You could also bring in some texture with bamboo sticks or decorative branches and help balance a bit the height of your room with small scale furniture. Spray paint them if you find the perfect size and shape but they aren't the color that you need. Ikea carries white decorative stalks for a very good price. the ones in the 1st picture hold well with small kids around and you don't need a vase for them. there are washi paper or crinkly paper floor lamps with a soft beautifully diffused glow For a budget friendly version check ikea or target http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80028552/

This arrangement works much better, but some adjustments are needed to make it work. First, the fireplace grouping needs to be tightened. It crowds the dining area and you need a passageway behind the couch. Turn the rug lengthwise, parallel to the fireplace. Pull the large couch about 2 1/2 feet closer to the fireplace, and place the two chairs and loveseat on the ends of the rug, and pull them closer together. This will give you a more intimate conversation area, and not impose on the other areas of the room. Remove that floor lamp from behind the couch. If you need the light in that area, put it by the fireplace. Also, the stereo system on the mantel needs to find another home. Maybe it can go IN the fireplace instead. At the other end of the room, I think the arrangement would look better if the seating were rotated 90 degrees. Keep the rug and coffee table in its current configuration, place the sofa either facing the window or with its back to the window, and put the two chairs opposite it. Finally, the dining area. Now that you've moved the big leather chairs, you should have enough room. Your rug is too small. It should be big enough to give you at least a 2 ft. border all the way around when the chairs are pushed in. And it's a really beautiful table; please uncover it. I can't see what kind of lighting that area has. It really needs a pendant or chandelier hanging directly over the table.

Its a really lovely room! what a great place for kids to share. I like kids sharing rooms. I think you need another colour to tie it together. I would suggest a blue tone.... teal, navy blue, duck egg blue. to tie it together. Its a little to pale and looks sparse, but actually isn't. I would leave everything exactly as is, BUT, paint the back wall behind the bed teal and find a simple navy blue wall decal that is fun and kid- like maybe one with a sillouette of a boy and girl playing. I would paint the wall behind the sofa duck egg blue. Then I think it would suit both kids more and look more kid friendly. the blues will balance the pink and cream, but because you have a pale carpet i don't think it will look too dark. don't worry about making it totally kid like, its a room they will grow with, not a kindergarten, and it also needs to peaceful and restful for sleeping. besides with their art on the walls and bright toys everywhere it soon looks bright and kid like. Good luck!

I'd go for make it white; then right there, flop one nice little white overstuffed loveseat or something that fit, or one big whopping chair, and fit in a tiny table and light; treat that corner as it's very own micro-retreat, and the seating is to not face out into the room. Like little lounge spots put under stairs, make this one dedicated to the view; and make it minimal. Decorate the rest of the room as if the column and retreat bit isn't there.