Two things would make a big difference--one is cheap and simple, one is not.

1. Paint. Make your ceiling the same color as your walls. It's a small space with two kinds of flooring, and that dark high-contrast ceiling is way too much. You might want to choose a new color for the walls and ceiling. On my monitor the wall color does not work well with the tile colors. But get someone with a good eye for color to size things up in your space.
2. Flooring--the expensive fix. For me, what really makes that area feel unwelcoming is the way your table and chairs straddle the carpet and stone tile. It looks very haphazard and it looks very haphazard and temporary. It would be much better to have the whole space carpeted, or have the whole space tiled with two properly-sized area rugs--one for the TV area, one for the gaming table. That's a big project to fix though. For a quicker cheaper fix, do you have any remnants of the same carpet? Maybe it would work to hem a remnant to make an area rug under the table crosses the carpet/stone divide. You give the table a proper base without adding another whole color or texture in a small area.

^ totally agree on both, if a flooring change is not in the cards, I wonder about a table that fits a bit better, maybe oval?

So a media room should have a black ceiling??? Curtains on all windows.

Joosh that table to more center, put a slim console under the art at the back wall, lower the hang of the art, and add a lamp.

The art on the adjacent wall is way too small and also hung way too high. You are SITTING in this spot.!

The flooring is an issue...one, not two

The rug is the biggest issue. Replace it with one rug under the game table and another in the sitting area. I like the black ceiling. Curtains on the windows would add a lot of softness and make the room more inviting.

The floor is the main issue….. is the table also a pool table?

I see a pool stick in the corner. So you need space all around the table to play, so mark space for that. Add a pool stick holder to the wall. Add a ledge on the wall for drinks to be put on. I would go with swivel chairs in the tv area and add a nesting coffee table for drinks.

I'd want a light fixture over the games table so one could actually see what one is playing and it adds a light source midrange. And I'd add lamps. All the light coming from the ceiling makes a room stark and uncomfortable.

is it a poker table?

are you a football family? Get inexpensive framed team posters for the walls.

accents in team colors.

I would paint out the whole room the same color as the carpet, OR the furniture.for a neutral/drenched background, ceiling too.

Keep the contrast down. (Floor lamps, layered with the recessed lights to balance the lighting)

(it appears to be a second story room, so no need for privacy but blinds on the windows would add interest and texture.)

This looks great. You just need a few tweaks to distract the eye from the rug/tile line issue and bring it up to the wall.

Your artwork is hung too high and the piece on the right wall is too small. Lower the larger piece and put a very slender console table beneath it with a lamp or plant to bridge the distance between table and painting.

Lower the reddish piece of art and find another piece or two to add to that wall.

Do you open both doors often? If not, place a tall potted palm in the corner where the right side of the door meets the wall. They make very good fakes if you don’t have enough light.

Have you sat here at night and played? Curious if the lighting is sufficient.

Love the wall and ceiling color. Love the moody, art filled vibe. Unexpected for a game and TV room. The doors on the TV wall are great.

Thank you all so much for your input. I will make some changes and post new pictures.

Please hang your art at the correct height. It makes a huge difference in the room.

I will use indent/niche for console table with lamp and greens.

Okay, this is a bit wild, what if you flipped these two spaces? The tv would be in the bumped out space. With furniture facing toward tv the difference in the flooring will be less of an issue. The other space will be nice for the game table especially with the carpeting. I love black ceilings, but I agree it doesn't seem right in this area. Don't game tables usually have a pendant light above them? That would definitely make it more cozy. Just a thought. Thanks Sue Johnson! Appreciate the agreement. Also, you will be able to see the tv from game table if you switch it up:)

"Rainigirl" has the best idea here, please SERIOUSLY CONSIDER doing it. As it is now, you have a glare on the television from the large opposing window. If you flip it to the other side of the room into the alcove, the left side wall blocks direct glare from the french doors. Leave the doors and drawer system where they are, and use it to store games, cards and poker chips, your favorite hardcover books, maybe some game or sports themed trinkets or collectibles. Perhaps, if you and your guests like to have a cocktail or other drinks, you can store them on glass shelving in the space where the television was. Some barware--glasses, cocktail shakers, etc can be stored there also. Definitely install a hanging light fixture over the game table. You can tap into one of the recessed lights and run another wire over to the spot above the table. If you don't want to get into electrical work, you can get a hanging light fixture that has a "light bulb type" base that screws into a recessed light. Just screw it into one of the recessed lights (NOT over the existing barn door tv unit) and swag it over to just above the table, and hang it from a cup hook screwed into the ceiling. If your recessed lights are the new LED style that don't have screw-in light bulbs, find a hanging lamp with a plug.

On the other side--with the french doors, a sisal or jute area rug that is the same color (or close to it) as the carpeting would look great, and it would draw attention away from the harsh difference between light carpet and dark tile. A runner would look great (about 2'x7') but I can't tell how large the tiled area is...so measure and purchase one that "fits." You need to wipe your feet anyway, coming in from those doors, right?

Now for the television-- hang it on the wall in the alcove, or place it on a narrow sofa or console table. If you can find doors that look like the ones on the other side of the room, that would be great. You can install them as a bi-fold unit (4 doors on hinges) OR the NEW sliding barn door style bi-fold doors. Consider putting a "false door" or just hang a door panel on the wall that is bumped out from the alcove, if the doors you install look "off-center." You can even "fake it" by cutting a piece of luan plywood the same size as the door or wall, an attach it to the wall with pin nails. Then cut pine strips the same size as what is on the doors, and install in the same design as the doors. Stain it all to match. If space and finances permit, you could even get the same type unit your television is in now, and install it on the other side of the room. Then put the chair by the french doors--angle it so it doesn't interfere with opening the door, and place the sofa to the right, facing the television.

By swapping the furniture, card table/chairs and television placement, you get a whole new outlook on the room. You'll get more light from the doors when sitting in the chair, if you just want to curl up with a good book. If you are watching television, you aren't really gazing outside, so why waste that good view--when you are playing cards/games or having a cocktail, you can have a great view all around--a pretty bar/toy display area, large windows to look through...even the other side of the room.

You might find that the dark ceiling works just fine, once you swap the game table and television. It gives the room a "moodiness" that I think you might be going for, especially with the dark wood barn door television unit. I think if you place the game table on the other side of the room, in front of the tv unit (move the tv out) AND hang a swag light (a pyramid shaped opaque glass arts & crafts style) above it, then you will get that look you are going for.

Good luck and please come back and post photos when you are done :-)

Remove the carpeting, put in real wood floors. Paint the ceiling in "ceiling paint" (white). Paint the black cabinet and doors around to TV in white or a pastel. Black is so ugly in a house!!! UGH! Those changes will be a great start to making it a "normal" room.

Real wood floors are nice but not at all a requirement for a cozy room. Personally I love the black cabinet. It helps the TV blend in and look like furniture, not jump out the way that large black screens do inside of light cabinets.

Hi Fikare, Also wanted to add that I noticed the door to your entertainment room opens to the right from the hall. The first thing you see when you open the door is those large windows with the beautiful view, right? So, that area should be your showpiece--your warm and inviting area. A place that says 'come in and play games, have fun, engage with each other--face-to-face'. Then your television area (or reading area) can be 'not so dramatic', maybe a little less lively... because when you watch television, the tv is entertaining you--it's a passive activity, but when you play games, cards, etc., everyone entertains each other. When you make the game table area the focal point (first thing you see coming into the room) it automatically looks more inviting, and you don't have to do major work--just move some furniture and the television. And don't forget to put a hanging light over the card/gaming table... just like a small spotlight over a piece of artwork, it draws attention to what it is lighting. Both pieces of artwork can go on the wall on the right as you face the alcove, BUT, I find that switching around my artwork all around the house once in a while gives a whole new perspective on it.