Maybe look into some of the Brazilian hardwoods? Brazilian Cherry and Walnut (aka Ipe) in particular. They are really hard. I've seen pictures on Houzz, particularly of Ipe, where the floors aren't as varied in color and contrast-y. I think they were site finished, maybe stained somehow to tone down the color variation? I haven't seen them IRL though. You lose some of the thickness with hand scraped and I would want the ability to refinish. I also can't help but think that hand scraped is so popular that it has the potential to be dated at some point. (Not that Braz. Cherry doesn't (isn't?), but that's why I'd want it to be "incognito.")

I have nearly exactly the same layout, except add a door in the upper left corner and replace your bottom wall with wall, wide opening, closet. My room is also longer than yours - it's 18'x18'. I have added Billy bookcases with the half doors and height extensions to either side of the fireplace. It looks good and the extra storage is a godsend. I would definitely integrate a desk into any built-ins you do, like the picture kellyeng posted. Obviously custom built-ins/bookshelves are nicest, but the Billys are fine if you are on a budget. You could buy the short ones and/or cut the Billys down to fit on top of the desk. I have found two layouts that work for my room. Obviously we have different furniture but perhaps reading this will help you. 1) float sofa in front of fireplace, put sofa table with lamp(s) behind sofa, put two upholstered/leather large chairs in front of left window, float loveseat in front of slider on right, put coffee table in front of sofa, place dresser for extra storage on bottom right wall. 2) Float sofa and loveseat in the middle of the room perpendicular to fireplace with coffee table between them. Put the two large chairs south of the sofa & loveseat, angled toward fireplace. Put dresser for extra storage on bottom right wall. My TV is above the fireplace since DH wants it there, but you can easily put yours in the upper corner since you have less furniture. I would recommend that, actually, since the closer you are to the TV the less comfortable it is to look up that high. You really just have to move things around until you are happy - at least for now. The room is awkward, no doubt about it. So, when I get sick of one layout I switch back to the other. I switched back to my Option 2 yesterday. DH laughs at me but hey, moving furniture is cheaper than moving.

Since you asked "what would you do" I'll answer what I personally would do. 1. Make a budget of how much I can spend on the entire room project. 2. Find some pics of LR's I love for inspiration. 3. Find a print I'd love to use even it's just for cushions. Or a framed print. Or something I have that I love that *must* be in that room. Looking at drapery fabrics in a fabric store is often a good place for inspiration and I might buy a yard of fabric to use. Shop my house and assemble any decorative colored objects I have to see if there is a color theme I love. Look at well loved items or art I own for inspiration. Choose a paint color (warm color for a north facing room) from the print/art/object and paint walls, do ceiling in a lighter shade of the same color. I believe it's easier to find an inspiration piece from which to choose a color rather than trying to pick one from the thousands (millions) that are available. Paint can be mixed, colors of other things cannot be. 4. Move existing furniture into the room and live with it awhile. 5. Find a large 'something' for the tall wall, whether it's a quilt, a print, or wallpaper applied to the wall and framed with molding. In one house I hung one of those cheap made in India cotton bedspreads which had the tree of life printed on it. Large and colorful and it was the late 60's! This could be done as #3 but it might take some time and I don't believe art has to match. I'd look at a thousand inspiration pics of rooms with tall walls to find something that inspires. 6. Recognize that a good room is never 'finished' - as I find new treasures to add it will take on my personality. 7. Try to get over the idea that I am creating a room for a magazine spread or to post a brag on a forum. What I am doing is creating a room that I will love and my entire family will enjoy living in. It doesn't have to be perfect.

Wow! Thank you for all of the feedback. i will try turning the couch and pulling it away from the wall to see which fits best. I agree we need color. There is some teal in the rug that I like. I am thinking we need the chairs to be a color to avoid adding more neutral. Maybe like this: We quickly build up clutter on any horizontal surface. The fireplace gets a lot of kid stuff. A landing zone somewhere else is a good idea. I really like the idea for a simple full width mantle. If we have a photo gallery wall on one side of the room, is it okay to do an art gallery wall on the opposite side?