Jasmine from Chairful What You Wish For's Profile

I know these are just suggestions for "effortless style" but the tone essentially comes across as a prescription or textbook recipe for style, and I only agree with it so far as a recipe can be tweaked or substitutions made according to the taste of the cook.

I'd like to echo with where cdeaton is coming from - if you planned on getting rid of the old rug why not just update it with some color? If large patterns aren't your thing, maybe start with just a border around the rug. It'll give you a taste of color and maybe help direct where you'd like to go with the rest of the room. Blues and Neutral/Browns were meant to go together.
My picks: turquoise or tiffany blue trim along the rug with something shiny on or over the mantle like a starburst mirror. You could add a throw to the chair or sofa to continue the color scheme.
Good Luck! Happy Decorating :)