I'm not really sure if I'm showing you this because I want your advice or because I want to make myself accountable to actually decorate this room, but either way, here goes.  We have lived here for over two years, and this room is still a hodge-podge of random stuff.

Let's start with what's working.  The couch is khaki and the two chairs are sort of a cream with a grey ticking stripe.  The rug is a heathered wool "cable-knit" carpet (made by Ralph Lauren) which I had bound as an area rug.  All of these are neutral and in good condition.  The console table on the left and the nature shelf above it are also staying.   There are some large botanical prints behind the couch on either side that are working for me-- see here-- that's one of them.

What isn't working.  I can't stand the color of the large square red leather ottoman.  When we bought it we were using more reds and teals, and I'm hoping to go in a more green/ teal/ brown direction (see these throw pillows here).  So I purchased quilting fabrics over a year ago to make a quilted slipcover for it, and for some reason find the idea of it completely overwhelms me.

Now my biggest complaint about this room is the fact that the amount of space on either side of this rather nondescript fireplace is not equal (the window starts to the right of the Christmas tree).  I can't for the life of me figure out what to do with it.  So, in Cheap Idea #432, I bought this "leaning bookcase" and tried to balance it out with these Ikea frames (Cheap Idea #433), but the main problem is that I have no idea what to put on these silly shelves, or in these silly frames.

What I've learned.  I think I want the artwork to remain in the black and white (or maybe I should just say neutral) color range, I find I tire of it much more slowly.  I lean heavily towards botanicals and birds.  I'm also feeling the folksy trend.  Did you see this photo on Bloesem, oh my.

I want the main pops of color to come in the form of pillows on the couch, throws on the chairs, and whatever I cover the ottoman in-- which as I type I'm thinking would be nice in a patterned wool, maybe some pockets on the side (see, you're helping already).  I would also eventually like a quilt for the back of the couch (Denyse, could you send one over?)

I'm willing to lose the ottoman entirely if I could find some little floaty stool/table things.  And the Ikea frames, I'd loose them too, or just find something nice to put in them.  I'd also like to paint the mantel (see inspiration below).  But, I still have no idea what to put on those shelves.  I could cover the books, games in colored paper, or I thought about making a collection of colored bottles like this.  I could also paint or somewhow cover the red "R."  I'll put some inspiration shots below with notes below them.

So, any advice?  You guys don't have anything else to do, do you?

Love this mantle.

Denyse Schmidt, Hable Construction, Weeks Ringle, need I say more?

I've shown this before, nice neutrals with greens and blues.

Help, please.