That’s what I am working on. Adding more color, softening some of the rectangle with removing some tables (behind couch and under windows- old) and adding). We replaced the dining table (removed Buffett table to make more room). We went from rectangle to square. We are not fans of round furniture and not where we gravitate but maybe an occasional round table?? Large art in dining will be removed with something with brighter tones. Rugs in our house are difficult- we live in Texas with blowing sand, a 17 year old Senior dauchsund and two cats! The hair.... Lol. But I would LOVE some rugs otherwise. Yes, valances are dated and need to be replaced (with what???). We have new windows but around the windows are ugly. I am looking to soften the rectangle that we love. Maybe change the wall art? I didn’t realize just how rectangle everything was until Darzy. Thanks! Ideas??

@Derek Tarr Photography - Since you messaged me, I thought it better to post publicly about this, as others may have questions. Emily with Houzz has stated that it's acceptable for pros to link to their work if otherwise engaged in the forums, offering advice, using their work as an example, and not simply scouring the forums for opportunities to promote their products. It would appear that you have shared your work appropriately; however, there are repeat offenders who do not participate at all beyond popping up in threads and linking to their site for the purpose of trying to snag a customer. If this needs clarification, you might want to reach out to Emily with Houzz for further info.

@kathy rie you might want to see if you can make the arrangement work that Dane Austin shows. If you look there isn't a large amount of space between the table and the seating so pulling the seating closer together might make it work with a rectangular coffee table instead of the square one so the coffee table isn't as wide. Although your furniture does look deep. It is hard to tell what the dimensions are in the space, but the dining area looks to be roughly 12 ft wide to the edge of the fireplace, so it is possible it could work if your furniture isn't extra deep.

When my DH and I bought our first house I let him pick the couch. He was SO picky and adamant about it needing to be comfortable and not be girly (admittedly I had a yellow floral couch when we met, and I loved it). We shopped forever and finally found a couch he liked that i didn't hate the looks of. And it wasn't cheap! 9 years. 9 YEARS we had that couch and he hated it after one year. HE DIDN'T EVEN LOVE THE COUCH! I will never let him pick anything else out that has that much impact on our lives haha. There are a lot of factors in picking out furniture that will work in your home and family, and how manly it looks is way down the bottom of the list. Can you turn the couch around and put the back against the tv wall? This is your main living room, not a guys game room. I bet he picked out that big ass tv and speakers, and that odd bird art on the wall. and probably the dog! He can find a man couch that actually fits in your room, and that you don't hate and count down the years before you feel it's "used" enough to get rid of. Can you hate that couch for 9 YEARS?