I feel you. We just bought a very similar condo. It's really hard to decorate because it's so open. Also, the more dramatic space wasn't amenable to the 'quirky where cottage meets boho' decorating style I love. The tall ceilings threw my scale all off. Things that were huge in my old condo seem tiny here, even though the place is only a couple hundred more sq ft. It's just that there's so much more volume. Are you able to install new lights in your space? One thing that really helps define our dining room area is a chandelier over the table. Other than that, the only thing you can really do is set up zones. Use your furniture to divide. Rugs can help anchor a space. Make sure they're big enough. Like for the living room zone, the feet of the sofa and chairs and entertainment unit should all be on or touching the rug. I'm not sure how much I recommend using 'room divider' type furniture because with the windows all along the one wall, it's already not as sunny as I would like towards the kitchen part of our condo. And go big, bold and colorful with some art. Big is key. You have lots of tall, empty walls. That was the hardest thing for me. The 36"x48" painting that seemed quite big in my previous place only looks like a small to medium painting here. I'm in the middle of rethinking my art strategy and planning to buy at least a few new, much bigger pieces.

Is there anything inside that soffit? I'd be tempted to remove the whole thing, and just patch the ceiling! then you can put your recessed lights wherever you want rather than having them focused on empty space. It's good to think about flooring before demo. I guess the simplest would be either to get new LR carpet, extending it out to cover the seam, or to just pull it up and put down wood everywhere -- can't see your exact flooring, but basic oak seems easy to match, and they should be able to weave it in and then sand and refinish everything to match, so there's no seam/border needed. as long as it's real wood..

I believe our suggestions for a white fan were based on selecting a fan that didn't draw attention away from your lovely chandelier

While your thread may be a year old, the importance of choosing the right flooring for your large open floor plan remains timeless. I understand your concern about wood flooring, but considering its timeless appeal and durability, it can still be a viable option. Another consideration could be vinyl flooring singapore, which offers various designs and is known for its versatility and low maintenance. Even though the thread is a year old, it's never too late to gather ideas and make informed decisions for your remodeling project. Wishing you all the best in creating a beautiful and functional space that suits your modern style home!