Ah yes, husbands again. Good luck. But there are other vertical things you might place there that he would like better (just can't think of one right now). Just not another picture -- I think the three over the sofa on the left should stand on their own, and then the two on the right. I like the idea of a traditional wooden clock like that because it would blend well with the sofa.

PS Night time here. Good night.

Hanging pix is easy. Those with furniture should hang 5" above the furniture and those freely hanging alone should have their center point 60" above the floor. If husbands "help" they tend to think "eye level" means where their eyes are looking when they're standing up and pounding the nails - always a mistake!

5" even when the couch has low backs? I'd worry my two year old would knock them when he goes behind the couch (because its super fun to drive his matchbox cars behind the couch lol!)

Personally, I don't think the photos should be hung over the couch because this is the main focal point of the room, and the photos aren't really making a design or color statement. Also, with a low-back sectional that is large, heavy and dark, the photos are just too small.

IMO, you need a large canvas painting over the couch that really reflects the colors and style that you and your husband love. Since your colors are basically neutral at this point, you have endless options.

The photos would then work well together on the right side of the window - farthest from the couch (one hung above the other, with the bottom photo placed at the height of your couch plus 6-8" (this will give you a common horizontal line to work with and help to create a sense of unity). If you try that photo arrangement, then measure the height from the top of the first photo to bottom of the second photo. That will give you a good idea of the size painting you need.

To complete the area, you could then put a tall plant in the corner (behind the couch) that would cover most of the wall on the left side of the window, and maybe hang a tall vertical mirror, a clock, or a favorite quote painted on wood to the left side of window - with the bottom of whatever you hang placed at the the same horizontal line (6-8” above the couch). Add an area rug and throw pillows that have some of the same colors as the painting does, as well as a nice lamp, and you’re finished.

If you need ideas on artwork, let me know. We could also customize a painting just for your space.

Also, the painting should be at least two-thirds of the width of that section of the couch.

Yes and too high. Add and stack both on one wall. bottom of pic should be 36" from floor leave 2" between the two.

Add panels on each end of window in a orange n white chevron print. Add a big pic on wall behind sofa. But first pull sect out and away from corner.add area rug 8x10 in a color. No more browns. Go orange as a accent. Use a cream, orange and rust in rug.

Wozezezszeo

Or

Didn't see other pic. As talking about pic by window. The one on sofa still to small use together on wall b window. Get a 40x40 for over sofa, use orange as accent color. Add those pillows color to sofa.

Ad a floor lamp behind sofa. Stainless tall. A fan would be better than that light in ceiling.

AlsA

Oreo
SMSe

Don't hang picture by eye level. Go by the furn it is over. All pictures should be approx 6" above top of sofa. And hung no more than 2" between. The reason they look high. They are to small for wall. You could take all pic in room and group n wall behind sofa but still follow first rule, to hang 6" from top of sofa, then place on wall with 2" between each. It's really hard to do a grouping and have it come out right. Plus not a fan of family pic in living area they belong in a hall way or bedroom. Get a big piece of art. You will be happier. Or going big 45" sunburst mirror.

The light fixture is 110% being replaced, hopefully soon-ish. It's ugly and old.

I'm not sure I'll be happier with art in the living room vs family photos... I love our family photos and really don't want to hide them away in a bedroom where nobody will see them. It's not a very big house, there are limited spaces to hang things.

I worry about hanging things so low, 6" above the couch and my toddler can reach them, which isn't ideal.

As far as art in our style- the larger photos are what we'd likely consider our style. They are horse racing photos and I'd say that's what most of our art centers around. I guess that's more of a theme than a style but that's what we like.

I like the idea of the canvas prints on one side of the window, and maybe a mirror on the other?

Are the photos on the non-window wall also considered too small? Even with three of them? The reason they are not only 2" apart is because they need larger better frames so they can be matted and I'm not sure how big the frames will be when we get around to doing that.

Btw the sofa is a moss green its not brown. And wouldn't orange clash with the yellowish/orangish walls??

For reference, the photos are approximately 62" to the center from the ground. I've seen websites say 4'7" and ones that have said 5'7"... So 62 seems in the middle?

I get the concept of 6" above the furniture (though I think they could look absurdly low with these sofas... Standing eye level would be over the top?!) but again with a two year old I do prefer to have things a bit higher than that. He likes to touch everything.

The so-called "rules" don't always work. Especially with tall people in the household. You'll have to determine the mean height for the occupants and get a consensus.

I think a two-year-old trumps the ideal hanging level for the pics. Enjoy the toddling years, he'll too soon be old enough for you to put your pictures wherever you like. That said, is your ceiling paintable? The problem is as much that the three sofa pictures look too close to the ceiling as that they look too far above the sofa. I think it would be a good idea, if you can, to paint the ceiling in the colour of the walls, but a couple of shades lighter.

I experimented with an idea that sometimes works, to paint a panel on the sofa wall to "contain" the pics, but ... eh ... not so sure. It could look merely gimmicky. Perhaps someone else could comment or improve on the idea?

We are hoping to get new sofas... At some point. If they have higher backs maybe it'll help. I just don't know what that item on the wish list will be a reality ;) these ones can be moved around fairly easily, however, and are modular so they can be made as big or as small as we want... I don't know if changing them around in the meantime will help?

If they look too high, then they are too high. How big a nail did you use to hang those tiny pictures? I often use straight pins, the kind you use for sewing, to hang small pictures. Carefully hammer the pin so it angles upward until there's only about 1/4 inch of the pin exposed. They're very strong and if you decide to move the pics--no holes!

Small holes would be less glaring than the too small pics hung too high.

FYI, pictures should be hung at eye level (about 60 inches from the floor to middle of picture) when they're hung on a blank wall not over any furniture. If furniture is involved then usually 5 or 6 inches between back of sofa and bottom of picture.

Yes that has been mentioned several times. But again, I am not interested in hanging them that low because I have a toddler who will then be able to reach them.

I used picture nails. I'm not sure what size but they are fairly small. But after spending countless hours on these walls, I cringe with any holes in it. They are 10x16 wood framed canvas prints... I don't think a sewing nail would cut it.

For the photos on the other wall they have almost a 5/8 inch hole so I could fit the anchors in. They are large photos with heavy frames, and since they were on drywall on a wall with an outside door on it, they needed anchors.

^sewing needle*

Good morning ruffian. Great name, by the way. May I move away for a moment from the toddler-threatened pictures and ask what kind of drapes you're looking for?

I have no idea! I'm hesitant to do anything that is going to cover the window because I think it's pretty. I haven't come across any that I like yet...

Yes, it is pretty. Do you want/need privacy, insulation? Big dark windows freak me out at night, but not everyone. There's no law I know of that says you have to have drapes. I think they would add finish to the room but there are probably other ways to do that. Dressing up the sofa, perhaps, with more cushions (yours look interesting) and a throw.

We have a ginormous lilac bush (more like a tree) right outside the window, the whole length of the house. And the room/ window is high (although its the first floor there's stairs to get into the house, it sits up off the ground a bit if that makes sense?)- you can't see in it from the ground or the street, nor can you see the neighbors. I think that's why I haven't been in a hurry to do anything with it. Although, I'm not sure how it is going to be in the winter? I am not sure if the bush will give us less coverage then.

My biggest issue is its an east facing window so this summer the sun would hit it first thing in the morning and the whole room would heat up. I'd like some kind of shades to pull down and keep that from happening next summer.

I was thinking maybe cordless shades and a scarf type of curtain to go across the top?

Cordless cellular shades would be great, I think. I'm not familiar with them myself, but I believe they are quite effective insulators, too. I don't fancy those scarf thingies on windows. They always look to me as though they're waiting for the real thing to arrive. But the shades might be all you need. They certainly do make a window look "finished". Is that a louvre hutch door to the right? The look of the blinds would echo that, too.

Hubs won't allow corded shades in the house (he's a Peds ER nurse. He sees too many accidents).

I'm not sure what a louvre hutch is - the doors open to this super deep cabinet that is awesome... I just don't know what to put in there! Blankets and some "extra" purses are housed there now ;)

Once our spare bedroom is finished the printer and such will move into that room and out of the living room. And I can't wait to move the AC out.

Quite right too. Hubs and corded shades. But it seems to me from a bit of a distance -- i.e. searching on line -- that the cellular shades (also called honeycomb, because they look like that from side on) are available without cords. Go online and see what places like Lowes have available.

A hutch is just a hole in the wall to the next room -- usually kitchen to dining. Louvres are those little slats in a door that look like almost closed Venetian blinds. The deep cabinet sounds wonderful.

The cabinet is awesome- it goes the full length of the wall there.

If you're looking to up your energy efficiency, cellular shades do an unbelievable job. However, with your 'shutter style' cabinet door and pretty window molding, something more traditional might be a better fit. Wood blinds or shutters could be a good alternative.

Blinds.com- I really like the first ones!

Fun! A whole new thing to think about. Are you okay about the pictures?

@ruffian, there are tons of options with cellular shades. They come in single, double, or triple cell. The more cells you have, the more air is trapped against your window, and thus the more insulation. If you have small children, cordless is the way to go. The 'creamy' color in the picture you like would be beautiful in your space, but they come in hundreds of colors. Order some free color samples and see what you like!

I think so... For now I think I'm going to leave them. They are growing on me. If/when I find something to put on one side of the window Ill double up the canvas prints on the other. I like the thought of something vertical breaking up the horizontal lines. We had family over this past weekend (who I happened to show the pictures to before coming over) who thought the pics were too high & the canvas ones were too small from the pictures but once they saw it they all said it looks fine in person.

I really want to get nicer frames and the prints matted for the ones on the non-window wall. I'm wondering if white frames would match the white trim? Or is that "too much"?

Plus, we love the photos/prints we have up so we don't want to change them more than re-arranging and reframing them. I have to remind myself sometimes that its not like we're staging a house for sale, if we like the pictures then that is what we should put up. And on that note we have to consider the height differently because of the baby. 6-8" off the sofa just won't work with him.

Blinds.com- thank you! We definitely will. Would you recommend three separate shades for the window or one huge one?

I wish I had a better photo to show off the lilacs we had in the spring. They were a wonderful surprise when we moved in :)

That was not the photo I meant to attach! Whoops!

(Please ignore the awful light fixture)

Cellular shades can go pretty wide, but with cordless it would take two people to raise one large shade on your window. Here's an example of a homeowner who did a set of three shades that look very clean and pulled together.

http://www.yellowbrickhome.com/2012/09/24/the-most-exciting-thing-you-will-read/

Plus, if you do three shades you can mount them inside the window molding (an inside mount) rather than on the wall above (an outside mount).

I agree, three separate blinds. That way your keep the shape of your window. Sounds to me like you're well on your way to getting the room you want. Yay!

We can't do an inside mount because of the moulding on the inside of the window frame :( we could on the big window but not on the two side ones.

No worries! An outside mount for all three shades won't be a problem. You can either mount them to the window frame itself, or the wall above. Because cellular shades stack so small, when they're raised you won't even notice them!

Rina- any suggestions for the "TV wall"? It's directly across from the window wall, opening into the kitchen. We're thinking about wall mounting the TV and painting the stand? (One day it'll get replaced... But unlikely to happen soon).

Oh, gorgeous. I see Mr Double Trouble. First, it looks to me as though you're not sure whether to have it at an angle, or to put it straight against the wall adjacent to the kitchen. Which gives you the more comfortable view from the sofa? Second, how does Mr DT feel about his furniture being moved out of the way for the sake of elegance? Forget it, I would think. Third, it may be none of my business, but get a safety gate installed at the top of those stairs!

I don't think you need to wall mount, and if you want to, it would of course only be an option if it's comfortable to view placed flat against that wall. It don't think there's much point to it, though. If you feel better watching it at at an angle, put it at a bit more of an angle, as far as you can go without sticking out too much on the left. Make it one or the other, not halfway. I very much like the idea of painting the stand, in your favourite colour from your room -- from the photographs, the cushions, whatever you like best. Or, actually, I would try to match the sofa colour, but a little bit brighter. (It still looks brown on my screen, but I believe it's green.) Get a bit of technical advice and paint it really high gloss. I really think the right direction for your room is fun and family.

You could happily put another picture just above the TV (you can do the "keep it 4-6 inches above the top" there, I think). And just because I love to fiddle, I think the stairway gives you another great space for a picture. See below.

Night time here. Good night when you get there.

Thank you for those suggestions. As it is it is easier to see at an angle, I'll try putting it at more of an angle so it doesn't look half way.

We have an awesome three season porch that I'm hoping to turn into a four season playroom some day. But until then, I'm afraid the "kitchen" has to stay- at least until he gets bored of it! Haha.

We now have a gate for the stairs but I want to get one we can attach to the walls vs the tension one we have now :) he's pretty good about the stairs, but sometimes he doesn't realize how close he gets when he's playing.

Haven't fully decided what to do with the stairs wall. But I'm contemplating something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005FWSZ28/ref=aw_ls__6?colid=1J0HH6HVWXG2L&coliid=I665IWCRGXD94

Yes, that could work well. It's a lovely space for something you want to look at every day.

Maybe I'll wait until we get pillows (and possibly some kind of curtain) before deciding what color to paint the TV stand :)

Thank you so much for all your help!!