Hi Kjoy! Good to see you ;)

I don't mind the new lamps, but I think the shade is making it look squatty maybe? Are they too wide for the lamp? IDK but something seems off to me.

Such a bummer about your thrift lamp! was it a doggy? haha

Not sure what you are asking liasch

Lia, it is the rug she would like for the winter season.

I like the cane back chairs. Will a change in the seat fabric be enough to liven it up for you?

Is the last photo your room? Show us your decor to help decide the best look.

If interested, I’d keep the chairs (upholstering will not be expensive…getting a quote may help you decide). Your DR has so much potential!!! and consider long term.

A rug will do wonders, a second hand console could save you money and your art may need updating. This can be done slowly.

You might even be able to use the bottom of the hutch (may need to refinish the top) and change the hardware.

Why not go crazy and do ghost chairs and a really cool new chandelier in a modern style I traded my dining chais for ghosts when we down sized and people are a bit wary when they first sit down but are surprised how comfy they are I put real sheep skin on the seats for a bit of fun This pic is good becuase it shows the colors and some different styles

My goodness. Changing the chairs makes a world of difference in the room. I’d still hang a canvas on the mirror to minimize the reflection.

Do your chairs swivel? If so, is there room for one of them to the right of the tv but not blocking the door?

It's hard to tell but it looks like the chairs are far away from the sofa. Maybe those shelves next to the sofa can go on the other side?

I would move the tree to the left of the TV and add an elongated, asymmetrical wall composition on the wall to the right. I would keep the cabinet top mostly clear, especially directly in front of the screen, and simplify the display behind the glass doors so your favourite pieces have more space around them.

Before buying decorations, it may help to decide what mood you want for the whole room. I made a video showing the same living room in four different design concepts, so you can compare how colours, materials, lighting and decorative details work together. You might find a direction you would like to adapt here: https://youtu.be/R-2ZyyBc6EY

I would clear the top of the cabinet first and see how the wall feels with nothing on it. A lower, longer cabinet would help the proportions, but even before that, keeping the shelves tidy and the tree to one side makes the TV feel less crowded. Once it is calmer, one large piece of art rather than several small items is usually easier to get right.

We had our LR setup similar as the OPs photos for many years. We watched tv by lying down, it was nice. Now the sofas are in an L-shape and I still lie down to watch tv but DH sits and stares at it.

Info about what you'll want with number of viewers, tv size and room dimensions would help. Things come up on FB Marketplace at reasonable to bargain costs once you have your plan.

I started a new post with room plan and layout. Hopefully this is ok. Thank you all soo much,

I would "help" balance the arts height by moving the sofa off the wall and placing a table behind it with some lighting. Hanging drapery panels at the same height as the top of the highest ppiece of art.

Can you move the bathroom door to the adjacent wall and run cabinets/fridge along the new wall where the door is now?

Agree with @Diana Bier it is helpful to know the scope -

for me, if i was renoing i would want to address the dishwasher and dryer situation for resale down the road

You might be able to turn the fridge and place on that wall where the bench is and maybe even fit a nice true pullout pantry cabinet beside it.

Violet's Pride takes a long pause between flushes, but the blooms last at least 3 weeks here.

What color would you call this? I'm terrible with purples/lavenders.

Finally made one of these. Not all vintage jewelry. Some old some newer. Don’t know how I am displaying it yet. Love the green crushed velvet. It was a vintage dress I picked up at Salvation Army

More accurate

I used a white fish scale tile on the tub/shower surrong in my daughters' bathroom.

Herringbone on the tub walls will look great, and the grout concern is easy to manage. A few things that help:

Choose a grout color that matches the tile as closely as possible; the pattern still reads, but the lines disappear and you don't notice every joint. Use a high-performance or epoxy grout (Mapei Flexcolor CQ or Laticrete SpectraLock are common ones); they resist staining and mildew and don't need sealing. And go with a longer plank, something like 4x12 or 3x12 instead of 2x8, which cuts the number of grout lines by about half while keeping the herringbone look.

Since it's a kids' tub wall, the splash zone is mostly the lower few feet; a simple, good exhaust fan and a quick squeegee or towel-down after baths will keep the grout clean for years. Keep the floor simple and matte for contrast so the walls stay the feature. It will be a sweet bathroom.

I like lanterns, I have one in my sunroom and probably others I am forgetting (but it came painted a fairly vibrant green). I had a set of the UE Chatham Hall ones in my foyer and still adore them. But I just think they got overdone in Kitchens especially. I am not against them, but if I were trying to "update," I just don't think they look any more updated that what is there now.

But in terms of the goals of the OP, she wants it to look nicer, and that result is difficult if not impossible to quantify.

This is always true, yes. But I think changing out the shades to rattan or fabirc is a very easy and attractive fix

What is going to happen over the fireplace? Is a TV being placed there? More art? A mirror? If it is a TV i would think about comfortable viewing. As the sofas sit now it will not be comfortable to view a TV as they are arranged. So as far as arrangement goes I can't speak to whether you should change the arrangement. Assuming there will be no TV in the room I would do the following move the sofas in closer but do not have them go past the fireplace surround. In general they should sit approx 18" off your coffee table for ease of walking and comfort. Currently the blue rug relates to absolutely nothing else in the space. That is further highlighted by the struggle of scale you have going on in the space. For these reasons the next thing i would do is layer and additional rug on top of the blue one that ties the blue with the sofa color. Large coffee tables are not hard to find. I would find something with interest like Burlwood for material. This one is 60" long. You can place cube ottomans on each end of a coffee table if you feel that the space looks empty but 60" should fill up the space enough. place a sofa table between the sofa and your windows. Now go to town on ambient lighting because currently you have zero and it is needed. Two lamps on that sofa table and consider blue shades to tie in the blue again. place two low horizontal shaped lamps on the cabinets on either side of the fireplace. Lets address the art in that area. It is lined up like a firing squad. Move much of it to the upper shelf area where there is height and layer it to create depth and interest. Add some books to the shelves and style your accessories more artistically. Pillows. Again scale . These are large deep sofas your pillows should range in size from 26" and down to 22" . add some lumbar shaped in there for interest and again make your blue work in the room by having it relate to something. Now you have blue in 3 places rug, lampshades, pillows. This is intentional and cohesive. End tables. Yours are too small. Round to break up everything linear in the space and larger and wood toned to compliment the built ins. Slightly darker to add contrast and pick up on the darker elements in the burlwood. I would also do simple drapery panels at the windows to warm up the space. In all of this think texture. Your lobby/CA vibe equals drift wood. The lamps on built ins. The ceramic on lamp. The texture on added rug, coffee table, pillows, accessories. These all keep the space from falling flat which is what youre struggling with more than the furniture placement.

and if you choose a mirror for over the fireplace make it interesting with texture

and if you felt the coffee table you find is too short add some cube ottomans

Mustard?

Of course gray would be the safest, depends on how bold you want to go.