Modernizing a small living room

by Becky
(Charlotte, NC)

My husband and I bought an antique house a couple of years ago (built in 1920).

My living room is relatively small, but with a very high ceiling - the former owners raised the ceiling to follow the roofline. So the walls are all about 15 feet tall, and then the ceiling slopes to about 20 feet in the center of the room.

I have ugly beige carpet, merlot colored silk drapes, a dark brown leather sofa, navy blue cushions on the rocker, and several antique wooden chairs in either black or dark brown with dark blue and wine colored pillows tossed in several places.

There is also an antique secretary and a china cabinet in golden oak shades. The flat screen TV sits above the fireplace, which is mostly a golden wood color with dark green marble tiles around the insert.

The ceiling is popcorn, which I hate! The walls are painted white, which I also hate!

I want to paint the walls, but I can't decide what color (I'm thinking a sage color). My instinct is to go medium-dark but I don't want to close in the room.

Should I paint all the way to where the walls meet the ceiling? I don't want to try to "modernize" the old-fashioned feel of the house - help!