OP here: (typing from my phone) Our family recently purchased a summer cottage. We kept the existing furniture from the previous owners.

How often will the room be used? Purpose? And all 8 at one time?

Great questions! The room is used daily. Yes, 8 people is quite common.

I would suggest opening it up more so there is walking space. I would take one of the sofas and place it on the wall where the bench sits and the other couch on the short wall so to make an L shape. I'm speaking of where the table sits now and then I'd move the table to the other end of the porch and place it horizontally with a few casual chairs for snacking or playing games. The rug is a little formal so I would look for a jute one or a ruggable which is washable. The wall benches could be used on either side of the table or use for a coffee table with some interesting

Are you planning on purchasing more or new furniture? I ask because no matter how the current furniture is arranged it wont accommodate comfortable seating for 8. Are the sliders on both ends of the room used to enter and exit the space? What about the slider in the center?

Re: Design Interior South Thank you! Agreed, new furniture is the best course. The only exit to the outdoors is through this door. All others are not used.

Re: yayagal. Many thanks. We tried moving the table as you suggested. It was a great idea. But, try as I may, I might need some help with the sofa arrangement.

Dining chairs in seating area do not belong to it. I would move them from there.

If you plan to keep the couches you should place them down the other end of the porch in an L shape with a wooden coffee table. Then you'd have room for a single chair or maybe two if the benches are moved out. Also the couches would look super with white slipcovers. I love an upholstered couch on a porch, wicker is pretty but it's not comfy even with cushions. Give me a couch any day. Try the benches with the table, they may be high enough.

Try the benches and the two white chairs with the table. If the benches are too low, add a thick cushion in a pretty upholstery that picks up some of the green from the couches. Put the couches in an "L" in the end opposite the exit to the outdoors. Put the table, benches and chairs in the center. Use the exit end as a mudroom with wall hooks for jackets and a cubby for shoes, and let that end be a play area for the younger kids. You might add a storage bench under the window for toys. Do you know what is under the carpet? If concrete, have it stained and polished. Then use area rugs to zone your three parts of the space. Check Ruggable for some that come in lots of sizes/patterns/colors and are washable.

Here are a couple of options. Your challenge is the depth of the room is very shallow. Due to this I think eliminating the use of the single doorway if possible is going to need to happen to be able to do a usable furniture layout to accommodate as many people as you would like. This plan uses all the pieces you have on your porch Ive pulled one of the benches into the room for seating and placed another one in the corner to pull as needed.

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In this one I pulled a sectional and occasional chair into the room and used the benches at the table as seating. Ive also used a round coffee table and placed an end table in the seating arrangement. As you can see the doorway and the slider on this end of the room cant be used .

Is this the only seating area in the house?

Oops the second rendition didn't post

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We agree with the first floor plan posted above. Making an L shape with the love seats is going to be the best option, and then you can use one of the benches there. We like the idea of adding one bench and the other chairs to the table. Below are a few other ideas for layouts in the space. Note the wicker chairs and ottoman used instead of a coffee table.

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Re: celerygirl I removed the white dining chairs, as you suggested. Much better. Thank you. :)

Re: apple pie. Wicker is lovely, appreciate your idea.

Re design interior of the south. You are AMAZING! I love both of your layouts. A big thank you. Brilliant, just brilliant. :)

Re Dane Austin, I do love your inspiration photos. The colors are bold and beautiful. Many thanks.

When you replace those sofas, the new sofas (or sectional if you prefer option 2 from design interior of the south) should have minimal arms.

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Re: holly bar, wonderful comment. Adore the sofas you've posted too. :)

following along

work in progress....

OP here. we decided to order a sectional from pottery barn. the shorter side measures 89 in while the longer side is 152. alternatively we could order one slightly smaller sectional 89 x 111. which size would be better. thanks a bunch.

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How deep (at the small part) and how high are the pieces? Pics? ps- I think sectionals can work well in long, &narrowish spaces but they don't tend to accommodate as many as you might think.

I would put a little round pedestal table and the white chairs where the horse is...and remove the benches for a more open walkway...maybe the benches will worth with the big table?

hi holly bar the depth is 40
the height is 38.

I think you could lighten the mood of the room by changing out the area rug to something ligter in color and more whimsical.