IMO sectionals no matter how large have 2 armrests so 2 people that are comfy the rest all like the center seat in a sofa. If you went a nice soaf and one matching chair you would have 4 people that are comfotable all the time and one more for the center seat in the sofa. If you did that you would have room for a dining table in that space but I would like to see the LR space and also what your spaces look like not the staged stuff.

Thanks for your thoughts @Patricia Colwell Consulting. I know sectionals aren't popular from a design perspective, but I think it would be most comfortable for us. We're a tall family and we like to spread out. Hopefully when it's safe to do so (i.e., post-Coronavirus), we'll have friends and family over again too and we'll need additional seating. We have a formal living room on the first floor as well (which also needs to be furnished). That space will have a combo of sofa + chair seating and will be less casual. Here are a couple of real pictures of the space. (The only thing that will remain is the recliner.) The sofa and recliner are not enough for us right now and my girls fight about space on the sofa!

Since there is normal dining area so nearby it is hard to see the need for a separate table and chairs for 4 in this area...but one way to add seating (in a way that would blend better with the furnishings and layout) would be to place a long console table behind the couch facing the tv....(with a few stools or a chair that slide under the table when not in use..)...makes a perfect spot for a snack or meal while watching tv...or even an i-pad session...

I think seating has to work in the space and for the family living there. I have a sectional sofa and it is perfect. With a regular sofa and 2 chairs I had seating for 5, but my dog was always on someone's lap unless there was an open seat on the sofa. With the sectional she seems to find a space between people or is in the corner. The other thing that worked is that my room was 20'x20' , but was really designed to have floating furniture and a 5' walkway around the perimeter. The 3x3 sectional fit the space perfectly.

As for where to place a table I have an idea that is out of the ordinary and may or may not fit your needs. In my home you can't see the TV from the kitchen and since I live alone I often enjoy the company of the TV while I eat dinner.

When I was shopping for a sofa I saw behind the sofa dining tables.

https://www.homecinemacenter.com/Modern-Farmhouse-Console-Table-LIB-406W-OT-4PCS-p/lib-406w-ot-4pcs.htm

I am considering this as one of my options for living room dining that avoids eating while seated on the sofa.

With kids I may want something that can act as a game table.

https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/kitchens-contemporary-kitchen-phvw-vp~123101849

Does something like this appeal to you at all?
I see the back of your island has doors. Are those cabinets accessible?

Thanks for the additional comments & suggestions!

@btydrvn - The reason why I'd like a regular table is so that we can face each other instead of all sitting in a row. I've seen the bar table behind the sofa idea but that wouldn't be much different than eating at our kitchen island.

@Jennifer Hogan - Yes, a game table for the kids is another reason why I'd love to make a table work in my space.

@Trem Wills - I like the idea of having a table attached to the island. We have a wine fridge at the end of our island though so unfortunately, it wouldn't work. I've wondered if it would be worth reconfiguring our island to close off of the end but that's more complicated than I'd like.

Here's an inspiration picture for what I'm trying to do.

Banquette against the back wall with a table and chairs (I'd only have 2 side chairs.)

Ahh I see. I wonder how a banquette would look sitting right behind your sofa though. Maybe someone will jump in and photoshop.

I would get the sectional that you want first.. and then try to find a table set to put closer the kitchen.. carrying meals around the sectional?...thru the living room?...over the rugs?...to a dining room area that blocks the windows?...never mind replenishing drinks etc..?

Jennifers sketches suggest another option..a round or square table centered on the double doors with an interesting hanging light fixture..so you see this as you enter....leaving room for more seating or a larger sectional ..while being very handy to kitchen

Good flow

Thanks for the follow-up and suggestions! Sorry if it wasn't clear before but I was thinking of floating the sectional and putting a table on the wall across from the fireplace, in between the window and double doors (which lead to the back porch and patio). This is the place where the black chest was in my pictures. I wouldn't put anything by wall of windows to the side of the fireplace wall.

I started working on a layout and will share once I figure out how to upload it here.

I like Jennifer’s first suggestion a lot. Why are you against putting something in that space if I can ask?

Even though there’s a lot of space between the kitchen and family room, it functions as a passage way. I think a table in the middle would feel like it’s in the way. I initially considered putting a bistro table and 2 chairs in front of the window between the fridge and fireplace. It seemed like it might feel crowded though.

Here are a couple of layouts I created with 2 of the sectionals I’m considering.

Why don’t you try something in those spaces to get a feel for it? Maybe put your coffee table up against the chest for a few days to get a better idea of the probable depth of a banquette and chairs and see how you like that. Then move your coffee table to the space between fridge and fireplace and see how that feels for a few days. From a visual standpoint, dining furniture behind your sofa feels crowded to me.

Can you take another picture of the space between your fireplace and fridge facing it?

From this plan and your pics it does not look like there is room for the dining set up against that wall....or enough seating for tv for your family ..let alone extra guests...try mapping it out on your floor..to be sure

Yeah, I know it’s a tall order to come up with something that accomplishes what I want but I figured I'd see if others on Houzz had some ideas.

Both sectionals that I'm considering are pretty spacious. The first one is 144” x 79” and the other is 120” x 110.”

msteezzy - here’s a picture of the space you asked about.

If you layout the sectional with the 12’ section facing the tv and move it closer to the tv..you would add enough room for a rectangle dining table behind it ..you may have to cut back on rug size but you could try that layout...keeping the table and chairs not too heavy or chunky

Just try moving the rug (and furniture)forward to touch the fireplace..to see the space you will have left behind it ....then you have to adjust your thinking to a nice “cozy” feel as opposed to a big “open spacious”feel..not really a bad thing

It looks like you will gain another 4-5’ to the area behind the couch

Our couch is 6’ from a similar size tv..with very comfortable viewing so this looks doable...

Remember deep seating adds another 2-3 ‘ to the actual viewing point

I see what you mean about it being a passageway. I’m a visual person so I’d have to see a physical mock up of the items in the space if it were me. Move the couch forward as suggested above as far as you can while still being able to watch TV comfortably and then measure the space you have left.

Thanks for additional suggestions and thoughts @btydrvn and @Trem Wills! I'll continue to play around with the configuration.

🤞