Sending an SOS

That's right... this ship is distressed!! Like I said in a recent post, my decorating skills leave much to be desired and I basically hang picture frames up EVERYWHERE to compensate my lack of decor skills!!!

I would love to get suggestions from you to help me redecorate the Family Room. As you know, we recently created a toy room in our house, so the toys moved out of the family room!! WHOOO HOOO! We also got the new LCD TV, so we re-arranged a little to put the TV above the fireplace. I think I like it there. What do you guys think? Ok? Or not so much? Obviously some work needs to be done...... that's where your advice would be VERY helpful!

I will be purchasing a black audio/media tower to sit on the right side of the fireplace. To house the DVR, DVD player, wii, etc. I'm hoping to pick one out over the next couple weeks. You can barely see it in this picture, but right now the DVR is sitting on our end table! ha!

We are going to be re-painting the whole main level. I am thinking I will do the 2 outside white walls in a tan color. Originally, I wanted to do the accent wall (fireplace wall) in a red. I really loved the red my sister-in-law had in her old family room. But now I'm questioning if the red will be too much behind the TV?? Thoughts? What color do you think I should paint that wall?

I have a feeling I will be blogging about that wall this Spring as I try to re-paint it. The original owners of our house painted it with Ralph Lauren River Rock paint. It leave little specs of river rock on the wall and gives it more texture. It looks cool, yes. But from what I have read online, it is a PAIN to repaint. We'll see!!

My next issue is how to decorate around the TV? (Once we get the audio tower, we will hide those cords better.) But what do I put next to the TV? Picture frames don't look right. Now I'm stumped!! ;) Suggestions? Color schemes??

My last issue (for this blog anyways) is the lighting. I will NEVER understand why builders don't put lights on the ceiling!?!? Arg. We pointed the spot lights in front of the fireplace out towards the walls and they actually look fine. It doesn't interfere with the TV at all. But it is definitely not enough to light up the room. I have 2 lamps. One will sit on the end table next to the big recliner (once the end table is done with it's DVR holding duties). The other lamp is standing next to the mirror on the left hand side of the room. I just do not know where to put it??

I should have taken a better picture of that side of the room.... but what you can't see on the left hand side is that another window starts right where the picture is cutting off. The couch is up against a half wall that separates our family room and kitchen. The couch lines the whole half wall, there is no room to squeeze a lamp in next to the couch. The lamp looks OK where it is now, but it's kind of awkward how it stands right in front of that big mirror.

I don't know. I am the world's worst home decorator!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!