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!

I am planning to add scatter cushions and think if I do a pair of larger ones for each end so they go over the arms to creat height at each end, and a couple of smaller ones, I want to bring some colour in too. I do like the idea of a larger side light at either end to, Switching the sofas is going to be my final fix if all else fails!!

I would look at this room from 2 angles, in this order: convenience (as you have young kids and need everyone to be able to fully use it) and aesthetics. Equipment and accessories: #1 - first look at what is necessary to have in this bathroom: a place where to keep soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste -- all within easy reach for all users (including not-tall-enough kids) #2 - a cosmetic mirror ? #3 - a towel rail #4 - a small cabinet for storage Ideally, #1 should be stored directly on the sink, as it's lower, within easy reach for the kids (see below photo from one of our baths): You can do this also witha smaller sink, like the one we use in the half-bath: If you'd like to keep the one you have (which is really nice), you'll have then to use a shelf (as also suggested by someone else above), and I'd propose one of white porcelain and not one of glass, as it's a lot less reliable with children around. Below, an example of what I mean. The shelf should be installed as low as possible to be reachable by the kids, but also the mirror should be much lower, so that they can use it (much more interesting for them) without having it too low so the adults can't see themselves anymore. For #2 look on the left of the mirror in this photo (if you need it): A towel rail (#3) is absolutely necessary and make sure it's one where you can stretch the towel for faster drying (like the one in the 2nd photo). The cabinet storage (#4) could be placed on the wall from the right of the mirror, as you can see we have in our half-bath (also 2nd photo): Aesthetics: I agree that blinds on the window make no sense, light should be let to flow in as it's much needed in a bathroom. If you don't have time or disposition to paint the walls (and maybe they should remain white anyway, or a light color, because this is a small space), you might use decorations from your DYI center and stick them on the walls (see an example below from my daughter's bedroom, but there are other smaller ones for any kind of space): This way, the room becomes more attractive, more welcoming and more colorful (with very low cost). I hope this helps :-)

I read an interesting comment somewhere, where a lady invited a group of her friends over to lovingly point out all the problems they saw (through fresh eyes) with her home on preparation for sale. She said she was surprised at marks and damage that she had lived with for so long she no longer noticed them. We "owner built" a home previously, and when we came to sell 7 years later, we painted the garage and did those jobs that we had put off, and it became sad to finally see her at her best, at the end, when we could have been living in a completely finished home all that time. I read about a lady who decluttered her home, had it professionally cleaned (build clean, or bond clean) and had a professional styler do her home and she realised just how nice it could be and decided not to sell. :) ta