The TV wouldn't compete with the fireplace if it was on the opposite wall. It competes more where it is now. Your current TV is too small to go over the FP.

All of your pictures are hung too high and all in a row which makes them less interesting. Remove the 3 to the left of the FP and lower the one on the right so that it's about 6 inches above the table. Move the floor lamp to a location where it can be of use near a chair or sofa.

What about a cabinet to hide the TV? Or a cabinet to anchor it if hung on the wall?

The current layout looks fine.

Thanks leelee, I should have mentioned this was the photo from the when we bought the property, so those photos are gone but we still have the sofas/curtains/layout the same. Maybe we'll try the Tv against one of the other two walls and see how that feels, I like the look on the low cabinet and TV on the wall that you posted.

And Dytecture - we like the look of this layout but also like watching movies and it feels awkward trying to watch a TV sideways on the left sofa

Art is too high, TV is unfortunate in the corner, floor lamp looks random and irrelevant. Otherwise you have lots of good going on!

We have a similar layout and after much messing around trying to make it work, we got rid of one sofa and substituted two new chairs that are pretty easy to turn towards the tv. Most of the time they are lined up with the sofa like little soldiers, but when the tv watching starts they turn towards it.

Thanks for the thoughts guys, the floorlamp and art will be sorted and mfwolfe I really like the idea of using the two arm chairs for some flexibility of turning to the tv if needed.

Would be nice to see the room as it actually is now. TV over the FP will shorten the life of it and the opposite wall, above a credenza would be better. If you want to put a credenza right of the FP for the TV, then you could "L" the sofas. I'd move the one out of the window and put a pair of chairs there to increase seating in a large "U". Consider swivel chairs for max flexibiity. Swivel gliders are particularly nice, I think.

Don't forget the art, preferably BIG art, to put the TV in its proper place.

Thanks decoenthusiaste, it is laid out as it is now with the same curtains and fireplace style, but minus the coffee table, pictures and with a different tv stand in the far corner. The entry door to the room is where the picture is being taken from and I don't think we quite have the space for a U of seating, but I would do that if I could. A pair of swivel chairs in the window area seems like the best option, as this will still give us the flexibilty to easily move them a little to view the tv on movie night!

groveraxle - That's impressive on the photoshopping!! I feel like the room would feel about heavy on the entrance side of the room if we L'd the sofas, or would you suggest putting some sort of storage unit / sideboard under the windows to fill that space?

toadley, I like the windows without furniture in front of them. If I could reorient furniture, I would actually flip the sofa and the chairs: sofa facing the fireplace, chairs facing the window. That would make it a bit more symmetrical and alleviate the heaviness on the side opposite the windows. Besides, your windows are big and have enough visual weight themselves to balance the furniture in an L-shape. Try it with your two sofas; you might like it.

I would move one sofa in front of the fireplace to allow a view of the TV from both couches as well as enjoy the fireplace and the view. Do not further crowd the room with furniture in front of the windows and, also, the TV is way too small for above the fireplace so leave it in the current corner on a nice corner stand.

I would get a low media cabinet with a retractable (lowering) mechanism for the TV and place it in front of the windows. That way there is no daylight glare bouncing off the screen. Then I would place a sofa directly across from the TV and add 2 swivel club chairs facing the fireplace and another one in a different fabric or design in the corner with a nice floor lamp and occasional table for quiet reading by the fireplace. The swivel chairs can rotate to view the TV or view out the window or the fireplace. Anchor everything with a nice area rug.

We are about to remodel a family room with a horrendous layout so this article caught my eye. I agree with groveraxle about placing the sofas in an L-shape. Also, thanks to decoenthusiaste for the suggestion of swivel-based side chairs - that is a great tip for our dilemma as well. Good luck with your room!

I agree, you need the tv on a taller corner stand or a corner cabinet for it. No more art work in that corner since your stand or cabinet will be taller.

sofa should be facing the fireplace and two chairs put where the sofa is now with floor lamp between them and place a square rug in front of sofa with coffee table. Just a few ideas that you might consider.

For some art work, you might consider a large wrought iron clock to match coffee table.

I, too, love seeing windows open whenever it works. Start moving things around and you will get a feeling that say it works when it all falls in to place to watch movies together.

How about this for mounting your TV over the fireplace? http://www.hvtvmounts.com/shop/fliparound-non-motorized.html

I agree with L shape couches placement: one as is and another one facing the fireplace. I think it is the best placement for corner TV, which is a bit small for this room. I would also put couple of chairs by the windows, so you can have cozy conversation/table game space, and comfy tv watching.

I am not sure if someone else already suggested it, but a sectional sofa adjacent to the tv might be a suitable option.

If you do move the chairs to the L shape you might consider getting some low benches made for the windows. If you put them on casters that lock (hidden) they can double as emergency seating and also storage. Like some others, I like a tv to be concealed. A retractable one or a cabinet is what I prefer in a social room so it can be "out of sight out of mind" during gatherings.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

I took a couple of pics of the room as it is right now (note the TV is a little larger!), and then had a little re-arrange and took a couple more snaps, and used homestyler.com to mock up the floor plan.

I think the L shape of the two sofas works and I like the feel of the room in general, but I came across two (minor) problems:

1- The room still feels a little lopsided, as the fireplace feels to the side of the main backwall sofa.

2- Upon entering the room there is a slight zigzag, as you enter forwards towards the edge of the sofa and have to step sideways (although I'm sure after a week I wouldn't even notice it)

I think the ideal would be a larger sofa (with small L on the leftside) facing the fireplace and a big swivel arm chair or two smaller chairs on the right wall, as has been suggested. I think groveraxle is right about leaving the window space more open and enjoying them. This will open the entrance a little more, and balance the room more I think.

But, to make the most of the sofas we have, I think buying an ottoman to L the sofa facing the fire will move the centre point to the fireplace, whilst still keeping the TV still in a comfortable position. Then maybe we can look at getting more fitting sofas and armchairs next pay day!

tishb, just saw your comment - I think that's a nice idea to add some more seating and storage to the room without block out the windows or making the room feel more cluttered, I'll look into that!

With your changes, it seems heavy on one side of the room with nothing in front of window and also to take advantage of that wall for furniture..try moving the couch on the right instead to form the l-shape. Purchase a unit for wall on right (see example in picture - would only need the one with the tv). TV can be swung/adjusted for best viewing and gives you a place to display interesting items and have storage for books, etc.. Move table on right of fireplace to other side for balance, leave floor lamp where it is. A large piece of artwork over the fireplace and art on either side of the bookcase and I think you have balance in the room and hope it would fit.

Maureen, I do like the look of that unit but with the door in the bottom right I feel like it would be a shame to see the side of a bookcase ahead of you when you first walk in, although something lower could work. Is this the layout you meant?

It does make use of the space by the windows, but still somehow feels a little off center of the fireplace again. I'm probably just being fussy, but its just such an awkward space with the window recess meaning the fireplace isn't actually central, and with the corner jutting out into the room you can't just put an L shape sofa in there either!

FYI, this was the potential layout if we did decide to completely buy new furniture (ignore colour scheme!)

Lower bookcase is much better and that was the layout. Just saw a picture you might consider (1st) which would balance your fireplace problem as well as where to put tv. You could leave the couches where they are or place as l-shape. No matter what room configuration you decide on, try fooling the eye around the fireplace with art, off centering things, etc If purchasing new couches your new layout works for tv, but consider that three people would be lined up on the couch which is difficult for conversing. Also I would use a large square glass table (doesn't take up visual space) that may be more accessible for people to use and may compliment room a bit more.

What is on the wall opposite the fireplace? If your TV could go there you could leave the sofas facing each other then you'd have a bi-polar room (ha!) look one way to see fireplace and the other to watch TV. Nothing else would need to be moved.

Can you show a picture of that wall opposite FP?

I'm grappling with the same layout, and the same issues, regarding only room in house for TV watching, movies with friends and formal entertainment. We followed your advice and opted for new furniture, sold the couch on Craigslist and donation to habitat for humanity. Then we purchased a unit from the love sac store which allows us to reconfigure the room on movie night easily into individual chairs.

Will send picture on delivery. Thank you all for sharing

@groveraxle, what program are you using to generate mock rooms? I love it!

With regards to the two chairs idea, my friend just switched her couch out for that idea, and she chose the cutest swivel tub chairs which add to the rooms character, are comfortable to sit in, and move around to accommodate the tv. Also, in this room, I would definitely consider mounting the tv somewhere (fireplace or other wal) to get it out of the way and competing with the fireplace, perhaps paint an accent wall and you would be good! Great room.

I also wanted to add that you could add the chairs in front of the window, that way you could swivel them around to read, etc.

rojocreates, glad you've found a solution! I'd love to see a picture when you have it all set up.

leelee, the backwall is like this, but I think if we mounted a tv there and had sofas face each other then we would still have the issue of having to watch TV sideways so we decided to rule that out.

Maureen, that first 'traditional family room' look amazing, would love to do that to our fireplace but I'd imagine it would cost a fortune to redo it all. Anybody know rough costs on refacing a fireplace?

lisaclough, I think that swapping the sofa for two chairs seems to be the best way to go - thanks to all for the suggestions. The last option I could even think of with the swivel chairs, is placing them either side of a sofa on the backwall, that way its all in a U around the fireplace, doesn't block the windows too much and the room isn't too heavy on either side. I feel like we aren't really maximising seating in the room doing this, but using the swivel club chairs that have been suggested we can re-arrange as required for movietime atleast.