Thanks for the suggestions, Nancy! Putting the dining table on the side like that helps with the "choke point" that we currently get between the table and wall in the centre of the room. Any suggestions for what you would do with the extra space towards the kitchen, since the dining table is no longer in that space? I agree about the bench: We were thinking about getting this table: https://ca.transformertable.com/pages/the-dining-set which has a matching extending bench to go along the window. I don't want any built in units on the ends because I want to be able to extend the table across the majority of the room when a lot of company is over.

Congrats on your new house! It looks like your layout is similar to mine. I wouldn’t put the couch against the stairs even though it gives you more room. If you do, then you have to walk through the living room to get to the stairs and other rooms and it’s usually better to have a defined path if you can. I really wanted a sectional but couldn’t make it work. We’re getting new furniture and this is the layout we will probably have - no loveseat but two chairs at an angle. We walk from the kitchen into the living room all the time, so we wanted to keep an entry between the chairs and the sofa.

Okay, here are some pictures of the 3D rendering. Please know that only the placement of the furniture is being presented for your consideration; not the colors & styles. Furniture was placed/floated in the room using the fireplace as the central point. To balance the wall opposite the fireplace you will see a large piece of art and two floor lamps tucked into the corners. In the first 4 to 5 pictures you will find: Three 4 foot long love seats and two chairs cornered to make a circle around the fireplace/TV and 4 round side tables. In the sixth picture you will see what could be; One of your couches and 4 of your chairs to create the circle. Under the windows is a bench seat to make more seating for those times when you have more guests/parties. Hope this helped. MAE

I just rearranged a living area in our open concept summer home. The long sofa was placed by the movers facing the fireplace. With a large ottoman between the hearth and the sofa, To the right an left of the sofa were fieside chairs. The traffic pattern from the bedroom wing hallway to the dining/kitchen area was behind the sofa back. On the opposite side of the spacious main room was a seating area focused on a wall mounted tv. The arrangement seemed logical and we lived with it for two years with the sofa directly facing the large stacked limestone fireplace wall with sliding deck doors to left of fieplace and a floor to ceiling fixed picture window to the fireplace's right. But two other pieces of furnture were irksome: An two-level open buffet server housing turntable and amplifier placed just beyond the fireplace seating area along the fixed picture widow begged to be along a solid wall; and a chaise along the entryway wall that deserved a window view. While my husband was outdoors mowing, so as to not bother him with my variously shifting experimentations, I shoved the sofa aside and tried a direct swap of the chaise with the sever; that further obstructed the floor to ceiling window and crowded the piano and secretary desk along the far wall beyond the fireplace seating. But the pushed aside sofa was an inspiration! Newly angled with one side arm by the hearth, the sofa back angled the traffic pattern to the sliding deck doors (formerly occupied by one of the side chairs and an end table). I shifted the ottoman to align the new angle of the sofa. Then relocated the two unmatched large side chairs to positions parell to and across from the angled sofa. One side table with drink coasters atop sits between the chairs. The lower backed chair (matches the leather sofa and ottoman) angled at the right corner of the fireplace hearth encourages the light and view of the floor-to-ceilng picture window without being pushed up against the window; while the highbacked fireside chair further distinguishes the sitting fireplace area from the piano and tall secretary on the back wall beyond the fireplace seating area. Incidentally the chaise, placed behind the sofa back as would be a sofa table, is a perfect view through the sliding deck doors and out the far dining window to the great outdoors. My husband entered and agreed entirely that the new arrangement was a vast improvement. Moving the long sofa from directly fronting the fireplace to a side position opened up rather than blocked the fireplace seating area; defines yet invites onte into the fireplace area for relaxing, chatting; and created a more welcoming atmosphere in the entire open area. The traffic flow from the bedroom wing is still defined by the extent of the angled fireplace seating - the side arm of the high back chair and the angled sofa end table. My point to your similar spacious main floor living area is, both your sofas and chairs an be positioned to enhance the fireplace seating and socializing. These can be effectively and aesthetically gathered around the fireplace in a fashion other than large sofa facing the fireplace, and surprisingly other than at square or right angles! Try re-positioning all and don't hesitate to angle the larger piece along natural traffic flow patterns. Then fill in with the chairs (or chair).