Thanks all! We are definitely open to looking for something to replace the media cabinet, but have looked intermittently over the years and had a hard time finding something that closes (DH feels strongly about this aesthetically, and we also have young kids so the out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing is very valuable for both safety and sanity) and is deep enough to accommodate the receiver, tuner, etc.--many of the newer pieces made for flat screen tvs seem to either be intended as bases with the tv out in the open, or do close but are quite shallow. I'll take another look around and see if anything new is out there, though! @roarah, thanks for the photos--your space is beautiful (and I love the window seats!) I can show DH and see if it's worth revisiting the tv on the mantel idea. We'd looked at hanging it rather than just setting it on the mantel, so maybe that would make a difference. We do have a 40" tv and replacing it is not in the cards, though. We've been considering what I think is normal-sized furniture--current sofa is 84" and you might be able to tell from the photos/plan that it has quite a big of space in the room (there's room between the sofa and the bookcase for a light and a side table), so thinking if we go with an 81" sofa (one option in a design I like) that would be a good bet if we keep it on that wall and then get a slightly smaller one (72") to form an L. If we go with chairs instead of one sofa/loveseat--and I do like that look in roarah's room--I'll have to rethink that a bit, though. Off to play with Homestyler--thanks for that tip!

Okay, let me see.......where did I file those pics of the pics.....duhhhh. Yaya, I will put my peabrain into gear and see what I can find. I did upload an album for the HouseMA, which means Massachusetts, which I'll link to below, but there are tons of IN PROCESS photos of the various rooms. But of the small parlor/living room, with that row of pics....which I love, BTW, for the subject matter as well as the frames.... I'll look for the best one and insert it HERE. Look for the albums about the Massachusetts Cape @ Webshots. I took the pictures with my digital camera the day we went to Mystic Seaport CT. It was in December, and the place was almost deserted, so there were no folks in the shots. As a boat captain, I knew of Mystic Seaport for many years, and I was in hog heaven being there. So the pictures meant a lot to me. The second image from the right is a bow shot of the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, before it went on the ways/weighs to be restored/rebuilt. Fantastic and beautiful, a work of art. Then I saw the end of every bowsprit (pointy end of the ship) had a star carved into it and usually painted gold or sometimes blue. This is a tradition with old sailing vessels, a good luck sign, which meant "follow your lucky star," and I'd always, on every boat I worked on, painted a blue star (5 point) on the bow of the boat. It is a sailor tradition. I just love the traditions of the sea. Seeing one from the "old days" was awesome. That is why I love the last picture to the right. And, of course, I took some figurehead shots. You know of course the ancient mariners would strap a live virgin to the bow, as a sacrifice to the sea gods for their safe return. Eventually, they carved and painted wooden figureheads, not all female, as figureheads. I guess they ran out of virgins? If you have a chance to visit the Mystic Seaport, it is a real treat. Here is a link that might be useful: Moccasin's Webshots albums

I would not do asectional since you will only have one place to put it a sofa nad 2 chairs are a much better choice for seating and a chaise is a useless piece when entertaining because no one wants to sit there. Get an ottoman it act as an extra seat in a pinch . You might even be able to do 2 sofas and 2 smaller scaled chairs on either side of the sliding doors.

Thanks all again but after being in the space and testing out the layouts your offered, I really do prefer the TV in the corner so I'm trying to decide between one of these 2 corner TV stands: https://www.birchlane.com/living/pdp/pullman-corner-tv-stand-for-tvs-up-to-65-b001030194.html?piid%5B0%5D=1082005253 https://www.birchlane.com/living/pdp/birch-lane-heritage-benedetto-corner-tv-stand-for-tvs-up-to-65-b000771980.html Thoughts? Then I can put an upholstered storage bench underneath the big window and a console/desk behind sofa with chairs for extra seating. And I still want to get a chaise lounge or armchair with ottoman place counter the sofa (empty space in mock up below). *Mock up is not the right colors or styles but just picked based on size to help with figuring out layout