Your room has good bones, but it could be dressed better. The first thing you need to do is clear the room of all accessories, art, furniture and curtains.
The fireplace is your focal point. You might consider replacing the tile with natural stone. We like using marble with interesting veining, and if the budget allows, we prefer having the hearth, horizontal top piece and two vertical supports cut from a slab. It looks more custom than using marble squares.
This is a long room, so think in terms of two seating groups. We think you need to purchase a simple, stylish sofa in a neutral tone for the right side of the room, and two matching chairs in an accent color to place slightly angled toward each other opposite the sofa. Your sofa accent pillows can pick up the color of the chairs.
Since you want to keep your rug, coordinate your new pieces with the rug’s colors. Do the chairs and pillows in red and the sofa in a charcoal or taupe. If you ever want to go more modern, find a hip geometric rug and play off its colors.
Then find an interesting coffee table: a round or square shape. One with a shiny surface would reflect the fire on crisp winter nights. You can make the wall around the fireplace look warmer and more interesting by painting it a darker neutral. You can either leave the fireplace molding off-white, or paint it in a darker tone to up the drama.
Update the drapery on both windows by installing French-pleated panels on a rod just below the crown molding, running all the way to the floor, perhaps in red or a neutral from your rug. This type of window treatment also will help to balance the built-in shelving to the right of the fireplace.
Consider darkening the floors when you’re ready to refinish. Because you mentioned wanting to utilize your antique chairs, we suggest placing them around a simple round pedestal table, creating your second seating area, a fun place for casual meals or games.
Your console table can go on one of the walls adjacent to the table, and your shelving unit can go on the wall opposite the fireplace. There were lots of small accessories in your room. Study our photo for ideas on how to balance size and shape, and use fewer pieces.
Your mirror over the fireplace is a good idea, but a boxy one repeats the shape of the window, fireplace and shelving unit. Better to go bold and use the largest round mirror that can fit above the mantel.
Jan Kyle and Doug Wells own Kyle Wells Design ( www.KyleWellsDesign.com), an interior design business. Need design advice? Send an email to designpostkc@gmail.com and tell us your name, city and a daytime phone number. Attach photos with your question, which might appear in print and online. Design Post appears the second Sunday of the month.