehp888 I would change out the cushion. It looks like it belongs in a sunroom or porch. Maybe a solid blue would look pretty.

taniamelis Yes Caroline, I think you're right about that.

laurae1967 Try the Wells Palampone in ivory at Pottery Barn. Actually they also have it in blue which might work with your wall color. I would get rid of the vertical striped cushion and cover it with something that will work with the bedding, rug and wall color.

taniamelis What is that item from Pottery Barn you suggested?

backbonemountain I would keep the bench cushion and the rug. Look at the yellow cushion in the side chair. That's what color I would look for in a comforter. A solid, soft color, but tone on tone pattern in the material. Sorry, but I think the duvet set doesn't go with the rest of the room. Your woods have yellow tones. The duvet doesn't.

taniamelis The rocking chair does not presently have a cushion what you see is a piece of foam. I need to find some fabric to reupholster the cushion that goes on that chair. We just bought the duvet cover so it's going to have to work somehow :-(.

taniamelis I do like your idea of keeping the bench cushion though a lot of people don't seem to agree. It would be an easy solution rather than reupholster it!

collettec I think the bench cover should be in a solid color, particularly given the stripes in the duvet cover. What are the colors in the duvet cover exactly? It's difficult to tell online. Sorry, didn't see your post about not wanting to cover the bench if possible. I do think it would help if the duvet or bench wasn't striped. Like both the soft blue and the soft rose from your carpet for accent colors.

taniamelis The duvet cover is from the Hotel Collection and I believe the color is called bronze. I know, it's difficult to tell from looking at my photos.

taniamelis And I think I agree with you about the bench. It would be easier to keep the current fabric on the bench cushion but it's not the effect I'm after.

collettec Just wanted to add that since your duvet color has both light and deep shades of color, it might help to bring some deeper shades of colors into the room for more balance. I still like the ideas of rose and blue, but given that your walls are a pastel blue, I think you need to bring some deeper shades of blue and possibly rose into the room to balance out the deep shades of bronze in your comforter. You could do this with deeper shades of color in your bench cover, pillows, possibly a throw, and seat cover for the smaller chair, as well as art, in order to balance out the deeper color of the bronze in your new duvet cover.

Elizabeth Julian The bench is a beautiful piece of furniture and should be the accent more than the rug. Cream bedding with accents of the blue wall color and a soft green. Change the bench cover to a floral with the blue and green. Throw pillows to add a brighter color if you want. And definitely loose the vertical blinds. Stick with the dark wood color to match the lovely bed and bench. The furniture will carry the room. The rug just doesn't match the period of the furniture.

taniamelis Thank you ladies, great ideas, so much to decide but I'm taking it slow and having fun!