Mine nook will be U shaped because I wanted bay windows. Here is a quick sketch of that section of my floor-plan. . I don't recall exact dimensions except for the ones I've shown and I only remember these because I insisted that all aisle-ways to be plenty wide enough for a wheelchair to pass through. I too wanted a 'country kitchen' and figured there was nothing more country than a built-in corner bench-seating under the windows in the nook. Besides DH and I always choose booth seating whenever we go out to eat so I figured we might as well have a 'booth' in the house. The linked picture is sort of what the bench will look like. Regular chairs on the other two sides will give people who don't like booth seating other options. Note that I decided on a peninsula for my kitchen instead of an island because, much as I enjoy chatting with guests while I cook, I would really rather NOT have them underfoot. Always afraid I'll burn someone moving a hot pot or something! I'm hoping the peninsula with the raised bar will tend to be a natural barrier so guests will gather in the fairly expansive nook area and stay OUT of the business end of the kitchen which I made fairly compact to minimize steps while working and also to discourage other people from standing around in that space. The two long sections of the raised bar are almost 5 ft each and the short section is about 30" long so that's plenty of space for 5 bar-stools for kibitzers to sit at. BTW, our Great Room will be large enough for a formal dining area but the jury is still out on whether we will actually buy a dining set to go there or just use the space in other ways. Between the nook and the bar seating we should have plenty of dining spaces and we're not exactly big on formal dinners either. Here is a link that might be useful:

We are in the painting stage of our remodel which took out walls and opened up into a great room type area w/kitchen. We have decided to paint all one color for the entire space but each "area" within that great room will have one contrasting colored wall (at least that's what Candice Olson says to do)She says it helps to define that area...not sure if that helps or not.

one more thing i though of a pleated shade mounted on the inside of the door frame.. pull it down at night and lift it in the late morning when the sun shifts, the only issue with that is when its fully up it will hang a bit below the frame of the door making it more noticeable. Presently i put a sheet over the end of the sofa but that a pain is the ass to do every night

Wing back chairs are a traditional look. What is your style? If I were picking out furniture for an area like that, I would want an ottoman for my feet, and as much as they scream hospital to me, maybe a set of interlocking "C" side tables so that if I and my significant other both would like to have coffee and something to nibble on at the same time, we can both have a table to use, rather than having to worry about everything fitting on the one table, or having to get a gigantic table in the middle, and still having to twist to the side to reach something on it which as you get older is less and less of a cinch. At least those "C" tables these days are getting better looking and you can put them right in front of you if you want for your java and croissant and your morning paper (boy, am I dating myself) and you don't have to feel like you are using the hospital table, they are getting so good looking now. You may know that men like a big leather chair, and they are marvelous. And if you get a nice dark brown, a little spilled coffee or dog slobber can be easily wiped up. Or not even noticed :) Some men loove a leather recliner. And some women swear they would never have one in their house. If you can lean a bit modern-ish, a great compromise is the classic Eames chair with the matching ottoman. You can get a great replica.