I would use a bookcase unit with closed doors on the lower half and not too high. Wide and low maybe. Closed lower cabinets are great for toys, games and will not clutter. Open shelves tend to get cluttered after a while. When displaying books, use in stacks standing and lying down. Open space between groupings, not all lined up in rows. Add some decor items sprinkled among the books to give the eye a visual break. I would choose a horizontal art piece for the chair wall. Add some art on the long TV wall leaving a lot of bare wall between the TV . and the artwork between the corners of the chair wall and the window wall.

Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

There is nothing worse than ceiling-mounted lights--harsh shadows, flat lighting. They are strictly for utility. I would put a large-ish, shallow cylindrical shade on them and put nothing more than a 15-watt bulb in them. Use them strictly for lighting your way as you walk through the room. I agree with Vincent; the chair in the corner doesn't fit at all, nor does the one under the A/C unit (put that one with its mate behind the love seat). And the curtains look smooshed. I think the problem with the bookcases is that they are uninteresting. Did you buy books-by-the-yard? What are all those identical books? They are visually uninteresting. I'd get rid of some of them and get some colorful ceramics/glass/photos. The room is absolutely overwhelmed with furniture. It needs one less love seat. Do you really need all of them? Pushing them against the walls/curtains so tightly just visually emphasizes the fact that there is too much furniture. I don't think a mirror above the fireplace will work. When people are sitting down (which is most of the time), all they will see is a reflection of the ceiling--the plain, white ceiling. Get some real art in there with some color.

Hi, love that you love bold colors and patterns. I think a rug that will help to highlight what you've started in your space without competing with it would be beautiful. Because most of your patterns are medium to large in size, I would probably recommend a rug that has some black in it and even with a pattern but with a different scale pattern (much larger or smaller/more subtle) than what is shown in your pillows, chair and lamp. Here are some examples.... Mostly of rooms with bolder (black and white) patterns and the rugs that were used with them. In pic 3, a rug with a larger scale pattern was used in combination with pillows, drapes with smaller or no pattern (and with black/white contrasts). Your space would be the reverse application I think....like in pic 4. I also love the idea of a bolder, more contrasting in color (like the colors of your pillows, etc.) of a cowhide rug. Perhaps even a hair on hide rug.