What's the view facing the wall where the fireplace might go?

For option 1 I think you have the windows positioned too close to the corners. It looks a little off.

My suggestion is none of the above. For option 3 I propose:

Position the sectional so that people can sit facing either the TV in option 1 or the TV in option 2. Place the TV where you have it in option 2, but put a window in either side of it. Place a fireplace where you have it in option 1 and leave the windows as they are on that wall, except for sliding them just slightly closer to the middle of the wall.

This is a big room and you are going to need more furniture than you have shown. You can put a narrow (possible drop leaf) dining table behind the sectional so that you don't see a sofa back as you enter the room. That would take up some of the space and provide extra table space near your kitchen - even if you don't want to buy chairs for it the surface could serve as a buffet space.

I like the first arrangement best. The second one doesn't feel right to me. It's kind of cluttered.

But I also think a big arched window on the back wall would look great if you have a nice view. Maybe something like the shape of this one....

This is layout 3 that was suggested by solie. The wall where the fireplace is faces out back yard. We are on a flat wooded lot. The back yard is large but no view of mtns or anything. The wall with the tv in this design gets very little sun. The sun rises at the front right (kitchen side based on layout).

Does anyone put windows over a fireplace? Do these window size look good in the design? Would you make them taller (closer to the floor though with an 80" header)? Would you change the shape or size in anyway to dress up the room or build fancy moldings?

We will need more furniture but these are the essential things we need to plan the framing around. Neither a large window or fireplace is a requirement, but we would like to incorporate at least one to dress up the room.

Thanks for the input thus far.

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Here's my thoughts. First b/c I'm lazy I wouldn't like the couch arrangement in v. 2 & 3, if you're in the kitchen you have to walk all the way around it to be able to sit on it, and anyone sitting on it is going to have thier back to anyone working in the kitchen.

I personally like the layout of v.1 best, but the chair in the corner needs to be moved out if you want it to be able to view the t.v. at all. Maybe add a table in that corner?

Does the 3rd layout work better then the others if there are 2 couches instead of a sectional?

peabbles, we used to have v3 in a previous home. After seeing your mock-up I realized that while our rooom was similar in size, some of the width was comprised of an area under a shed roof, which created a sense of visual separation. IOW, it was probably about 24' wide, but it was 18' + 6' with french doors in the 6' section leading out to a patio.

This allowed the fireplace to be centered on the 18' section (instead of centered on a 24'), which allowed one couch to be centered on the TV and the other couch to be centered on the fireplace. Which worked great, but given your different configuration I am going to backpedal and say that maybe version 1 is the best (because it gives you a view of the deck). I still recommend a table behind the sectional, though.

Are there any design standards to follow when choosing window sizes or header height?

Does this look ok or not because these would be the only two windows in our house with transoms

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I think I would like to see the sofa or sectional more centered in the room with option 3.

However the bar sticking out there is preventing that and making a lot of the space in the room that would make things flow well not. Is there any way to avoid having the bar stick into the room the way it does or reduce it some to make use of the full room size when placing furniture. This would give you much more seating space and then you could add a chair on both sides of fire place for example.

The one downside is that you do have to walk all the way around the sectional from the kitchen. It does look better with the couch centered in this design though. I shortened the bar area.

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I like the version immediately above, except I definitely think that the fireplace should go in the vaulted wall so that you can see it as you walk into the room.

I also like the 3-D verion above that which shows the transoms. I assume that the tops of all the windows and doors line up and then the transoms add some extra height on those two windows? I have no idea if that is the "correct" way to do it, but it seems reasonable. But I would get some more opinions on that.

I like the 3-d view with the transoms, too. But I think it would be more impressive with half arch or triangular windows for the transoms instead of the rectangular ones. Those would accent the vault and add an architectural detail.

I'd like to post a picture here of what type windows we put on each side of our fireplace, but I don't know how to post a picture so that it shows up HERE, and not uploaded to a picture site?

Anyone help, please?

BTW, we're also going to hang our TV on our fireplace, so the set-up is the same.

I hope someone offers to help, because I think you'd really like this window option.

Lavenderblues, I don't think there is a way to post a picture to this site. These pictures that I have up are hosted on my one site and then I included an HTML image tag my post so they show up, like this
img src=http://www.yoursite.com/yourimage.jpg.
You would need to replace the url with a url to your image and add brakets around the tag. I can't type it correctly or it shows up as a broken image.

If you could just link me to the image on an image site or email it to me jpeabbles @ maine.rr.com I'd greatly appreciate it.

peabbles, I can offer no furniture placement ideas, but have to tell you how lucky you are to have a room with windows on 3 sides! The fireplace is such a nice addition. And I agree with woodsworth---arched or semi-circle transoms would look GREAT on the fireplace wall.

Peabbles - I have a similar arrangement currently with our sectional. You have to walk around it. I haven't actually ever given that a thought other than we placed it that way to define the room from the open dining and make it cozier.

We did have it so you didn't have to walk around it before and one day I decided to just try it the way we have it now. DH came home and he rarely comments on changes (generally doesn't care), but he actually said he really liked it better this way. He didn't like looking at the dining and kitchen when sitting on the couch.

Hi there,

I have seen all the things and send all the details to my architect. He'll probably solve out your query. Just wait for my next follow up. I'll see what I can do to help you out sicerely.

Cheers now.

I think we have decided to put two windows on each wall with a space in between so we have the option for either configuration and can decide once the walls are up. To incorporate more light we are thinking of putting a left and right trapaziod window in the peak of the gable end.

I'll post an image later tonight.

Zion.power, have you heard any suggestions from your architect?

Thanks everyone, please keep the feedback coming, it is much appreciated.

looks like I'm late to give an opinion, but I'll share what I was thinking...

I must admit I'm not fond of the chair that seems to sit off in a corner by itself. So I was working on ways to get it back into the main seating area. Not sure if that's what you'd want.... but here goes....

How about an angled fireplace in one corner or the other of that back wall (I'd choose the right back corner, since you have a balcony over that way and must have a view or something out there?).

Then you could have the sectional in an L shape with the short section towards the kitchen... less of the couch to walk around. You could have a coffee table in front of it, and end table on each end of the couch, and I think your chair would fit fine at the far end of the room (with the little end table between it and the couch). It now won't be blocking the front of a fireplace.

If you get that fireplace angled into the corner, you can enjoy it from the kitchen and see it when you walk into the room near the dining room.

You could then have huge windows on all 3 walls if you wanted to, or smaller windows on the two sides, and still have room for a nice glass door near the kitchen end for going outside. Because the fireplace would be in the corner, you could still have a huge picture window on that back wall.

I agree.... you are so fortunate to have a room with 3 sides of windows. That is my favorite "shape" for a family room. Love it! Whatever you ultimately decide, it's going to be wonderful with all of the outdoors coming in!

Happy building!