Considered red? Persian carpets are pretty timeless... http://houzz.com/photos/2263975

The most kid and pet friendly couch material is leather. So far our blue leather couch has coped with 18 years of toddlers falling asleep and weeing on it, cat vomit, Easter eggs melting between the cushions, spilt milk, spilt orange juice, spilt red wine, spilt coffee, and muddy dog paws. It just wipes clean. Our white leather chair is just as durable and is now 24 years old and just starting to look grubby. So go with beige or cream if you want. It would be a lovely choice, just make sure it is leather. Black or mid or dark brown would also look lovely with that beautiful rug but I think lighter colours would look fresher. Don't be at all scared to use light coloured leather.

Thanks jmm1837. Would you believe I had a "professional" put up the artwork and I agree they are too high, but I will need to wait until I repaint so I can fill in the holes he created. I also agree about the corner needing some height. Do you have any lamp recommendations/ideas/pictures? I'm also a bit stumped about artwork as the magnolia print is already quite dominant. (As you can see I'm really struggling with this room). While a white rug would look stunning it may not be an option as I have a cat (although she does shed white fur) and although I don't have small children I do have a husband who can be a bit messy :). Do you think maybe pale grey? Thanks for the suggestions.

I know exactly what you mean as I find I have a similar feeling whenever I visit a busy cafe that has polished concrete floors, when there hasn't been enough thought put into the acoustic design of the space. I would look at similar spaces (such as cafes with concrete floors) to see which ones work, and why they work. I discovered one cafe that had upholstered the underside of the timber seats to help with the reverberation issue, which was a solution that was right outside the box. I have also worked with acoustic engineers that specialise in architectural acoustics on client's projects. I would suggest that you consider engaging one to work in conjunction with your designer to be sure that your big investement will work for you. The area is fairly specialised, and while many designers have a general idea of the principles, an acoustic engineer will be able to provide some certainty (and your peace of mind) with some science. Best of luck, Dr Retro