SFGate

lyn's home Here's how we changed it but still isn't right.

E Jackson Design Hi Lyn,
My first impression is that there are too many little things in the room, therefore there is nothing to
anchor the room. It's a matter of scale. Heavy floor to ceiling drapery plus one large painting to the right of the fireplace would achor, balance and warm up the room. What is that behind the chair on the left? Can that go? Chair to the left needs to go, move lamp back to left with window chair. Done. Good luck!
Stefanie

Tres McKinney Design I only recommend placing a TV over a fireplace as a last resort. For one thing it is competing focal points and for another the TV is too high for comfortable viewing.I would try turning the sofa to face the console with its back to the window and hang the TV over the console. Then rearrange the chairs for conversation as well as TV watiching. You will need some sofa side tables and lamps (or use your pair of lamps on the console)and small occaisional tables for any chairs not near a table. Place the pair of ottomans under the console table.
The small chair can go on the left of the fireplace next to a sofa side table. The larger semi upholstered chair can go on the other side of the fireplace. Place the large white chair next to a sofa side table at the other end of the sofa facing the fireplace or angled at the corner of the rug with it's own small table.
The picture can go back up over the mantel or keep it on the left side and add a mirror over the mantel.

Positive Space Design The table that is to the right, can you place that behind the couch? Is it too high? If not try that. Then take the blanket off the pinkish color chair to give you a pop of color. Center the larger couch directly center in the room. The white couch can then be moved to the right of the leather couch. Move the tripod lamp underneath the lavender print and bring that great basket that is under the counsel table currently and move it by the tripod lamp on the floor to break up all the dark colors in that corner. Utilize the basket by storing your throw blankets rolled neatly inside. Take the green plant that you have in picture one and use it on the coffee table or on the right of the mantle paired with the ginger jar you have on the table (both to the right). Take the picture you have on the foyer table currently and hang it in direct line with the lavender print but on the opposite side. Make sure the area rug is also center with the room as well as the mantle and large leather couch. Window treatments would help here to. I'm always favoring plantation shutters (and nothing else) but Im not sure how they would fit in this setting.
Good luck!

Positive Space Design I just read over Tres Kinney's suggestion and you should put the small wood chair to the right of the mantle. It would help to provide balance in the layout I was discussing.

Peg Silverwood Push the sofa closer to the fireplace. Move the sofa table that is on the right wall and place it behind the sofa. Place the white chair so it is perpendicular to the sofa on the right side and facing straight on to the window. Take one of the two remaining chairs out of the room, or if there is space place it on the wall far enough away behind the sofa that is on the same wall of the window. Place the other chair in the left corner next to the fireplace with the floor lamp to the left of it..closest to the window. and the square cocktail table centered from the three anchors.
The two ottomans place under the sofa table with the basket between them. get a large flat bowl or rounded dish to set on the square coffee table and remove any small items that appear to get lost in your design. Get two small / slim topiaries that are beautiful and place them on each side of the TV to soften that area and small glass votives that are big enough to sit on the mantel with some candles would be nice as well. You could also get another basket and throw a few pillows in and set it on the right side of the fireplace to balance it out, if needed or next to the smaller chair. Once you have a visual you will know what it will need next. Can't wait to see! ;D

Darzy Great suggestions by all. I know you didn't ask this. : )...but if you can live without a ceiling fan, this semi-flush chandelier would look very nice.

Anita Levine Interiors Maybe you could build a cabinet to house the T.V. when not in use. Or a frame around it.
Also you might want to put 2 tall etegere's on each side to put book's and other entertainment related items on.
really all you need is to give your plasma a home. Perhaps some moulding around the parimeter.
up to ceiling.

lyn's home Thank you all for your great suggestions. I have rearranged the furniture. Do you think it looks better? I am attaching a few pictures of the rest of the room to give you a better idea of the space. It is long and rectangular. I have to work on a very tight budget so am trying to spend money wisely. I know I need to buy curtain panels in family room but have no clue as to best color, maybe white or cream. Is that too boring? I thought I would try to find matching roman shades for the family room windows as well. Does anyone have suggestions as to what to put on stairway wall? Also, want to do something different to breakfast area. Maybe new light fixture, paint table, chairs or both. I also have a round oak table that I could use instead of rectangle. Thanks so much for your suggestions. Please tell me if this layout is better than before. Thanks, again.

claudiann I liked the table on the wall. I would think about painting the ceiling fan to match the ceiling color. I like the ottomans under the table but that is not very handy if they are used a lot. In that case I would put them at the end of the sofa. Could you put what is under the table by the fireplace with the basket under the console table? It looks lonely. Or maybe put the big basket by the other side of the fireplace. Maybe put something pink in the basket to go with the chair and a throw that color on the couch. I must say the dog goes perfectly with the couch! You have a beautiful home.

Positive Space Design You could put a round table in place of the rectangular one but you would need to have it directly under chandelier, and you will then be very close to the window with the edge of the table. I like the table you have. Can you use the wicker chairs elsewhere? They appear a bit too bulk for that table. As per the living room area, The nesting tables are lovely but the placement is off. I was thinking they could be placed next to the armless chair but I'm not sure what is going on in that corner at this point... Any more pics you could share?
The stair wall... I was visualizing book shelves or cases with organized colorful books and some scattered objects. Do you have any shelves or something similar around the house?

Darzy Wow! Looks way better already. Almost a magazine cover...: ) I like your wicker head chairs because I like the "mix" and it works with your window treatments. For now, I'd just move the stools against the bare wall to hide the plug and make it easily accessible for extra seating. Oh..rotate the nesting tables towards the seating area and see if it looks better. : )

lyn's home I thought the nesting tables look odd, too. What type of table do you think would work? As far as the stuff behind the fireplace chair, I intend to move it but for now it houses/hides some electronics for tv. What do you think about a large etagere painted black on stair wall?

lousyl Oh yes..much better! I agree with one of the posters that the only thing left to do is finish the bare wall that had the couch table on it. Since it is a walk through, I think a wall unit...or a couple free standing shelving units put side by side is a great idea! Different heights might be something to consider. It can be used to house so many books, treasures, photos etc...that you collect over the years...and will be out of the way of traffic flow!

lousyl For now just 'nest' the nesting tables beside the sofa. And just take them out when you need them.

Peg Silverwood Yes!!! You did a wonderful job! ;D

Peg Silverwood For the stair wall the are some great ledges in various sizes that you could add for interest. They do not stick out to far and since this is a family room perhaps you have some fun unique photos to showcase. ;D

lyn's home THANK YOU for all the great suggestions. I love this site, and everyone is so nice to take the time to comment. My final dilemma for this area is the window treatments. I would love long curtain panels in the family room but they would be taller than dining windows and kitchen sink window. The kitchen cabinets are yet a different height. Any suggestions?

Positive Space Design Great. I even like the gold. Did you have anything like that around the house or are you buying new? Also consider scattered shelves, similar to the ones below. You could mount them above the horizontal 1/2 way point of the wall to allow you to utilize the lower half for placing extra chairs displaying baskets etc (or even just leaving it open). Doing this would take away the loneliness of the wall with out adding too much bulk.

-Jenna

momsy Love your rotten au gratin airedale checking out the new arrangement!

lyn's home Momsy, I can hardly take a picture without him getting in it! He is rotten!

lyn's home Jenna, I love the shelves. I'll start shopping.

Positive Space Design Great! I look forward to seeing some pictures!

athtex I agree- major improvement! How about using same rattan shades in living area? Might consider making drapes for living area & matching cornice for dining- I would hang them high- at least to top of cabinets or higher- looks good!

Peg Silverwood What is the view like out the windows?

lousyl I think you could get some curtains for the TV room. It would add softness to the room. If you want to carry this into the eating area, I would just have valances made in the same material hung at the same height as the full curtains in the TV room, since you already have blinds in the eating area, you don't need full curtains...but it would pull the whole area together!

lyn's home The view out of family room is good, but not so good from breakfast area and kitchen (which is why I put up the shades). The sun sets in family room and it requires something to filter the light at that time. I've really had a heard time deciding on type and color of window treatments. Thanks for your help.

rwagenaar Hi, I have only looked at all the pictures and not read the comments - so pardon any repeats.
Place the sofa in front of the window; leave enough space to fit long drapes on a fairly substantial curtain rod.
Pink chair to the left of the fireplace; move TV over the table(console) by the stairs; move the lamps to tables on both sides of sofa; get a dark coffee table or use the leather stools as such(also extra seating in front of TV and can be placed on bottom of console table if desired)
Move white chair to the kitchen side of sofa; move pictures to both sides of window beside the sofa; get new picture for over fireplace and 2 candle sticks; you can just set it on the mantle. Or a beveled mirror in frame for a more polished look.
Then, budget permitting - I would replace the area rug for a darker one; and in that case, start with the rug before you choose drapery and more pictures.
I like what you have going on in the kitchen; could move the living room rug under that table I would leave the blinds; the room can be unified by putting the same(colour at least) drapes there.

rwagenaar the reds will work nice with the other blinds and tie in the red chair

rwagenaar more

rwagenaar fireplaces

Norma Sassone Hi Lyn, I think the rearrangement is working much better, especially on the fireplace wall. Here are some suggestions as you can afford them: a large ottoman instead of the white coffee table - with a pop of color from your pillows; curtains in a cool print that you can draw colors from, a much larger and darker rug under the sofa to anchor the room, a really large mirror or wall sculpture on the stairway wall. I agree that the nesting tables don't quite fit where they are. You need two very narrow end tables for drinks and perhaps matching lamps instead of the candles - for reading and such. I love those candles, but I think they would look better on your dining table. I have the lamp and end table pix below.

Norma Sassone Well a lot of pix did not come up - I'll try again.

Peg Silverwood Beautiful shutters! They are a bit pricey but well worth it. Great for privacy and keeping out the cold and hot. Their clean lines complicate the chance of needed to change down the road. The large size ones are beautiful and they have sliding ones for doors.