Rug as it is in the second photo; sofa with back against the wall where the TV is now, front feet a couple of inches in on top of the rug; Put a sofa table behind the sofa with the mirror on the wall just above the sofa, about 4- 5 inches (it's too high on the wall now); single chair as it is but pulled in close to the coffee table (in front of the sofa, wide end facing the long wall); floor lamp to the right of the chair and turned so the shade is angling over the chair but not right above it; get an articulating arm for the TV and install it under the sconce which is closest to the window, so that the bottom of the TV is about 3 feet off the floor. You can then pull the TV out and angle it for watching, and push it flat against the wall when you don't want it jutting into the room. also, with it in that corner and facing the sofa so the back of the tV is to the window, you won't get glare from the window bouncing off the screen

Sideboard along the long wall; centered?

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Tue, Feb 25, 14 at 18:59

Can you provide a photo of the area where the clear table and chair are?

Both the TV and the mirror are hung too high. Likely contributes to the room not feeling/working right.

I agree with Tibbrix that moving the TV would help, but you said that wasn't an option.

The room is very long and narrow, but fortunately the open side allows for some 'spillage', at least traffic wise.

I'd try dividing the space into two sections. Sofa facing the TV. Chair filling out the seating group. Rug moves over to anchor that area. Drop the TV to eye level with a long low piece below. If you don't want to see the TV when not in use, explore sliding panel of art or something like that.

Use of the remaining space near the window depends on your needs. A smaller complementary rug. Another grouping of two chairs for conversation or reading. Or a writing table with bookshelves. Or a sparse meditation area with a chaise and plants. DH would plant a pool table there in a heartbeat.

What do you both want to do in the space?

I missed the part about not moving the TV. Why can't the TV be moved? Hole in the wall? Easy to fix.

Not a good idea to have a window and TV opposite each other due to glare. Nice, also, to face a window from a sofa, no?

I think your sofa looks perfect for your room, but I think you've eliminated the only solution for having a room that is welcoming for guests, yet comfortable for tv watching, without having the furniture arranged as if you are worshiping at the alter of the television. And that solution is to move the tv.

If it were my room, I'd move the tv to the wall behind the gray chair, (the short one perpendicular to the window wall) on an arm that allows it to be angled from that corner to be viewed from the sofa and yet placed flat against the wall when not in use.

I agree that the mirror is hung too high. I'd move it to the tv wall (if you would move the tv) and find a long low profile piece of furniture to go below it. And I'd center the sofa on the rug.

It's a really pretty room and I couldn't imagine what furniture or furniture arrangement could work with the tv hung so where it is.

One way to minimize the impact of the tv is to paint the wall behind it a dark color. You could try an accent wall of charcoal gray in this room.

Then I'd swing the sectional out so that the long part faces the tv. Yes, the room is narrow, but there isn't a wall on that long side next to the dining area and it might work.

Then on the tv wall, I'd add two chairs facing the sofa, to create a conversation area. Add a small table between them.

Behind the sectional, you'll have room to create another little area. Put the sideboard you want there. Maybe a game table. Or two comfortable chairs and a small end table and reading lamp to create a cozy reading nook. Or a desk and a bookcase to create a home office/library area.

Here is a link that might be useful: dark walls and tvs

a)Find a long mid-century credenza in the same wood tone as the coffee table -- slide it under the TV. Try to find one that is solid (no legs) BUT if it has legs -- you can always add flat baskets under it to hold additional "stuff"

OR -- if you want to create the most storage -- find white furniture (ex. IKEA) that can fill in the whole wall space around the TV.

Add a mid-century lamp on a long credenza OR add built-in down lights if you go for the total wall storage system.

b)Find a MUCH larger, longer rug. Neutral/gray in tone -- perhaps sisal for texture.

c)Switch to a set of four medium artworks -- hung in a square grid where the mirror is now (sorry!) Adding color and texture.

d)For NOW: Spin the sectional to face the TV (with its back to the window. Slide the current area rug down the floor towards the TV. Add a basic white blind to the window for now. Float the chair under the mirror.

e)In the FUTURE: Yes -- you may wish to find a sectional that could be used along the main wall with a section that turns in front of the window. THEN look for a couple of mid-century style swivel chairs for additional seating -- those would be floated in the rest of the seating area.

Thanks for all of the ideas!!! I knew I'd find some good advice on GW. Let me address the tv issue. We like its present spot (but can move it down) because you don't see it when you walk into the room. The cable box and DVD player are stashed in the closet directly behind it so no media console nor visible cables (the tv will be moved over the ones in the photo) neither. In our last apartment, the tv took center stage and we definitely watch tv less now. If it were smaller, I think it could go elsewhere and not be such a focal point, but a 46" tv is not so easy to work with.

Here are extra photos give you a sense of the rest of the space. That is not a clear table, we haven't gotten our tabletop yet! LOL In the corner, we've put stacked chairs and a media console temporarily. We are planning to put an upright piano here.

Tibbrix - interestingly, the glare hasn't bothered us. Maybe because it's winter and often overcast and snowing? But once we get our window treatments, we'll just close them to watch tv. That particular window is quite small and doesn't have a great view. The view's actually great from the kitchen and dining area! I think we're okay with losing the view from the living area. Aside from the glare and loss of view, do you see anything wrong with having the sofa with its back to the window?

Olychick - thanks for "validating" my sofa and its placement! I've been back and forth about it, sometimes I think it looks great in the space, other times I think it's too big. I think your idea for tv placement is interesting and could work if our tv were smaller. Ours is such a behemoth...

Celticmoon & Camlan - I saw in another apartment something along the lines of what you both suggest. They utilized the back 2/3 by the window as their living area (two sofas facing each other) and the remaining front 1/3 as a kids' play area. There was no tv to contend with. I thought this looked great, but couldn't think of what we'd do with that extra space. Your suggestions are definitely giving me some ideas though...

Teacats - you said to float the chair under the mirror. Where would you put the mirror? I thought about a sectional, too. The only thing is we would want it to be flexible in that it can be rearranged to a different configuration for a different space. We may live here for as little as 5 years.

Everyone's ideas have been really helpful! I'm planning to move the sofa with DH this weekend so that it faces the tv. I'll try it out both 2/3 of the way back and all the way back and let you know what we think. I have a couple questions for now -

1. Mirror being too high. Our sofa back is only 31" high and if the mirror is hung much lower, you could see the reflection of the back of our heads when we're sitting there. This is weird to me. Another reason I hung the mirror high is because I read that with low ceilings, you want to hang mirrors/art on the high side because your eye gets drawn upward, which makes the ceilings appear higher. What do you all feel about that?

2. One thought I'm having is to put a different kind of seating where the chair is where DH and I could sit together to watch tv in its current position. It'd have to be big enough to accommodate both of us, but not a full-on loveseat, which would not look right in the space. Something sized between a loveseat and a lounger. Should have a back and arms for comfort. Does what I'm picturing exist outside my mind?

In that case, I would definitely lower the TV (and the mirror). They're both too high. Keep the carpet as it is in the second and fourth pics (of the first set of pics), but pull it forward toward the TV so that it is about 16 inches from the wall. turn the sofa so that it is facing the TV and so that it sits on the rug, with its hind legs right at the end of the rug. Put a sofa table behind the sofa; single chair at a diagonal facing the sofa from the corner of the room by the TV, where the walls meet.

I would remove the mirror from that wall altogether It's too small for that wall, and without a buffet underneath it, or something else, it really doesn't work. With the sofa turned facing the TV, there would be no room for a buffet there.

The TV placement makes setting the furniture difficult, because you want to be able to see it when you watch it, but having the furniture face in that direction is kind of awkward.

Another thought, if you really want to hide the tv, is to get one of those lift consoles that hides the tv inside and lifts it up when you want to watch.

Hi Tibbrix, I hear what you're saying about how the tv placement makes laying out furniture difficult. It's just that it really works for us! , And we're willing to make some sacrifices for it. In your most recent layout suggestion, where would you put extra seating and what kind? We'd like at least 2 chairs total for guests. Maybe another chair on the other side of the tv, set at an angle?

Camlan - I forgot to thank you for your ideas for hiding the tv, thanks! Those pics on AT were pretty cool! I like the idea of painting the tv wall a dark color to have the tv blend in, will have to file that idea away for the future. :)

Hi pnadaroux,

I'm just wondering if the sofa facing the TV with its back to the window doesn't look odd when you walk into the room. However, if you succeed in creating a conversation area in there, it will look great.

Yes, I would definitely put a second chair at an angle opposite the other one, again to create a conversation area, each with a little side table for people to set down drinks.

Something needs to go in the area by the window. Hmmm….

It's been a while since I posted on this thread & wanted to give an update. We tried out the sofa in different places (back against window, pulled up closer to TV), lived with it, and ended up putting the sofa back in its original spot! :p It's a pain for TV watching, but works for everything else. We also got a proper sized rug (10x14), which makes the space look *so much better.* The space is still not done; mirror needs to be lowered, rug moved a few inches & chair added, but we're happy with it so far. Thanks again to everyone for your advice!

It looks really good. that rug makes a huge difference.

Nice choice!