Hardwood then large area rug over top gets my vote. The inlay route would save a few dollars today, but you are stuck with that from now on. Matching the edges at a later time if you decide to go all hardwood will not be easy. At least with the separate super large area rug, you can change it out quickly and easily. You can even cart if off to a pro rug cleaner if necessary. With wall to wall, you have to rip it out and pay for a new install. No reason you can't use regular super thick carpet padding under an area rug & no reason why the area rug can't be super large, super soft, super plush and easy to clean stains/spills w/ just plain old tap water. My vision in our FR was similar to yours. My plan was to go with the same carpeting we used in the bedrooms (Sorona Smartstrand by Mohawk) and have it bound on the edges to make a 12x15 area rug. You have never felt carpet so soft and plush. Its a joy just to take off your shoes when you come home and walk back and forth across it (not kidding). The Smartstrand doesn't crush, gives a cross between traditional & casual look in the plush pile and a casual look in the various friezes, resists matting, stain protection built right into the fiber vs. being a stain treatment that's applied, cleans up with tap water (even when DS2 cut his foot and tracked quarter sized blood smears across his bedroom and back), comes in every color under the sun practically. With 4 boys + Dad rough housing on that carpet, it is definitely one to look at. While pre-made super large area rugs (12x15 or larger) are not the normal sizes that you see in the store, they do exist. You just have to know where to look--a store that specializes in area rugs like Rug & Home is a good place to start. Or you can have your wall to wall carpet supplier create one for you. Many options. It may be a good idea to bring a few different sizes home, lay them out in the space and see what size works best for the look and feel you're going for. I was set on a 12x15 until we put down the 10x13 and found that it gave plenty of carpeted space for the rough housing and left a nice border around the perimeter in front of the fireplace. Sometimes you just have to see it in person. Good luck! Hope this helps!

Oaktown, I have seen the F + F house when I searched Houzz. I also saw a few posts about your home but pictures were no longer available on the threads I opened. Are there some I missed? How long have you been in your home? Thank you, cpartist. I often find myself questioning do I/we really want to move, but I would love another project. Lily'smom, we have added wall space between great room and master (about 2 feet, maybe more) due to FP/chimney and small entrance area between the two. Yes, DD1 will be living with us long term. If we end up buying house (a) mentioned in my first post, we will do an apartment over the added main level garage. House (b) has a bedroom with room off of it she can use as her suite with a remodeled bathroom. There is also a large bedroom/bath up the back staircase (only place stairs go) she could use, but she likes the other two spaces better. I've teased DH that we just need to build a collection of connected "pods" for each of us to have private/quiet places. Less rooms and more than two interior sitting rooms (we have great room and sunroom on main level, with den on lower level now). Don't want a formal living room and dining room we would never use. Current great room is formal but we use it daily. Rarely use the dining room and want a larger eating area next time. House (a) has an interesting layout with nooks and crannies that add character (and that I like). We've considered building our own version, with the changes and additions we would make if purchased house (a).

The brown chair looks isolated and small by itself in comparison to the visual weight of the sectional. If you consider the last photo in the Susan Davis post, that chair is larger and has a pattern fabric and accompanying ottoman with it that balances better, visually, its sectional. The arrangement of the pieces and the artwork on the walls also create more visual balance in that room.

If you like Flegels, their in-house designers are easy to work with. Go on their website and see if you lik eone. If you do contact that person and see if he or she would be work with you on an hourly basis.