Laying out combined LR/DR w/ fireplace and window challenges

12 years ago

Please help me figure out ways to layout my living room + dining room that will make the space feel more calm and organized. We can't make structural changes because all the walls are exterior. I'd rather not have the fireplace, but it's too expensive to remove and rebuild that wall. Is there somewhere we could put the TV so it's at eye level and still comfortably viewable from the couch? We have some budget for new furniture (especially dining table + chairs), but love the couch and coffee table. The white bookshelves are headed to the kiddo's room anyway.

Bottom line wants:
- dining area for 4 people
- couch + TV setup
- shelving for books and photo frames

Some questions:
- What do you think about benches (storage + seating) where the bookshelves are and putting the table over there?
- What can we do with the firebox of the unused fireplace since we can't remove it?

Thanks for your ideas! Measurements in floor plan are approximate.

Featured Answer

boooge

12 years ago

I would flip the sofa. Not sure if there's room but here's what I came up while the little one was napping. This was fun! Good luck with whatever you end up doing. -Bess

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Comments (7)

PRO
User
12 years ago
bench seating with a table and storage, is a great idea! you should create a built in look around the fireplace to hide the view of all the wires and take it to the cieling so you can make it look always there. i would remove the mantel. i would get a lighter colored rug and maybe paint the tray ceiling a lighter color on the inset to give more dimension and space to the room.
easystan thanked User
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easystan
Original Author
12 years ago
More measurements and pictures of the wall behind the couch and the fireplace. You can ignore all that stuff below the windows - it was hiding behind the couch and is now headed for the storage room downstairs. We weren't terribly organized about how we made space for baby, but we do have places to put those Christmas decorations and big kid toys.

We have surround sound wiring behind the TV above the fireplace. There's cable and power on the wall behind the couch, but I'm not sure what to do about the speaker wires. There must be a solution that's cheaper than removing the fireplace.
PRO
Warner Decor
12 years ago
hi! I like the idea of a bench with storage, simply because it serves two purposes. Here is an idea for you:

http://deciture.com/the-multipurpose-wood-3-basket-bench/
sheilaskb
11 years ago
This may sound bizarre, but would you consider making what looks like a sunroom into a bedroom/play area for your child? If so, could you turn the child's original bedroom, which is next to the kitchen, into a dining room and have a pass-through (over cabinets/counter tops) from the kitchen? Also, if you could eliminate the French door that is near the bottom right corner of the drawing, you would have more corner and wall space for the end of a sofa or whatever placed along the bottom border of the LR as shown in the drawing. The extra French door, hopefully, could be used in another part of the house. I know you said you cannot afford structural changes, but the things I suggested are minimal and involve mostly the moving of furniture and changing purposes of the rooms.
sheilaskb
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Also, in the photo that shows you and the child, I notice the two small squares high on the wall. Are these windows? Would you consider enclosing these spaces and building an entertainment/bookshelf unit along this wall to hold the TV and all the wires? It seems this would simplify the room arrangement and give you much more storage space. If watching TV during meals is important, I would suggest you invest in a second TV to keep in the new dining room I proposed and conceal it in a similar unit that could hold dishes as well. As to the unused fireplace, I certainly would keep and restore it because it may be needed it as a heat source during a power failure. You still can hang wall art or a mirror over it so that it remains a focal point of the room. When the fireplace is not in use, you can use the firebox to display a large pot of leafy green plants throughout the winter months and/or black-eyed susans during the summer months, provided the latter would receive enough light to grow indoors. I believe your home does have a lot of potential.
Lila
11 years ago
I would add benches (with storage) to the perimeter of the sunroom and place a table in one corner. If it had leaves you could seat more than 4 people when you have comany. I had exactly the same space in one of my homes and I did that. I could actually seat up to ten people. It was a great space for a sunny afternoon nap. I like Flair Lighting's idea of boxing in the fireplace. It cleans things and makes your room look larger.