I Like to Visit Museums, Not Live In One

We are just getting into the groove of a new year, and like most of you, we’ve taken down the tree, put up the Christmas decorations and are now staring at a room that now feels a bit empty. I like this phase for a few weeks, but when it comes to creating a backdrop for the every day life of my family, I like to visit museums, not live in one. This living room has been through many transitions, but what I have come back to over and over again, is the notion that I want a home, not a showroom. This is my personal take on living, whether with kids or without, because I want there to be something interesting going on in my spaces. This space is fairly small but I’m dreaming up big ways of adding more layers of curiosity.
I filled the coffee table with books, brought in some art work that I may or may not put up on the walls, and tried the flea market mirror on the wall, rather than leaning on the floor. We have also yet to decide whether the branch will stay as a permanent installation. What would you do? If you left it, what would you do with it?