What a neat room! The little nook by the french doors would make a beautiful reading space. If you're wanting more of a gold than a brown paint, you might try pulling from the gold in your curtains. Adding more of the same curtains on the sides of your doors would bring in more color, too. I think this is a great space! I love the pieces you've chosen so far.

You don't have too much brown, you have not enough of other colors. Notice how that blue background on Sponge Bob's ocean brightens things up?
Get some colorful flowers in the floor vases, put a colorful throw on the sofa a big potted fern on a stand in front of the window by the desk. Your room is all warm brown tones....I think you need a few greens and blues in there. Try those things before you go to the trouble and expense of repainting.
Linda C

I think you have a great room. Just needs a little paint. Your walls and carpet are practically the same color and a gold/tan paint will help make your furniture and art stand out. I think you should look at BM's Desert Tan, and Sherwin Williams Ivoire.

I agree, I don't think you need to repaint either. Just pull in some colors in some new curtains, rug and pillows.

I personally wouldn't want a dark hardwood floor either. First it would show all dust and dirt. Second, it would make the room look smaller. But I understand your want for one and wouldn't go for a light, but something middle of the road.

I love this room. It's very soothing and inviting and I love that little room back there. I agree w/the pp that it looks like a great reading/offic room, of course, if that's not your only back? door!

I think you'd be surprised what just different fabrics can do.

Thanks for all the great feedback so far! I'm surprised that some of you don't think I should paint. It's the cheapest drastic change I can make to the room.

I can add more blue and green but I guess I'm not sure how to go about it.

The back room used to be a reading room (even though we aren't readers) and we changed it to an office space. Our spare room is my son's toy room for now!

Thanks and more advice would be appreciated!

Hi! I love everything you have. All the kinds of things I'm drawn to, personally! But it seems to me that you are really leaning toward painting as an option. I agree that SW Ivoire will brighten and warm things up a bit and keep you in your neutral comfort zone. But without having to change your accessories you could also easily paint a warm green- anything from BM's Camouflage to Behr's Caraway or any of the Laura Ashley Olive colors (especially 3 or 4). They stay in your nature-inspired earth tone palette and your browns will pop forward off of any of them.

Kim, i think your room is very pretty. And i have those same curtains in my den, and i painted the walls Laura Ashley Olive 3. Sorry i can't post a picture.

Another way to bring in some color is to mix up the artwork a little more. From what I can see, all your artwork has the exact same colors in it. Looks almost like you bought them all as a matched set! It's all attractive, but it's adding to the monochromatic look. Maybe you can use a few of these pieces elsewhere in the house and bring in some pictures or prints with some brighter colors?

You also have a lot of framed photos scattered around, all in what looks to be dark colored frames. Another inexpensive idea would be to replace those with either silvery frames or colored frames. Target is one of the best places to buy frames IMO. You could also look for some small vases, bowls, glassware or pottery in colors to mix in with the frames on the shelves.

Another idea -- a couple more live plants. The green floor plant really stands out in that sea of brown. You could use a couple more, maybe some kind of trailing plant on one or both of the top shelf of the units on either side of the TV.

Since it seems like you have green in your drapes, I'd focus on bringing in some more green tones. Maybe a shade lighter than the green throw on the sofa, just for a bit more contrast.

Finally, the wicker chair by the fireplace seems all alone. I'd pull it closer to the other seating area -- just nudge it a little closer, maybe a couple feet. Sometimes photos can be deceiving, but it looks like that could work.

I'm not keen on blue accessories in there, and to me the color Olive is dreary looking and would just add to the "brown" to the room, which isn't all that brown to begin with. Please don't anyone take that the wrong way, I just have this "thing" with olive. lol. It's a great room to play with though!.

I would figure out the floor dilemma first, and accent colors you like then figure out the walls. Buy a decorating book with lots of pictures of living rooms to give you a start.

Oh,I also have a "thing" against light wood floors too. lol. But I like them in a beach house! I know, I'm weird. :)

I did some quick color on the walls and added a hardwood floor. Maybe it will help your vision. ;) A few posted below, some more at your album here.

Color names are for reference only.
I can try more tomorrow if there's a direction you're leaning.

You have an adorable little boy!

Cameo Broach

Garden Path

Green Hellebore

Fishnet

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim72's Album

Moonshadow, beautiful job! I'm always so impressed by those of you who can PS these pics. When I try, it takes me hours and hours and still doesn't look like this! Amazing talent you have and so nice of you to share it.

OMG Moonshadow...Thanks so much! I opened this up and I was so excited when I saw what you did! WOW! I love the hardwood floors and plan to show my husband asap! I love what you did with the walls! I love the green but I think we have had our fill of green at this house. I'm leaning more toward gold tones like Sherwin Williams Restrained Gold or even someone suggested Ivoire from the same swatch. I love what you have done and I appreciate it more than you know!

sueb-Thanks for all the great advice. I think I will mix up the art and add live plants like you suggested. Also, will try adding different color frames around the room.

Thanks again everyone for all the help. I really appreciate it!

Thank you sujafr and you're welcome, Kim. ;)
I hope the Vintage Gold I did at your album is close to Restrained Gold, or at least will help you envision it. (I went from memory on that, I have more paint swatches and fan decks than any sane person needs but my SW fan deck has gone AWOL.)

I'm kind of liking the Cameo Broach because it looks like it matches the background of the rug. I also like the lighter wall color because it balances out the dark furniture and floors. If those mockups don't sell your hubby on hardwood floors, I don't know what will. Those are great.

Laurie

Since you are going to paint anyway have you considered closing up the pass-through to the dining room? Doing that would give you many more furniture arranging options. You could use that as your TV wall and put the furniture in a tight 'L' facing both the fireplace and the wall.

I agree with debbie1031 and would look at BM Camouflage. I think it would be beautiful in your room