Are you open to painting the room? A lighter, brighter color would do wonders. I would remove the valances from all the windows. I quite like your couch but there must be a reason why you don't want it. It would look very nice if the wall colors were done in a light color with a gray undertone to it. I would not put chairs in the spot that is best for viewing the TV since everyone on the couches would be viewing it from an angle. There are lots of great consoles around for under a TV. Just make sure yours is a lot longer than the width of the TV. There again I would go for a color other than the usual boring brown (which is what I have). The most important purchase in my mind is a large, fabulous rug that will ground the room and give it the excitement it lacks now. The items on the coffee table don't really work, and I'm not sure it's the best coffee table for your room. Lots to ponder, but once you find a starting point it will all come together.

damiarain: We use the nook just for group milling, and often flip the counter stools that live at the kitchen peninsula over to the counter on the pony wall... this works well for parties or TV viewing or casual just-us dinners... or laying out a buffet or appetizers. But I've always thought it was a waste of space... it's not a very big area though... not big enough for furniture other than stools. But the pony wall and the multiple entrances really break up the space. We were not planning on changing kitchen layout. It works well, just needs a serious cosmetic facelift... too beige & faux-Tuscan. I prefer contemporary and clean lines. Also the travertine floor tiles are super cold in the winter. So we'll install hardwood floors that match the rest of the 1st floor. I'm trying to talk my husband into painting the cabinetry (which we'll keep) but so far he loves the wood look. The bay windows are 22" from the ground on the inside. We can't extend the FR to include some of living room. These rooms are on opposite sides of the kitchen so not contiguous at all. Did you mean the nook area? The FR is sunken because of the dropped ceiling. so it's hard to integrate with / extend into anything else. The LR is a wonderful room in the front of the house with great light... somewhat of a large formal LR which is less practical these days but it's a very sweet space that looks out onto the view. We always try to move guests into that room but everyone congregates in the kitchen/nook area! Swapping the FR and DR is an interesting idea though I think the DR is too small for a FR... it's narrow, opens up to the LR and is dark. You couldn't watch TV in there, as no wall is far enough away for viewing... my husband LOVES his TV;) But it would likely make a really nice kitchen.

I would forget the shelves by the fireplace. That TV is too high and could have gone on the left wall with a nice cabinet beneath with maybe some display and the sofa facing the TV and sitting on the rug so that you can access the door. Decor items and art are things you need to shop for. The art in the DR is hung too high , hang some art on the entry wall with a coat tree in the corner for guests and a shallow shelf under the art.

No. That’s not how that works. Load paths of the old and new are critical intersections. It’s usually where all of the trouble and a lot of the money is. The old bearing walls will need to be engineered with a completely new foundation for the new heavier point loads that will carry the new beams needed to change the load paths and open up the space. That’s why this is a very expensive proposition. I’ll echo getting a builder on board as a paid consultant now. What usually happens is the clients think the plans will cost 1M, but the remodel plans come back from the builders as 2.5M, and the clients can buy a new home just down the road for 1.5M.