This is really long. So thanks for reading. Ok what I thought was going to be a simple '' oh, we'll just nock out this wall and open it up"" has turned into soooo many FABULOUS ideas, I don't know how to chose. You all are AMAZING at what you do. Thank you!! I have plenty of time to think about it, we aren't going to renovate this until we know exactly what we want. This is a total diy job. We are very experienced diy'ers. (I don't think that is always a good thing) So, if something needs moved to gain better flow, then unfortunately, we will do it. Except that dang furnace!! p.s my DH is an HVAC guy!!! he did that!! He asked me what I thought of closing the kitchen entrance and putting in cabinetry on the family room side, with a sink and small fridge for drinks and such. That idea is growing on me. We live in our family room, except to eat and homework at the dining room table, which is always a family affair. (I am a full-time nursing student, daughter is in high school, and son is 2nd grader.) That would remedy the ""I just want to get a drink!!"" problem I have with the walkway to the kitchen, while I'm cooking. I am greatful for all of the advice, and choices that are being presented!!!! Here is what I think I know I want: some type of entry seperation, I love this! (I forgot to put it in my drawing that there is a smallish coat closet by the front door, I will repost a picture including that closet.It's location(the wall behind opened front door at top by hallway to bedrooms) wont affect any type of entry,thank goodness) Except lavender lass idea. I would love a massive island, that doubles as and eating area for kids on holidays, or a buffet for cookouts,but not sure how big I can go. I loved the big island in my last house. I miss it dearly. It had no sink or anything, just an island with cabinetry. I have stewed over the problem of entering the front door and being able to see a mess in the kitchen, and I realized that isn't going to be a problem for me, but what about the next gal, right?! My father suggesting a tiered island or 2 level island, I don't like'em. So that means I MUST keep my kitchen clean. whatever... My current table (i plan to keep) is 72''x42'' fully extended, seats 6, can squeeze 8. I don't have any other furniture for the dining room, we've never had any space for it. This might just change. YAH!!!! We are an eat at home every meal family of 4, (every other weekend we add 1 teenage garbage disposal). As well as our very large extended families, that I would love to be able to include for birthday dinners and holidays. The DH loves to experiment healthy ways of cooking, (which we don't always enjoy, hehehe) I like to cook, especially bake cakes, (my weakeness), And our teenage daughter likes to dabble. The youngest is 7 and he pretty much just thinks it a fast food joint. We insist that our kids set the table for dinner and also help to completely clean up after dinner. They are wonderful about this. But it becomes so crazy in our smallish footprint (it's not really smallish, I'm just a person who has to drag out everything I need and have it handy) and I really need to make it a great environment to keep everyone wanting to cook, just not in my area. If you know what i mean. As for the load wall, we aren't 100% sure on which way we are going to do it yet. I kinda like the idea of a skinny wall and a header running to the other side, for the decorating aspect ( i have read way to many threads searching for help on this subject of open concept rooms.) This way I can paint each room differently if I choose. But there is always the possiblity my DH may want to go up in the attic and do it that way. As for the windows and exterior doors, they are all new, as is the siding on the house, but I won't say that they cant be changed yet. Except the 8' window in the future dining room, it matches the front windows in the family room and these are all street side. Thank you all again for your time and ideas!!!

Nosoccermom, I'm actually sitting in the room now and had to move one of the chairs to the other side of the sofa because I couldn't see the tv from either one. I am not at all comfortable. However, I didn't buy these chairs to be comfortable and sat on for hours at a time. They are just for our office and are rarely used. I don't know how much time we'd spend in here if I had to sit on this chair. (Yes, I could sit on the couch with my husband but like oakleyok said, we like having our own space). My husband also was concerned that it's not really set up for interaction with the chairs there since everyone seems to be looking at the tv, not at eachother. He's still hoping for a sofa and loveseat or the sectional. I feel like the room has definitely opened up like this but if we're not comfortable watching tv, we will rarely sit in here - sad but true. I am at a stand still. I like the look but not for tv or talking. Maybe it can just look pretty. :) To answer your question, we do use it for watching tv. I'd say DH spends about 25% of his tv watching time in here and my oldest spends an hour or two after school in here reading or watching tv. I don't come in here on my own. I prefer the family room because it's off the kitchen and I can see everything that's going on if I am cooking/getting a snack for the kids or any of the other million things I have to do in there. I also hate looking at the old furniture in here and that will hopefully be solved soon. To answer the question about the sectional size, it was 120 inches long and 84 inches on the chaise side. So 10 feet by 7. The room is 19 x 12. The sectional would actually give me a little bit more room than the couch and loveseat that is presently in the room. It would take up much more room than a couch and 2 chairs.

Ooh I like the one hung row babophz posted. You could do a few shelves above it too for special occasion dishes, etc. I guess it just depends on how much stuff you need to store. I like the grey and glass idea, although white and glass is probably good to give a little tie back to your kitchen. The problem is that it’s impossible to tell if your wall, rug, and the grey cabinets have the same undertones. If the cabinet undertone is wrong it will throw off your entire room. Can you order just one door to see if it works? I don’t think you need a new rug because if the cabinet color doesn’t work with your rug it also won’t work with your walls.

The room is a dramatic size, so can take some large, interesting pieces. Let's start with the fireplace, which looms over the room. Before you buy new furniture, hang a substantial raw wood mantel on the fireplace wall to break it up. Place a large, beautiful skyskape over the mantel, which will echo the outside sky visible through the flanking windows. Then pull one of the neutral colors from the painting for your sofas. More streamlined sofas could be in a beige linen, blue pillows, maybe a blue print rug. Do fill your fireplace with a huge armful of birch logs to lighten that side of the room--kind of a sky and earth effect. Make sure the rug is oversized to balance out the height of the room and all that flooring acreage. A very large, wide modern atomic pendant light that gives the effect of a mobile would look amazing in the middle of the room.