Do you use a wireless network? Makes moving things around a lot easier, I must say. Our fiber-optic broadband ATT wireless is faster than our old physical-line service. Is he using a large laptop, an all-in-one, or the old hardcase (tower or desktop) with separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse? Assume you have a wireless printer networked up? My DH uses both a desktop unit w/large monitor, an 18-inch laptop, and a tablet. He's moving the desktop into another room, which will remove the mess of cables and cords. Laptop will be used now with one of the sturdier models laptop stations, a heavy-duty "C" stand that tilts and rolls. If you must have the desktop/tower + monitor in the LR, I'd suggest going down to the smallest rectangular work desk possible, possibly student-sized. Something like this, which is only 22" deep x 42" long - has a keyboard tray and the lower shelf can hold the CPU and/or printer. With the little mini-hutch on top, even a big flat-screen monitor will fit and the cubbyholes will take care of the misc office supplies that inevitably accumulate around one's workstation: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Furniture-of-America-Traditional-Multi-Storage-Pull-Out-Secretary-Writing-Desk/8839018/product.html Does he need a place to lay out paperwork? Get one of these - rare to find a 5-star rating on a folding table, and this one is also extra long. Great when you need to lay out a buffet of drinks and snacks, too: http://solutions.blair.com/p/folding-buffet-table/92602.uts?is=Y&store=14&count=500&intl=n&q=table&keyword=table A good chair that glides easily and can be turned around to serve as extra seating, is essential. People think we're weird for using standard office chairs with casters as DR chairs, until they come to dinner and find that sitting for a couple of hours at our table is actually -- wow, comfortable! HTH! Edited to add: Are you allowed to make holes in the wall? If so, we can personally recommend the Sanus wall-mount, sold at Best Buy, Amazon, or directly from the Sanus website. We just had our 50" Samsung wall-mounted 3 wks ago by a contractor, and now we're kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner! Getting it "off the floor" makes a HUGE difference in the room. This isn't the best photo of it, on the RH side, but the flooring is still being finished so we can't get into the room for a few days. Underneath the TV are three stock white laminate shelves on a simple wall standard system with adjustable brackets. The top shelf is 12" and holds the DVR/cable box and DVD. The bottom two shelves are both 10" shelves, but the middle set of brackets is held on 12" standards. This allows us to move the middle shelf forward where - eventually, when we get back into the room! - we can coil up and better hide all the wires for the other components. The Sanus does NOT move the arm up and down. It pulls out a full 2', swings from side to side, tilts up/down. We have it in the middle of the room so this allows the TV to be seen wherever we're working (this is our master bedrm, but DH has his office in it so we have a similar issue to yours).

I'd continue the wood flooring into that space and add an area rug. Then, a long beautiful sage green sofa and two cool chairs. I would keep the tile on the fireplace but ditch the surround and mantel and hearth. That area needs to be reworked. My cues on color came from the mosaic. It looks like it has pink and sage? I like those colors. If this is way beyond budget just eliminate the yellow love seat and buy a rug and two patterned chairs with a tic of yellow. Most of these rugs are on Overstock.

Is there room for the piano on the opposite wall? If so... I think it would look better there. I’d then move over the dining room set with a rug to ground the dining space. Some don’t like a rug in the dining area but I personally would have one there. Not sure of the size, but you could try your current rug underneath it to see if you like it. Quick mock up I think she may have meant mother-in-law‘s tongue plant?

I wanted to suggest you try something in your dining room. Move your 2 upholstered chairs from the ends of the table to face each other in the middle, and put 2 wooden chairs on the ends. i would also move the candlesticks to the sideboard and while i know you are trying to update, i think a lace table cloth might look nice on your table And clip on mini shades for the chandelier