Jen, I can't help it, I have to tell you what the mental pix was that I got with the round table sitting on the oval rug. It made me flash to a vision of an eyeball. Now, I am sure that it won't feel that way in the room, and as justgotabme wrote, it wouldn't be an issue if the rug is substantially larger than the table.

I really am undecided about which way to go. I do like a collected look, but may_flowers brings up a good point about the LR and DR being open to each other and already having a variety to styles and woods in each area. I know that should I still decide to keep the round table and find a tall end table for the other side, I need to definitely use matching lamps. The search continues.............

Honestly, I think part of the issue is the âÂÂline-em-upâ way the seating is arranged. It leaves a huge blank space in the middle of the room. Would you consider putting the loveseat in front of the window, and the couch at a right angle to it? I realize that they canâÂÂt be abutting one another, because of the reclining. But I think you can move the couch down toward the loveseat a bit. That is also why you donâÂÂt want a coffee table. I know from personal experience that it is always in the way with a couch with recliners. I would move the black cabinet to the wall space to the right of the curtains where the chair is now, if it will fit. Then rehang the two pictures centered between the drapery and the corner of the wall, not between the drapery and the light switch. A lamp on there would be nice. I would find a larger round table to sit in the corner between the two reclining seating pieces. Another lamp on there. The small chair could go to the left of the tv, with a small table beside it, near the stairs, another lamp there. If the chair goes near the tv, then I would use the floor lamp in the corner nearest the dining room, to the right of the couch, and another small table there. I think once you move things around and have the furniture out into the space a bit more, you will find you donâÂÂt need anything there, and will leave the open space for traffic and kids.

Thanks everyone! I guess it's back to the drawing board. Fwiw none of the side tables are necessarily staying, I wanted to start with the coffee table and then move on to finishing the rest of the room. It sounds like the consensus is a rectangle, and not as light as I'd been shooting for. @nosoccermom, the table we have has seen a decade of two boys. Much of the finish has been rubbed off the top. I don't mind it too much but it's one of the few things in the house my husband feels strongly about. I should just refinish it as @linelle suggests. But I have so many unfinished projects and so little time to do things like this (as opposed to seemingly unlimited time to procrastinate work by surfing the internet!) @olychick, you nailed part of my issue - any table that is equally useful when sitting on either sofa would take up too much space in the room. I'd thought about bunching tables or something like @jlc712 posted, but I wondered if I'd drive myself nuts trying to re-align them every 10 minutes after my kids drag them about the room. @Beverly, rattan + kids is a bad combination, unfortunately. I like some of the first tables you posted, but my husband nixed ones that look rustic-y. Maybe something like the first table @starnold posted? I really like the oval, and the color seems like it could work with the dark brown sofas. I'm sure part of my problem is that I'm just so used to the light table; I need to try out something darker to get over that hangup. Thanks everyone!