I am adding better pictures...

More Pics...

Okay....beautiful home!!!!

I have an idea. Your biggest problem is the table.

1) I never suggest placing a tv over a fireplace....too high and competes with the fp. Would you consider putting the tv in the cabinet? It would work much better. Then we could put art over the fireplace.

2) The table is in the way and sort of silly next to the counter. Move the table next to the windows where the 2 chairs currently are. Wouldn't it be nice to dine by the window?

3) Leave the couch one the same wall where it is, but move it over toward the kitchen (it will be in front of the window'

4) Place the chairs where the table currently is. (Alternate is you could place chairs in front of the table-----they would be sort of floating in the room, next to fp, in front of table)

See if you like that and then we can talk about accents.

My very first thought, too, was to position the table and benches under that middle window. I was not sure if that table was using for dining or playing. Either way, it is only steps away. I would like to see the tall tree at the end of the couch nearest the desk find a new home in another room as it seems to matchy matchy with both of those right there on that one wall. I am ok with the couch on the wall, but the rug needs to fit all the furniture and one chair does not get much rug right now. I can't tell....can the rug move any? Chairs across the room, but at a slight angle to get rid of so many straight lines.....not a lot, but a little. They will need some rug to keep them from moving. And a lower table between them. Can one in the room be switched with it? Not sure if the lamp will work there now, but is it needed?

Hi Abbyjean! Right.....lamp and table in the middle of the chairs could go away. Then chairs could possibly be angled. Rug will fit then.

Another option. Move the sofa more towards the fireplace and put the table behind it - longways.
Put the love seats across from each other to make a conversation area - one each side of the sofa.
So basically, one of the love seats would go where the table is. Not sure how much room you actually have, but maybe it will work. Move the one love seat away from the window a little.

oh, forgot to say - lovely kitchen and home.

angel.....I like that idea, too! So the couch would be almost at the ceiling fan? Turn the rug the other direction. The love seat nearest the back door would almost stay there, but get moved forward. The other across. Liking this, too! The table would be centered with those two pics on the back wall. OR the rug could go under that area, too????

Never mind....the love seat by the door cannot just move forward as it would be in the way, but it can be moved down and then it would work.

Yes, it's hard to tell if it will work without doing it.

Think how cozy that would be around the fireplace with it all moved in a little tighter. One love seat would almost be e centered with the larger pane. Nice little U made around the coffee table.

Those small beige seats (loves, chair &1/2 or other) are way too under scale for the volume of your large sofa. I would replace them with a pair of swivel chairs that could stand up to your leather sofa. I also find the table and benches to be too diminutive, but you can use them for now. These pieces appear to be more apartment sized and are not providing the visual weight and balance you need in this room. I would try the table and benches on the wall where the sofa is now, under the two pictures. Pull the sofa straight out from its present location, aligned with the first partition between the windows. Turn the rug, put the coffee table 18" from the sofa and add a swivel chair at each side of the arrangement, facing each other over the coffee table. Under the large middle window, add a console table or credenza, your choice, with at least one table lamp. Lots of potential for arranging if you can just add two correctly scaled chairs.

I would try deco's idea above.

I had also considered Angel's idea of table behind sofa and def think that is an option. I think we all agree that the table has to be moved from its present spot and the furniture arrangement brought together.

Just a sidenote, but I think it is of huge importance:

Right now if you look at the fireplace/bookcase area, the bookcase is dominating. Also, while the bookcase is dominating, since it is so large and white, in an odd way, it is also losing its uniqueness, since it is painted the same color of all of your other trim. The same is true for the mantle: it is white, like all of your other trim. To tone down the bookcase and make the mante your showpiece I would:

1) Eliminate the dark paint on that part of the wall and paint it the same shade as the rest of the room
2) Paint the mantle an accent color that goes with the marble surround. It could be a deep taupe or the same green that the wall is not painted (would have to see marble closer).
3) Paint the bookcase the same color as the wall (not the green but the beige)
4) Eliminate the small piece of drywall at the top of the bookcase by moving up the capitals on the top of the bookcase to butt with the ceiling and add a wood header to fill in the gap. The capital on the left should be moved to the leftmost edge of the abutted drywall area, so that the trim includes the fireplace as well. Then a trim piece that matches the 2 vertical columns on either side of the bookcase should be added to the left side of the abutted drywall area of the fireplace.

Wow. Hope that makes sense!

Bottom line: the fireplace should be trimmed out on the edges to match the edge trimming of the bookcase and that trim should be brought to ceiling height.

Thank you so much for all your ideas!! You all have really opened my eyes to tons of possibilities. We played with the layout a bit and tried to put the table under the pictures but the space wasn't quite there. Its so hard to tell from my photos. We turned the rug and arranged the furniture in a u-shape in front of the fire place. I can't move the tv to the book shelf unfortunately, but my husband promises a new flatter tv that can be framed like art. LOL. I am totally open to new chairs and love the idea of swivel chairs! Should I stick with beige or try something new? Would you suggest a new larger table and chairs since it wouldn't quite fit under the window? Here are the pics with the new arrangement:
Would you suggest a console table under the pictures? I am so very appreciative for all your ideas!!!

Just a couple more..

Add a console behind the couch with 2 lamps. I like that lay out better. Good luck!

I agree with decoenthusiaste. Your dining table is too small for this space and so are the two loveseats, plus they do not add much aesthetically to the room. If you are open to changing them, or to saving up for later, that could help you with layout decisions.

It looks so much better! I think you could do more tweaking, though. I would like to try to see you use those chairs, rather than buying new ones, if you can, or at least get all possible ideas.

I am confused at you saying the table won't fit under the window and should you buy a "larger" one?

Can you try these 2 options:

Option 1

-move the couch back where it was.
-place both chairs on the kitchen side. 45 degree angle them. One will be near the couch. The other will be near the bookcase, with a pathway in between.
-move table by the window.

Option 2

-place table behind couch (there seems to be enough room). Use only one bench.
-move all the way back to touch table.
-move chairs back accordingly.

If you could try these and post photos, it would help. Thanks!!

I agree with the idea of using what you have and not buying right now. What fun to log on this morning and see that you played. I would love to see option 1 tried.

My frist impression is to move the furniture away from the wall and bring them into a warmer conversational setting. Furniture against the wall creates a coldness. Tie all of the furniture together with a rug. Add color. Looks much better in latest pictures.

Your recent pictures are a big improvement over the original layout! Looks good!

Just a note: the biggest problem in the room right now is the kitchen table. If you do nothing else, I would recommend moving it out of its current location.

Looks so much better.

Yes, that kitchen table is weird. There was nothing to anchor it so it just seems like this dinky piece furniture floating in the room. My problem is that I do need to get all kids around it because we eat at it every meal. (We do have a formal dining room, but if a child spilled on my dining room rug, I would not be a happy camper. lol) So, I added chairs (just from another room) to offset losing the bench. I will try the other option as well. I do feel like there is a bit of dead space when you walk into the room, though. But that could be in my head since im so use to seeing a table there. Here it is...

Okay, thanks for posting pics above. I like the idea of adding chairs!

Let us see which one you like the most, once you try the other one.

I think it looks MUCH better! You'll get used to the dead space after a while. If you wanted (and your budget allows), you could get a nice area rug about as long as the bar (with chairs) is and put it under the chairs, extending a bit out toward the now empty space. It would fool your brain for a while into not noticing how blank that area is, and would fill in a bit.

That helps, knowing you need and use this table every day and nothing better than a table and an area being kid friendly. This is just a beuatiful space and it has lots of jobs, so to speak. Love the desk area I am seeing, too. yes, I snoop! Speaking for ME now, I know I would not like carrying things back and forth very far to set up and clean up for every meal. Oofta! I think the table needs to stay there in the kitchen area. I do. I was going to suggest a rug, but I know there are messes under tables when kids eat, too, so I do not want to add THAT to your job. I say we deal with the table there and make your family room just a bit more cozy, which it IS becoming. So one more suggestion which is not very creative is to slide the whole arrangement you have back, so the couch is under those pics, but the two chairs are still making a U and are SPREAD OUT a little bit more, since there is room. Maybe that table area will FEEL and LOOK better with the one chair there to act as a separation piece.

Yes, you will love that extra space!!

Oh, I like that taller end table gone, too. It just did not fit. The darker pieces work, but I would not angle them. Choose a direction for them and make them parallel with THAT piece of furniture.

I like the rearranging. However, my first thought when looking at the before pictures was to purchase a small round dining room table, where the chairs slip underneath when not in use.

Any chance of using the old table in its new location as a play/homework area and purchasing a new, larger counter-height table set to put where the other one was?

I would re-use the bench you took out to slide in under the computer station in the kitchen removing the upholstered kitchen chair that's currently there. It looked like it was the right height to just slide under that extra countertop, and easier to tuck away when not in use.

I know I said no rug, but when I look at the pic above, which I do LIKE with that chair giving the table its own space, but what about a sisal rug with a black trim on it. Your table and the colors do look great with the wood and the black in the area. Maybe a rug will GROUND it and make it fit more? I can see where this table with benches suit your family needs.

Once you decide which arrangement you like, let us know. There is tweaking that needs to be done. For example, the rug is placed wrong and side tables are too small etc.

Re: rugs--there are lots of rugs that are synthetic now, and be virtually hosed off when dirty. Maybe consider one of those if you opt for a new dining table.

I really do not like the arrangement from 3 hours ago It looks like everything is squashed into the space. I think you should get rid of that table and rather get a round table (bar height would be good )to use where the old table was.

I like the latest arrangement. Agree the look is a bit squashed, but that is because the two chairs+1/2 are hogging their share of the space. The sooner they can be budgeted for replacement with swivels the better things will look! I like cdrdesign's dissertation on the cabinet - try to tone it down and tie it into things with paint - like on the back of the shelves.

That is exactly what I thought after I wrote it: "dissertation". Is anyone going to read this or even care or know what the heck I mean?