Looks reasonable to me. You might pull the two sofas? Closer together to put them within reach of the coffee table, and anchor the whole seating area with a rug large enough for the front legs of the upholstered pieces at a minimum can fit on the rug. Looks like the piano player is facing the room, which is good.

I agree with saypoint.

Hmmm...the location is good but I do think the piano/bench should be at a little angle. More like the bench kitty corner (a little). Just enough to look angled instead of straight against the wall/window.

You can always move stuff around later if you don’t like the way it is working. None of it’s nailed down. When it’s on an angle, is the pianist facing guests or gazing off to the far side of the room where no one is sitting? Does she have a good reason for wanting it that way?

A grand piano of any size ought to be placed so that when the top is open, the opening faces the center of the room for best sound dispersion. Also I agree that it should be placed at a slight angle, not straight to wall. And, for pity's sake, do not let the sunlight from the large widow shine on the finish!!

Your designer is right; the piano should be at an angle and open into the room. The way you have it in your photo is correct. How many do you want to seat here?

Ignore all the foofy crap in the photo below, but look at the furniture arrangement with the piano, sofa, and chairs in relation to the fireplace.

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The problem with pianos is they are large and they need to be pulled away from walls and corners to a degree that it gets them more toward the center of the room, so they end up taking over the entire space and your living room becomes a piano room. So in this case, decorating wise I see you only have two choices: it can be where it is (which is more technically correct in that when you walk into the space you can see the keyboard) or turn it around and put the bench in the corner (where you have that little picture hanging) at an angle so that when someone is playing they are looking into the room and that large window is on their left. Then you will have to figure out the furniture to go around whatever configuration you choose.

Can we see a photo taken from the window to the stairs? Have you considered placing the piano where the stack of boxes is, changing the angle so the keyboard points to the fireplace like an arrow? It could make a dramatic entry way into the room and open the window end for your sofas to sit in an "L" around the coffee table. A pair of chairs and a small game table might be nice in the open floor right of the fireplace.

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This arrangement gives you five seats (though with the dreaded loveseat), puts the piano in the best position for its health, and gives a reasonable clearance to get to the seating:

If the piano was only for show or display, arranging it to give the most visual impact would be the right choice. Since it's clearly meant to be enjoyed as a musical instrument the best choice is to arrange for sound quality and the comfort of the pianist. It's a baby grand piano, it will command the room no matter where you put it.

I like groveraxle's idea for placement. Even though the player and bench would be closer to hall/stairwell, the sound will becoming from the front part of the piano, which is well away from the stairs. And it's a small room for a grand piano. I think there will be plenty of sound in the room.

I would think about a nice sectional, (not a big fluffy clunky one) across the window wall and down toward the piano and then a chair, or maybe two, with their backs to the stairs facing the windows.

I like the curves in this one, similar to the piano:

Hi Raya - I'm suggesting your piano be angled allowing the lid when opened to open into the living space. This would put your bench more toward the left corner. Beautiful room, by the way :)

Per Groveraxle's layout in diagram: Can move love seat at an angle to face piano when playing for guests and leave it facing large sofa for conversation other times?

You can get a vent deflector to put on the vent, which will keep the air from blowing on the piano, if you decide that's the best placement.

I'd just like to say that, having lived with a parlor grand for many years, (1) you can hear it just fine with the lid closed, so don't let that consideration (pointing the lid in the perfect direction) boss you around unless you're giving recitals, and (2) you're gonna hear it upstairs, don't fool yourself. So arrange it in a way that makes the room work.

In your last drawing, I'd certainly rather sit at a piano laid out like #3, and it keeps the lid farther from the windows. Harder to arrange furniture around though?

Also, I wouldn't rule out #4 -- passing by the piano frequently tended to make it inviting more often, and thus I played more with the keyboard pointing at a hallway in our house... (plus, see my point (2) above, heh.)

How much $$ to move the vent?

Something's gotta give in this room. You might have to decommission the cabinets on the built-ins; use them to store your Christmas ornaments or something that you rarely use.

No, the space before the piano does not look empty! It's only 4' wide, a nice walkway. There is a beautiful focal point at the end of the walkway. It is the perfect amount of negative space. Hang art on the left hand wall.

Raya, my vote is a good balance between #2 & 3. With the piano moved in that direction, your piano will looked balanced.

It looks as if you have a fairly large entrance hall. I'd put it right up against the staircase. It's a great place for a piano if one entertains - hire a pianist and music will be heart through the first floor. And it will solve your LR problem. I grew up for many years with a baby grand (until owner wanted it back and we bought a spinet - all we could afford), and it was in a small apt. The LR had a sofa, a club chair and a small wing chair. That was it.

Raya - a cross between 2&3 is angling bench (if at all possible) between the two. In 3 it looks odd in the way the nose of the piano comes into the room, now I understand it's just a pencil drawing ;). I'm sure you'll find the balance :)

...but if I had to choose based on your layout, 3 for me.

I'm on here trying to figure out what to do with my own piano in my new house. I noticed acm's comment about don't worry which way the lid is pointing--the sound will go everywhere. That is the truth! It is for aesthetics that you want the lid to open to the room. I personally would rather look out the window while I play piano than to look to the people in the room.

About the heating register... You don't want the heat being blown on the piano--true! What my Registered Piano Technician told me was to take the register cover off and cover the bottom with plastic wrap to seal it off. As long as you only do this one one register in the house, it should not place too much wear and tear on your furnace.

How large is the piano? What was the final layout?