I really envy you your sweeping backyard. If it were me, I'd focus on some natural planting along the back that I could view from the deck. I'd muck around by the creek, cut down the tree of heavan (ailanthus) and plant red maple, pin oak, sycamore, basswood, hemlock, river birch, sweetgum, nyssa sylvatica (common name escapes me, maybe black gum?) and silver maple. Some lovely specimen trees to look at, many with interesting winter bark. Then I'd plant some understory flowering shrubs--native rhodies (the carolinia ones, can't remember exactly, they smell great), witch hazel, amelanchier, sweetbay magnolia, spicebush, viburnums, etc. Then underplant with some pretty spring bulbs. I'd be vigilant to keep the poison ivy at bay. wood chip it, etc. Then sit back on my porch with some lemonade and watch the birds at the feeder. Up by the deck I'd plant some persian lilacs for the heavanly fragrance. A little grove of japanese maples and japanese white pine because I think those trees are gorgeous to look at. Then a big apple tree. Someday I might put a brick patio at the bottom of the deck, with a pergola over it, with a climbing rose and wild clematis providing shade. My cousin has a similar back deck with a pergola, and the wild clematis does a good job of cascading over it. My reasoning for doing decorative trees and shrubs and a more natural landscape is once they get started, much less time spent fussing with them than perrenials.

If this were to be my house the first thing I would do is paint the fireplace the color of the wall. It looks rather dated and also makes the room look smaller. If you were to put the entertainment center in the corner it will compete with the fireplace and chop up the area even more if the fireplace stays as it is. One of your first priorities should probably be to decide on a color scheme so that you'll know what to look for in terms of drapes and a carpet. If you find a carpet you love you can pull out different colors from it for your furniture and drapes, which might simplify the process. Having a lot of dark furniture with dark floors might be too much unless you're only talking about wood furniture and not couches and chairs. Just remember you'll spend a lot of time in this room so take your time to pick items you really love in colors that make you feel happy.

I love the clean, uncluttered look of your home and you've made some great furniture choices. My first thought, though, is that I would try to rework the sofa/sectional placement. It really is unwelcoming looking to me to have the back where it is facing a wall, when it could be oriented to look into the room and out the windows. It seems like if it were placed in the corner under the stairs that it would feel open and invite you to come in and sit. I'd hate to be cooking in the kitchen and have the family or guests with their backs to me. If you are having a TV in another room close by, do you need one in that room, too? If, so placing a 70" unit will probably only work as you have it. But, to me, it's not going to look like a living room but more like a movie theater, which is fine if that's what you're going for. It seems like it won't be a cozy conversation area, though. I might actually flip the rooms and put the dining room where you have the sofa now. I was looking at lights used with dining rooms and ghost chairs and saw this, maybe would work in the living room? Kind of fun. don't know if it would look as good without the colored walls though. And I thought something like these were interesting to consider for over your table:

Hello Shelby, Here are some pictures/ideas/suggestions for your consideration. Picture #1 is of the living room using what you have and adding some décor. #2 is if you could switch rooms the dinning room for the living room. It would be much better to be able to walk into a living room instead of a dinning room. I understand that it would mean pulling the wires for the TV into the other room but I hope that an electrician could do that easily for you. Just a thought. Clarification questions: You are keeping the 3 seater and love seat leather couches? Getting rid of the recliner and the other love seat next to the recliner? Are you open/able to switch rooms? How do you feel about getting a 2 seater/love seat recliner that would match the size of the love seat you already have? If you are letting go of the two couches; what about a sectional? Let me know what you want and I can change the 3D image so you can see what it would look like with the changes. Marcie