Chests on either side of the fireplace and art or mirrors above. The do the opposite above the fireplace.

You know what? I think your instincts about slim console tables and modern art would be fabulous. Pick two large pieces of art that echo each other. It would continue to modernize your living room. Your rug and fireplace mirror already do that.. Remove sconces, bric a brac on mantlel, move chair blocking fireplace, get lighter drapes for the windows, add an armful of birch logs, and you'd be on your way to a great transitional room.

P.S. I see you beat me to it but I'd keep the consoles a lot simpler so they don't compete with the bold art and fireplace too much. Less is more.

Please don't make any decor decisions until you have your large pieces of furniture set. I would try the chairs flanking the fireplace. An alternative is the chairs flanking the tv.

If you place the chairs flanking the fireplace, and that works, you can also add more chairs by the tv.

While I know you did a lot of work of the gallery wall, I find gallery walls around tv's very distracting. You also are creating 2 focal points (tv and fireplace). You might consider moving the gallery wall to another room.

Obviously, it is your house and whatever you decide and like will stay.....just giving you my input.

I looks better already! If you need those chairs for tv viewing

-put chairs flanking the fireplace (you might have to move the sofa back a little)

-I'd place the tufted ottoman in place of the coffee table and remove the coffee table.

-move plant to the right of the tv

It is a misconception that every space needs to be filled. Get the furniture in place and then you can review what decor needs are. The vases are too large for the sunburst. First step is to get the furniture placed.

Dresser can stay for now. You can buy another piece later.

You could get a matching Hemnes dresser and use the two to flank the TV, Then get something different for the TV wall--maybe something like the console in your original post, or something black, or more of a media console, as suggested in various posts on this thread.

Do you currently use the chairs for TV viewing?

I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear before...I'm notorious for thinking that others can read my mind!

What I meant was to try the ottoman in front of the fireplace and the chairs opposite (where you show the ottoman in the photo above) so that whoever sits can watch tv.

Also, agree that if it's better, by all means use the ottoman instead of a coffee table. AND don't think you need the shelf for consoles....too much "stuff", plus if you have little ones you would have to decorate with stuffed animals. Which is an okay look, but not what you're going for in here, I don't think :)

My vote is to not add anymore furniture with drawers.

The door opening area is an entrance and should be left empty.

Why are you ADDING chars there if you said that chairs near the entrance crowded the room too much ??

Good progress. Either angle the chairs more or place them straight. Maybe try both and see which you like. If angled, you can move them back farther.

You should not have chairs at the entrance. You might try them placed on either side of the tv for a visual. 2 chairs can go there.

The two swivel chairs blocked the room off, they're rather wide. I was thinking that area would feel naked with nothing there, so I thought two smaller, leggy chairs might fill that void without being as large and blockade-ish as the swivel chairs? There's definitely not a blocked off feeling with them there, even though they are obviously not the exact chairs I'd use. No?

It would be okay for a long narrow bench there, if you need the seating. But, the preference would be nothing there.

It's difficult to "guess" these things...you're there so you have to fiddle with layout until it feels right to you.

ETA: think about balance...you don't want one side of the room to feel heavier than the other.

I took a few more pics of the entrance chairs. Again, I just dragged these in from the dining room, but it's the size of them I was considering. I tried to capture how much space is there around them, and how much would be empty if nothing were there. Still a resounding no? I'm just experimenting :) Also, I'm using a crappier camera, so I apologize for the terrible quality.

If you really want chairs there, I'd place them angled, like the chairs by the fireplace. They should be separated. They don't have to be small. To see what I mean, place the 2 fp chairs at the entrance, but angle and separate them.

I think the room would feel off balance with only chairs by the fireplace. It's like 8 feet of space from the edge of the coffee table to the end of the room. I'll keep fiddling. :)

I'll ask one more time to try the ottoman/bench in front of the fireplace and the 2 white chairs facing the fireplace across from the coffee table, then I'l shut up. After all, I'm not a pro :)

Penny, I'll try it out just for you. :) I just need a few to lug all the chairs around.

CDR, you reminded me of the icovia program. Here's the room and swivel chairs, fireplace, dresser, coffee table, etc. to scale.

Oh gosh no...

I'm sure you've tried it and it didn't work for you...I know that I think twice before lugging heavy furniture around...plus, for me, it usually ends up back where it started :)

Keep the end tables and lamps.

The ottoman is really not a bench. It is as large as the coffee table and together, the 2 look like 2 coffee tables.

Thanks for the dimensions.

Seeing the actual dimension, I still don't think you need chairs at the entrance. But, if you want them, I would

option1 ) add 2 more, as I showed (angled)

option 2) add just one larger chair to the right of the tv. It would sit back a little and be more of a reading chair.

option 3) backless bench at the entrance.

If that is the actual size of the coffee table, it is much too small. I realize that you use it to store things and you might have to keep it for awhile. Ideally, the coffee table should be centered on the furniture arrangement. I would recommend a large, round one, as you plan for the future.

Ok, here are the chairs facing the fireplace and the ottoman in front of the fireplace.

CDR, the coffee table is almost 4 feet square! I had trouble even finding one this large! I agree about the ottoman and coffee table competing. I originally had the ottoman as a coffee table. What might not be easy to see in pics is that the sofa, carpet, ottoman, and chair fabrics all clash, so I was sick of having that ottoman right up next to the sofa and chairs.

I am leaning toward the chairs flanking the fireplace at the moment. I still don't know what to put next to the fireplace and on the mantel, however. :)

ETA: New carpet is coming in a matter of weeks. (Here and in the 4 bedrooms, sitting room, and hallway upstairs.) Thus the budget crunch.

Well, I like it...ditch the blankets. They're a nice touch but make it busy...and I would put the round table between the chairs.

I see in your diagram above, the opening to the room isn't centered on the fireplace...that works to your advantage in this situation because it leaves room to get in and out...

As long as the chairs are directly across from the fireplace, I would have it this way...but I don't live there. :)

Yes, if you could get an ottoman that is like the current one, but narrower, it would work at the entrance.

For the fireplace, since you like the starburst, you could keep in there. You don't need anything else on the fireplace mantle.

Then, you could add a couple of complementary art on either side of the fireplace. If you are handy, a simple way to do this is to make frames and add fabric. Or, you can create frames on the wall and add wallpaper. I'd add the same framing to the entrance side.

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If you need the storage for toys, you could add a couple of slim consoles and place vases or other simple decor on them.

I didn't read ALL the comments, but why not one chair by the fireplace (the one closest to the couch) and the other by the entrance, facing the fireplace? You will have to play with placement and angling them the right way so they look balanced.

Your gallery wall looks wonderful and personal; I'd keep the dresser and do not paint it dark - it's perfect for the space and your needs.

Okay. I hope that means you'll be removing the rug?

You're killing me cdr. I just bought the rug in December. It hides the fact that the couch and chairs still clash with each other. :) I'm going to live with the chairs flanking the fireplace for a few weeks, and the ottoman at the entry. I'll see how it works for my family.

I don't know that I can tolerate a bare mantel. I'd like something else up there. I will consider framing some wallpaper, or maybe a few chinoiserie panels from tempaper.

haha. Maybe you can still return it. You could pull the sofa and chairs together with pillows that have both colors in them. Cannot notice any issue, though, with the photos you've provided.

When you add something to the fireplace, make it much smaller in scale than the mirror.

Your rug looks great.

Ok, now that I spent most of yesterday moving furniture around at CDR's behest ( :) ), I'm going to address some of the rest of you who were nice enough to reply.

Ingrid - thank you for your kind words! We really do love our gallery wall. We have some of our toddler's artwork, some family pics, a sorely missed beloved family pet, and postcards and other memorabilia. Most of the frames are thrifted and sprayed to match, and it really was a labor of love. I know it's not everyone's thing, but it makes me smile every time I look at it. :)

Oly - I really like the built-ins in the pic you posted. I will keep in mind that they don't have to abut right next to the fireplace to look nice. Also, I did try one chair near the FP and one near the entrance. It was ok, but each of those spots still felt a bit naked, and I think the chairs work better when they're closer to each other. But I tried it out! Thank you for your comment about the gallery wall. :) I agree about the dresser, I think in some spaces it would look better dark, but I think it would feel like a black hole against the wall here. And THANK YOU about the rug! It's not perfect, but it seems to ground the room and draw attention away from the competing beiges of the sofa and chairs. Oh how I wish I was more knowledgeable about colors and undertones when I bought these pieces!

Debbi - You (and others) were right, the chair was hiding the fireplace and looked awkward there. I will also consider the idea of adding some trim up and around the FP in the future. It definitely makes it more of a feature in the room.

Housgal - Yes! You understand what I'm trying to do. I want to add in some modern to the traditional. I think the art I chose isn't quite right, but I wanted something abstract and modern but also kind of calm, since it's going to be huge. I have an andiron and a few logs in the FP now, but I'll look into filling the whole thing with birch logs. It would at least keep the toddler out of the fireplace! Thank you. :)

Going to reply to more of you, but wanted to break up the wall of text. :)

Penny - I typically love some of the more outspoken opinions here. I'll see a post and be like "Ohh, wait til Sophie sees this!" usually because I agree with her opinions! I'm sure I would be really sensitive to hear it about my own room, but that wouldn't make it untrue. :) I was reading and considering everyone's input, but I've realized it can be difficult to reply to suggestions from multiple people at once! I really, really, appreciate all of your input. I definitely think you're right about no more furniture with drawers. It makes a lot of sense in many cases (and in the pics that people posted). Unfortunately, with 73" on each side of the fireplace, a standard chest would look miniscule, and that would leave me with putting a full-sized dresser there. With three dressers (counting the Hemnes my TV is on), it would just look like I had an elaborately furnished closet and not a family room! I actually had both chairs and the round table at the entrance for years. Since they both swivel, the table kept getting knocked down, and I grew tired of having to shimmy between the chair and the endtable all the time. Maybe I'll go back to that arrangement, but I'm liking them flanking the FP for now.

cawaps - Ikea is definitely where my budget is currently - but I get the feeling I probably need to de-Ikea this room as I'm able to. :) I'll be on the lookout for consignment and thrifting bargains that might work.

Anglophilia - You're so right, flat fireplace walls ARE a PITA! My last home had a diagnoal FP, and boy, I hated that, but this is still a pain! I think you're right, the ottoman has to go when we can replace it. We don't mind having a few toys here, since the bedrooms are upstairs. We hang out here frequently (and it's off the kitchen). He's a bit too big for a playpen at this point, so we choose which toys to keep in here, and we have a place to put them away, and we keep the rest in the playroom. It's a balancing act!

Suezbell - Thank you for all the ideas! I will definitely be finding a home for the owl. Storage and a desk would be useful additions, I will consider those. The bookshelf is up for sale, since the height and color don't really work in here. I'll likely be replacing the TV dresser when I can to something with more interest or color. The Hemnes dresser was really only meant to be temporary - and here we are 5 years later!

I'm sure I missed someone, but I'll try to review more as I get the chance. With all that being said, and now that I have my furniture rearranged, does anyone have any ideas for the mantel? Sconces are gone, sunburst is staying, but I need more there. Sorry, CDR, I think I'm not as much a minimalist as you. :) Topiaries? Vases? Anyone have any specific recommendations? Can someone just load up a cart on Overstock or something and I'll enter my payment info and have it all magically arrive to my house? :)

I can totally relate to your last sentence. I think you have a lovely home. You’re doing fine.

I hope you enjoy your new furniture arrangement and hope it works out. You can certainly add to your mantle. I'll bet you have plenty to shop from in your home. I can see the owl (painted) with a couple of other owls there. I saw a sundial or compass on one of the shelves that looked interesting.

You seem to have a "earthy" feeling going on in your collage.....I would relate it to that.

Good luck.