Contrast, Value, Wimpy Washes and Stuff

So...had "Independent Cats" in the family room for about a week now and it is still wimpy washes and not a strong statement so this A.M. did another wash with Nickel Azo Gold.  I applied it thick and then after it dried for a bit, I did another layer with a combination of the Nickel Azo and Bronze.  I am loving the dark red places but I want to have more value changes as well as majority of colors warm, maybe 10% cool.

It still isn't working, so am writing to talk myself into washing it with a buff pigment in an effort to get some opaqueness into it along with lightening parts for more contrast.   What that will do is to either enhance the underneath layers and then I can continue the piece, or it will wipe out so much of what I have done to a place where I can kind of begin again...still to be the story of independent cats.