Now it's beginning to work! Luv the rug! A few more red showstoppers, and I luv the post about matting your family pic, and larger frame for it. Looks like you might be a bit uncomfortable with the great post idea of moving your sofa out into the room away from wall. If so, could you accept putting it diagonally from the entrance doorway, across that corner where it is, stopping at the edge of your window? That's a bit of a move outward, still can see the fp and tv, and show off your new rug, which could go diagonally in front of the sofa. Then, if you like that, after a while you could move it on out as Deb K suggests. Sometimes intermediate steps are more doable for us than those big changes.Same with painting; if you could first paint just the fp wall, then later paint other walls...seems some color would really make it more homey. Would you cosider a quite contemporary fixture for the light in the center ceiling? Maybe a bit of red could go there!

Thanks Carole, yes we are very keen to knock out that wall - I have to be restrained from bringing the sledgehammer inside until we get a proper load-bearing beam organised! Once thats done and the books are off the floor and on the wall opposite we will have to think of rearranging this space - I still like it split up by a couch, but perhaps we could put a larger dining table in the new space.

Your space is quite roomy at almost 23 feet by 16 feet 5 inches. It would help us to see all four walls. Is this going to be an area where you will eat as well as watch TV? I would put in some recessed lighting: (I like the idea of painting the ceiling a light blue or yellow.) You need to have table lamps and or floor lamps as well. If those are light fixtures on the beam, I would remove them and repair the beam. Would you husband be open to staining the beams darker? Something like this: A fireplace mantel like the one in the Crisp photo would finish off the fireplace. With yellow and cream, you could go with warm colors, browns reds and oranges or blues and green.

You need light and bright. Being rented is tough. First change out the drapes with to the floor length. Cream with a horizontal stripe of brown to match or furniture. This will 1. get rid of the horrid things hanging there 2. pull the initial visual to that wall instead of the floor. Tall and high colors ( mango, aqua, yellow) decorations on your mantel with shorter cream and brown items. Then a large square table in the middle, painted distressed cream, with high color items setting on it. DIY project or Ikea. Green is the number one calming color, just don't let it put you to sleep. :)