how about a folding screen?

It would help to see more of the room. Why is the back of the couch facing the FP?

Is there room on the desk to add something similar to a large decorative plate which would draw the eye to the art instead of the back of the computer?
Possibly even a rectangle piece of art on a low easel?
Plants would work also but I would use a good quality artificial so not to worry about water and electronics.

Speakers and other peripherals can go into wicker baskets. Even ones with lids if the weave is open enough. Easy to poke a hole in the wicker for the cord to access. Some could go on the floor, or they could stack on the desktop

I think getting rid of the "this and that" on the desktop and have it only be the monitor will be a big improvement.

Consider a file cart that can go under the desk when not in use to get files and papers stored away. Or even one of those cube ottomans with a lid. They make them that have file storage.

Then I would honestly want to somehow hide the monitor back, and you could do a photo or other artwork that is set into one of those wrought iron plate stands so that when you are looking at the fire place you see the art, not the backside of the monitor.

There are old pix from a couple of years ago here:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg021905341453.html

It's been hard to figure out a workable layout for this room as the dining room/living room space is all one big L shape. Eventually I'd like to make it into an open space.

Anyway, this was the only solution we could come up with where we could open up the window space (not have the couch in front of it), allow for flow between the dining area and living area, not put the TV right beside the woodstove and work around the baseboard heating. We've tried putting the desk on the wall opposite the fireplace, but it didn't work for our purposes. We have a woodstove in the fireplace, so there's no pretty fire to look at, just a tiny, offset woodstove with neat piles of wood stacked around it. There's a hanging chair in the corner next to the fireplace now that is new since the original photos in that link.

What about something like this, if you could find one with a nice back?

or a 4 ft tall screen that would screen most of the desk but not too much of the fireplace?

Here is a link that might be useful: many different kinds

Perhaps consider adding a couple of Ikea white Billy cabinets or bookshelves to the back of the sofa -- the shelves are only 11 inches deep -- and you could cover the backs of the shelves with fabric (even an old quilt or large tablecloth!) to face into the seating area.

Billy bookcases are available in different heights .....

Then add your desk in front of the actual shelf side -- which would give you more storage for your work area -- and cover it too! :)

Can you post the rest of the space? I can't imagine that this is the only way to set up the room.
I also don't see why the sofa is not facing the fireplace.
Can you look at other places, like in a corner of a bedroom?
There are interesting ways to divide a room, like with low bookcases. You can see over, but the mess can be contained.
Again, post more of your room and let's see if we can come up with something that is functional but not so much an eyesore.

Teapot linked some older photos of her room here:

Here is a link that might be useful: teapots link to photos

I looked at your older pictures, but can't seem to get a feel for how the sofas are arranged now.

However, do you still have your piano? Because I'm thinking that you could swap the desk and piano. Put the desk against the wall in the out of the way corner. Then back the piano up to the sofa. You could cover the back of the piano with fabric or pretty paper. The piano would be higher than the sofa back, but since you aren't using the fireplace as a focal point, that shouldn't be an issue.

In one picture you had your computer and desk on the wall next to the air conditioner....I liked that.

Also, don't get me wrong - when I said that we just can't find a layout that works, it's just that. WE have not found a layout that works, but I'm sure there's one out there, using the existing pieces we have!

Please don't mind the clutter. We do tend to be clutter-magnets, but we are in the middle of taking down our Christmas decorations too! The loveseat is not where it was before Christmas either, but we had to make room for our tree so we pushed the love seat to where it is in the photo here. We had created a cozy living area nook to try to organize the whole space. The love seat and the couch were at right angles with the back of the loveseat facing the wall where the black and white painting. This created a narrow corridor (I know, not ideal) to get from the stairs to the dining area/kitchen.

Our oldest is homeschooled and uses this computer for her online schoolwork so we do need to have it in a high-traffic area rather than tucked away in a room. It's for internet safety reasons as well...You can see in this 1st photo that I've already re-organized some of the desk items so the desktop is less cluttered and less oppressive in feel! Yay!

Our rationale for putting the Parsons computer desk where it is now was for it to act as sort of like a sofa table, but also to section off a library/office area. The hanging chair area is spot where my kids can sit and read books and literally hang out. :D I'm afraid to put the piano in the place of the desk because of the heat issues from the woodstove and how that will affect the piano as apparently those instruments are very touchy.

Here's a view of the wall that separates the dining/living area from the hallway:

I think we had the TV center up against this wall at one point. We just haven't been happy with the TV in any other spot other than where it is now. :( Of course, we have an Atari-era TV (or close enough) so maybe if/when we get a more 21st century one, we can get rid of that clunky entertainment center.

ps. You here are great! I like that you're all willing to help us out!

Sofa on staircase wall.
Loveseat under window.
New flat screen plasma/LED placed on console (back to back with PC monitor)

Or hang new flat plasma/LED on staircase wall, where the art is.

I'm pretty sure this is a layout issue, but I'm not seeing it from the photos. Maybe try homestyler.com and you can make a scale drawing of the room and add sofas and such so you can lay out the room on line rather than moving furniture around in RL...it may help us and help you see the space in a new way.

The way it's set up in your original photos (with smaller desk in corner) is much nicer IMO than what you have now. It looks nice with the loveseat and couch closer together and the desk is deemphasized. Also you can face both TV and fireplace which seems a lot more natural. I know you said your woodstove isn't the most beautiful thing but it just makes a lot of sense to have it be a focal point. What is the worry about blocking the window?

This post was edited by robotropolis on Sat, Jan 4, 14 at 22:24

I agree the original layout seemed to work better for all the reasons robotropolis mentioned. It doesn't look like the sofa blocked the window any more than the table and plants that are there now.

How about desk with computer in front of the window...lots of light for the homeschooled child. I can see the loveseat facing the window, making sort of a hallway to the other rooms, and TV entertainment center on the wall where the love seat is now...maybe a tall tree in the corner between the desk and TV.

This is an off the wall idea. When I was in IT our screens and keyboards were under the desk top with a glass inset. They were at an angle on a shelf with a pull out keyboard. These were used by the TV anchors for years, you just couldn't see them. It does mean some hacking, but removes all from the top of the table. And you can still see what is going on by just walking by.

Why can't the couches go in the fireplace room and the desk etc go in the room that currently has the couches? From what I can tell, that is just a really long space that you have sub-divided into two spaces with the couch/desk in the middle?

Then put the desk against a wall, maybe with a couple shelves over it for storage.

Love the idea of putting speakers, etc into decorative baskets! Maybe pen/pencil/supply holders could sit in the baskets as well to reduce the appearance of clutter :-)

We'll do some moving around of stuff this weekend to see what we can come up with. We do have baseboard heating, a pox on interior decorating of any kind! It just really limits where we can place things. To be honest, I have yet to fall in love with this house - I see so many things wrong with the layout, the lack of space and so little funds to update anything so that all we can make are cosmetic changes :( I need to find a way to love it and be happy with it.

@robtropolis and @grandmaof3 - I agree - it does look better that way and I do like opening up the living room to the dining area because it has much better flow.

We'll try some things and get back to you!

btw, the speaker in basket idea - I don't quite understand it - do you put the speakers in an open basket? If you put them in a lidded basket, does it interfere with sound?

@melle_sacto - you are right, it is a really long space! If we put the couches where the fireplace area is, I'm not sure where we'd put the tv?

Can the couches be set up to face each other, and have the tv on the wall opposite the fireplace? I don't have a very good feel for the overall room layout.

I totally hear you on the "not loving the house" emotions. We've been in our house 12 years now, and I'm still not loving it. The house is much better/nicer than when we bought it from the various projects we've tackled, but some of the inherent problems (tiny living room, no family room) will never be solved because it just doesn't totally work for our family.