SFGate

A Kitchen That Works LLC Dear Gigi,
Congrats on purchasing your new home. I can appreciate your desire to paint and decorate, possibly before you move in, but consider moving in and living in the space through a few seasons to determine how the light from the windows plays on the various rooms and how traffic patterns naturally develop through the house as well as how your current furnishings fit and feel in your new abode.
In an effort to create an entry, place a small bench or bench-coat rack unit (think Pottery Barn) by the front door where occupants/visitors can sit down and remove their shoes, land a purse, etc. Place the couch so that the seated person's back is to the door and possibly place a library table behind the couch, creating a "demarcation"of the room with furniture.

gigigabore Thank you so much for your input Molly. I had the same thoughts of using the couch to form an entryway. I'm super excited about my new space!

A. Peltier Interiors Hi Gigi, d you need a tv in this space? If so it looks like the only place you can put it on is the large wall to the right of the door (not the one with a window). i did a model home with a very similar layout to this. If you put the tV on that wall and then under the window you can do a bench with a cushion and pillows. That way if you are entertaining you have more seating, it will look great and it will be a place for you to sit and take off your shoes. But I think you need to figure out where your tv is going to be placed first (if your having one in this room). Then you have a starting point for your layout.

gigigabore Thanks for your input Amy. I'm not putting a TV in this space, I'd like it to be more of a formal living/sitting room. The bench sounds like a good idea!

Natalie Hi---could you upload a pic of your fabric and another taken from the entry looking straight ahead instead of up? Also, what design style do you prefer---traditional, contemporary, country, modern, etc.??? Thanks!

judyg Brave Space Design Tetrad Mega Shelving

You could use this, placing the high end against the wall between the front door and the window. Leave it unadorned to showcase the design. In the nook you have created you could make a small seating area for reading or whatever. You could continue this them in furniture and color in the rest of the living room. A little Asian, or Campaign style, contemporary…
Decorating Den- Shawn Strok

A. Peltier Interiors Ok that helps! The place a great console on that big wall with a beautiful pice of art above it. You could tuck two ottomans under it. Put a nice rug at the front door and then you can do a sofa against the opposite wall and a pair of chairs in front of the window. on the other side of the sofa would be your dining room table... Just a suggestion but hard to give an exact layout without doing a floor plan. I would also look on houzz for design styles and colors that catch your eye and this will help you narrow down the actual look of the room.
Good luck and have fun!