I have something similar.

I am not sure if this helps at all? If it does I can try to take a closeup with my Iphone.

{{!gwi}}

We did a raised hearth fireplace which flowed into the window seat:

This was before the end cabinets were built:

This is the best closeup I have (this was pre-cushion)

The above window seats are beautiful and have great transitions so that may be all the ideas you need. I just thought I'd add that we've had window seats in two previous homes and none were 24" deep. I see that your hearth appears to be 17" out from the wall, and that might be deep enough for a window seat.

Agree with sujafr, the ones above are beautiful and probably all you need.

Here's mine, although it's stone and the window is to the right of it. We put the seat at an angle next to the FP, and it is straight at the end.

We spend a lot of time here warming up!

Taken before we got an area rug and a cat chair for our fireside cat. :)

Mtndredux and Beagles,

Those are great inspiration pictures. Thank you so much for posting them. Mtnrdredux, what is the shape of your room? It doesn't look rectangular, but it might just be the picture. What approx depth are your window seats Mtrn and Beagles?

Sujafr,

Thanks for your thoughts. We were using the Sarah Susanka books as guides on window seats. She recommends 24 inches as a good comfortable window seat depth. I am sure we could shave a few inches from that though.

Carol

I like the balance in your sketch...might you consider a built in seat on both sides?

Oakleyok,

What a cozy spot you have. The cat looks so content too! Thanks for your inspiration picture. I would love to have some seating that close to the fireplace.

Annie,

I agree with you that having just a fireplace and a window seat, but no wall unit as in sketch is lacking balance. My colleague at work said the same thing to me today. I don't think I would want two window seats though as there is only one window and I want the space for other forms of seating.

So, I am thinking of scrapping the window seat as it is complicating the arrangement. Perhaps I could get a backless couch or a lounge chair in the spot occupied by window seat? I have even considered moving the fireplace to the outside wall where I show the club chairs, although this would cost me in labour (HVAC and a mason to repair bricks where vent exits).

Can anyone suggest a good seating arrangement with the fireplace in the corner and no window seat? Is it best to deal with the expense of moving the fireplace to get a good seating arrangement? I don't own much furniture for this room, so am open to whatever kinds of furniture would work best. TV viewing is very unimportant in this space. Conversation and enjoying the fireplace is the priority as we will only watch TV occasionally here (main TV viewing takes place in basement room).

Carol

Sorry, I should have mentioned, our room is an octagon.
I think the depth is 20" but I will double check.

You could just park the club chairs one on each side of the FP.

Thanks mtnrdredux for clarifying your room shape. What a wonderful shape to work with. Don't worry about dimensions.

Annie,

So you would keep the fireplace in the corner with a club chair on either side (assuming window seat is gone). Or would you consider moving the fireplace?

Carol

You may have already thought of this, but if your only reason for nixing the window seat is the symmetry concern, you could do a bookcase on the other side of the fireplace (where your sketch shows the television) and simply place club chairs in front of the bookcase.

Here is a link that might be useful: [Houzz picture showing chairs in front of bookcase[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cool-calm-and-collected-transitional-family-room-los-angeles-phvw-vp~6821750)

Crl_

That is a good idea that we have not experimented with. It would likely mean pulling the fireplace far from the corner. Thanks for your brainwave.

Everyone,

I have been playing with a few other versions which I will post tomorrow for your input/votes. I will try crl_'s idea too.

Carol

I never minded corner FPs, but DH always disliked them...he likes the FP front and center in the room.

Perhaps if you center the FP on the wall you could then add the window seat by surrounding the window with bookcases and that way you'd get both....

I sort of thought that you and your DH were really liking the corner FP and wasn't sure of the impact on your budget...

Hi Annie and others,

I understand why you would guess we wanted the fireplace in the corner from my opening comments. Actually, I had always wanted it centred and not in the corner. However, when we were trying to have 3 elements on two walls (fireplace, window seat and TV) we were repeatedly told the fireplace in the corner was the way to go. I do still see that that corner is a very important focal point in our house. We put it in in a hurry as our family was living in the house and we had no other source of heat except electric heaters.

So, long story short, I would be open to moving the fireplace to the centre wall even though it will cost some (but not that bad) to move it. We know a good mason who would come to repair the opening in the bricks where the vent opens and we have leftover brick. He does not charge much as he is retired and willing to do small jobs. I just need to figure out which spot corner or centred is best for the fireplace and how best to arrange seating around the fireplace. I am not good at room arranging.

Tonight, I will post a few more possible floor plans and would be happy to hear comments on them.

Carol

I would center the FP to help balance the room...stairs on one wall, FP on the next and window and sliders on the next....

Hi all,

Thanks for your vote, Annie. I have put together two possible plans. It does not have things such as area rug, etc shown, so it is pretty rough. What do you think? How would change tweak it? Is this the right kind of furniture. The one with the fireplace in centre shows two shallow wall units on each side. One would hide the TV in a cabinet. Only a few would watch TV in this room from time to time. The focal point we want is the fireplace.

Carol

I love window seats and built ins so I hate to see you give those up.

Carol, I skipped over all but the first few suggestions but I would like to at least put forward an alternative to the window seat. Why don't you make that 72" opening another set of French doors instead of a window? There is nothing so gracious as two sets of French doors, and they really open the room up and give it as much architectural interest as a window seat not flanked by anything. More interest, in fact, IMO. Just a thought.

Crl_,

We are still debating the window seat issue. It has just caused as so many design headaches, that I feel we should give up on it. However, DH would be happy if we kept it. I don't want the fireplace and window seat to be competing for the focal point. I want that fireplace to be the star. I will draw up the idea you had in your first post to see where we are.

Thanks for your support.

Kswl,

Thanks for your input. I do love French doors too. However the house has been cladded and the expensive triple pane fiberglass windows have been installed, flashed around etc. I would not be willing to go back now to that creative idea.

BTW, the one French door in the picture is centered in the long great room/dining room space and there is an identical sized picture window on either side. I do like the wall of windows with big window/French doors/big window.

Thanks again for taking a look and offering your ideas.

Carol

I am sure the end result will be gracious and lovely, whatever it is. Please come back with finished photos!

Hi,

Here is one more alternative we are exploring. What do you think of this version? We found out low glare LCD TVs are available so having a TV face a window is doable.

Carol

Not a fan of the last design as I wouldn't want people running around the TV and I'm not sure how you would hide the abundance of wires that go with it.

Hi Annie,

Thanks for your thoughts. Your opinion is valued. Just to clarify, the TV would be in a cabinet a bit like the one below, but with wood painted cabinet in a lighter colour. We are planning on a much smaller TV than pictured too. The electricity and other wires for the TV would go through the floor from the basement below (floor plugs). Powering the TV is not really a challenge, and nor is cord control with the right designed cabinet.

[Contemporary Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Other Metro Photographers Elad Gonen

As per running around the TV, that could be an issue, and maybe it is just plain awkward. My youngest is 8. In general I am striving for a practical design where some seating can see the fireplace and some the TV.

We hope to rework a few other versions. Hopefully you will come back and let me know if you like any other other versions better. Is there anything else you dislike about the latest design after my clarification?

Any other opinions on the 18:41 version posted today?

Thanks for the help!

Carol

Carol- After I saw you entire first floor, I don't know that it would be so busy between the TV and sitting area. The basement path might be, but that's closer to the kitchen, right?

Oakleyok- Love your fireplace! So cozy :)

Hi Lavender,

The top of the basement stairs is near the kitchen. There is another step of steps stacked over the basement stairs that goes to a bedroom level. I expect there will be lots of traffic passing behind the TV on the latest plan I posted. This was why we preferred not to put the TV against the staircase wall (e.g. traffic coming and going to bedroom level, to and fro laundry and powder room).

Here is the best floor plan I have that is small enough to post on GW. Kitchen is not at all updated (actually there are several things not up to date on the plan. There is 36 feet of space from dining room outside wall to great room outside wall. Please ignore the grey shading.

Thanks again for your help.

Carol

I really like the cabinetry design with the tv next to the fireplace that you were looking at in the other forum...I like when 2 focal points (fp and tv) are in proximity as it makes decorating easier and it gives you an option to decorate with a 3rd focal point, in this case being the windows.

Even with the wires buried, I still worry about rough-housing and a TV in the middle of it. If it's up against the wall, it's less likely to get injured....

HI all,

I have started a new thread with my two favourite room arrangements. Since we have moved away from combining a corner fireplace and window seat it was time to start a new thread with the new title. Thanks for all your help. Hopefully, you will comment on my new thread and give me your vote on the two options presented. Here is the link.

P.S. Annie, I have drawn up a detailed plan and elevation to go with the one you liked.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Please vote on my great room arrangement