twn - I think the idea presented by blondepegasus was to scoot the sofa out away from the wall and place either another sofa (not a twin to your existing sofa) or a couple of chairs, all facing one another to make a conversation area or grouping to make the most of your gorgeous FP. Have you tried moving the sofa away from the wall, or more in line with FP in the room (similar to the blonde's pics)?

decoenthusiaste, I don't completely disagree with you, but I think you confuse selecting final paint colors with selecting a color palette. If you don't have any idea what colors and what neutral family you want in your home how do you buy furniture. Just go pick something that looks good in the showroom? This is the cause for so many design dilemmas. We don't define a color palette first and we go out and buy something that is completely wrong. Here is an inspiration piece for my sister's home Here is the color pallet we started with This was her core neutral Here are the color inspirations for my home: Here is my color pallet at work with selecting flooring, bath tiles and paint colors My neutral is a taupe with purple undertones. You can see the purple undertones in the flooring and wall tiles. My Taupe would look atrocious in my sister's home. Her Moss would look equally bad in my home. If we define our color pallet and take samples along when we shop the colors we choose to bring home will all work together. We won't have the common dilemmas seen on Houz.

Make sure items can do double or triple duty. (side table with storage and computer table - link below). Ottoman with storage. Instead of a coffee table, how about a storage ottoman? https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Ottomans/2738/subcat.html?featuredproduct=14056677&featuredoption=23322672&kid=9553000357392&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=20671074-000-002&cnc=US&cid=248961&type=pla&targetid=pla-339950432786&track=pspla&gclid=CjwKCAjw9MuCBhBUEiwAbDZ-7jx9kF3HMxnyujj-K7ds4u4S133wLKVZnRuEuEQ8rqi93Aoh4J5mkRoCTUYQAvD_BwE Better for kids (they won't hit their head, chin, arm, leg, etc. on it). Good lighting is a side table or wall sconce in each corner at chest height. Side table at each end of each seating unit for drinks, accessories, etc. https://www.wayfair.com/Latitude-Run®--Bradleigh-2-Drawer-End-Table-X114669301-L442-K~W003558290.html?refid=GX433582030240-W003558290_1159162774&device=c&ptid=947537059849&network=g&targetid=pla-947537059849&channel=GooglePLA&ireid=125910886&fdid=1817&PiID%5B%5D=1159162774&gclid=CjwKCAjw9MuCBhBUEiwAbDZ-7nsa8cv2ky6yMJKIt8AtXtmURp7pCrTz29jVJ4jCDrSwEmPNbTrrUxoCR4kQAvD_BwE Consider your storage as well. Open storage is for neat freaks. If you are not one, get closed storage. Look very carefully at the description to be sure they're not "to be assembled". Take advantage of the wall space. If you need storage, get tall closed units. Attach them to the wall if needed. For all items - measure twice, buy once. If you're getting items in person, be sure to bring your measuring tape. In my opinion, one can never have to much storage. That being said, some people don't use their space in the most efficient manner possible. Rug: Overstock has a wide slection. Pick filters on the left. https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Madison-Vintage-Grey-Blue-Rug-8-x-10/26288957/product.html?kwds=&option=50122881&refccid=5B56WRVFCHFICDCMWTLAIF6F2U&rfmt=color%3ABlue%7Crug%20size%3A10%27%20x%2014%27&searchidx=20

@Alyssa - thanks will look for some pics, but mostly bright, formal, traditional - but it depends on lighting. Regarding colors, I've learned the hard way that you just can't go into a room and say e.g. I want to evaluate yellow tones, blue tones, and green tones. Since I believe lighting dictates which color to use. Thus I can't really say which colors I like. The kitchen and office are lighter yellows which are accentuated by sunlight - which to me is uplifting. Light blues and light greens are out for me. Yellows, beiges, ivory, cream, dark reds, dark greens, and grays (obviously) work, but oranges and peaches are too moody to me. Can you recommend furniture placement in the back 10x15' room (which was an office) using pics below? This room has a closet for outerwear (doors are off now) and a small closet with 4' tall door below the stairs -- for storage, suitcases, etc. The furniture in this room is a brown velour sleeper sofa under the windows, a desk on the far wall, and book shelves on the closest wall. I have not hung the artwork yet. About having an office downstairs, I have heard some friends complain about having an office downstairs, like it trashes the look of a house. So while sanding/refinishing the floors over the last month, I moved the desk/computer/books upstairs to an empty bedroom. Should I leave them there? @Jan - I picked up some high quality hand-knotted rugs & pads - one is an Iranian 8x12' made in the 1950s and never used/owned (image above - it's absolutely unreal!), and the other two are Indian (pics below). Also just finished installing red oak clear poly shoe molding everywhere, and touch up painting with small art brushes. Here's an nice Indian green-cream-beige that is an 8x10 for the DR (don't mind all the dirt on the AC intake vent - it's from sanding the floors, I need to pressure wash these outside): Finally the Indian 9x12' in the living room: (fyi - there's a large 3' polished brass fireplace cover which looks like a flower with 12 pedals - not shown. i also just gave the mantle a second coat of oil-based, so nothing's on it).