P.S. the border along the top is going and not showing in the picture is nice crown molding around the whole space.

I think the FP could grow on me, but the insert needs to be updated if it can be done without breaking the glass. This feature tends to bring the room into a contemporary style, and I would look here on Houzz for contemporary fireplaces to get ideas. What is your personal style? Do you have preferences? The light and reflection from the lake may allow you to use darker colors if you like them. Will TV be part of this room? If so, where are the connections for it? Lots to consider before you begin. You have enough wall there to do a large built-in with doored cabinets below and shelves for books, decor and even TV above. Or you could opt to surround the large window with bookcases both sides and above.
Search for built-in bookcases here too. I would have three, maybe four areas in this space. Dining, of course, then reading/sitting by the FP, lake and TV watching by the large window, and there appears to be a mini foyer as you come off the entry marble into this room, so that would be another space to decorate, perhaps with a slender table and two light chairs - even ghost chairs if you like them - a lamp, floral arrangement, art above. While a sectional is nice, I think you might have more flexibility with two three-seater sofas which could move around - FP in winter, lake window in summer. You see where I'm going with that. I like to change things with the seasons. Two or three arm or casual side chairs, some tables (coffee, end and sofa, even a game/snack table might be nice somewhere.) Your marble floored foyer may be large enough for a round foyer table in the very center.Hope that starts your creative juices flowing.

Thank You so much for your reply and insight it's very helpful, my beautiful partner in making this a home is also the brains of the operation so she will reply to the style preferences request.
Gary

Hello decoenthusiaste! I am firestalker's significant other so I will answer those questions....as for personal style, we are both starting over completely and all we really have between us is a few pieces of vintage family heirloom stuff. As for personal style, we both hate clutter and like a clean style that is warm at the same time.
I love throwing in a vintage piece as an unexpected element in a more contemporary space, so perhaps eclectic best describes me...also, I am not afraid at all of color or of darker neutrals. I have actually been thinking of a dark neutral for the foyer, and a slightly lighter one for the living room extending into the dining area.
When you walk in the front door into the foyer, the view is lovely and I feel that the space needs the drama (via a strong paint treatment) to make an impact, but hey, I am not a pro so I could be way off!!
I would prefer to not have a tv in this room (but we haven't settled that yet haha), but the cable outlet is currently near the fireplace off to the left and another between the picture window and the sliding doors.

Cutestuff, This dramatic room from my ideabook came to mind when you expressed a desire for a strong paint treatment. This dark charcoal is a gutsy choice, but I love the richness and contrast with the blue sofa.

The vintage items are on the larger side ( sideboards, buffets and dressers). The sideboard has been put in the foyer and he loves the look of it...

This type of starkly rectangular room cries out for a curved sectional to face the fireplace. That will soften the straight lines. Add a round codffee table and ceiling can lighting. Use sheer draperies across the entire window/door wall When you have gotten to that stage, you will be able to see what else to do. Use a rectangular dining table with decorative chairs that can be used in the l.r. on occasion for extra seating. And start thinking about your art choices.

I do like the idea of a curved sectional and thought of it as well, but my concern is the water view outside the window. If a curved sectional is on the angle facing the fireplace, what about the water view? It would be nice to have seating that faces that as well but I don't quite know how to do that without it looking awkward.

I like subtle touches of color on walls. I like art and furnishings (and view) to be the divas.

The mirrored fireplace is interesting & I like the way it reflects the view, too. The wall areas on each side of the fireplace could use some dramatic textural interest. I would buy folding screens for each side. There are many styles of folding screens to suit anyone's taste. Something with mirrors to carry out the mirrored theme might be interesting (photo).

The ceiling looks too plain. I'd have a thin decorative molding outlining the shape of the foyer + LR + DR. This will also enhance the crown molding. I'd beef up the baseboard molding, too, and paint the moldings in a slightly darker contrasting tone to the neutral walls. (photo)


2 sofas facing one another (one on left wall) and 2 chairs in front of window. The chairs should swivel 360 so they can be used to view the view or join in the conversational sofa seating. Maybe you do not need window coverings?

I have used swivel chairs and they are just awful. Always swiveled into some weird position, upsetting the appearance of the whole room. Don't worry about the view. The view will take care of itself. After a while, it will become less interesting as you get used to it. The only place you would postion furniture to view the water would be a porch at the beach or river or lakeside. For a living room, you never position the furniture to look out of the window, no matter how glorious the view. You will have a great view of the water from your dining table. When you entertain, people who want to enjoy the view will stand near the wiondow. As long as there is a fireplace in a room, the furniture is always grouped around the fireplace.

In 16 years we have never tired of our water view!!!

I love your view!

From my experience it is always best to start with a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Decide which of your vintage pieces you want in the room and then find a fabric or painting that matches them and evokes the right mood! You want to make the room look and FEEL right. Use the fabric or art as your foundation to build the design from. When mixing styles, like contemporary and vintage, there is an 80:20 rule: 80% one style 20% the other. When using a strong color on the walls it is especially important to remember that it will look different in your room than it does on the paint chip. It can in fact look VERY different depending upon the lighting, so paint several large pieces of MDF - or other cheap material - with your color choices and put them against all the different walls to see how it will really look. With lighter color paints, you can always take them back to the store to be adjusted with additions of a warm or cool tone, but with deeper colors it gets harder as there is a limit to how much tint you can put into the paint base.

I don't think we will tire of the view as it is on an International Waterway with Canada on the other side, and the things that pass by are ever changing. For instance this is a picture from my phone off the second floor bedroom balcony. Thank you for all your ideas it is really helping give some direction.

Love the view. Am a fellow Michigander and my father has a place on Lake St Clair. I would suggest adding some warmth, softness and richness with more color and fabric to the room. The river is such a cool color along with the green of the trees and can get gray in the winter. Would suggest as well getting drapes to soften the lines of the windows and to add an extra layer of warmth for times when the wind is off the river in the winter. Like the suggested idea to go with two couches or loveseats facing each other on either side of the fireplace as well as two chairs near the windows as a configuration. We've enjoyed watching not just the boats but the wildlife on Lake St Clair - the first gifts we gave my parents moving in were binoculars and a book that notes the different nation flags on the boats as they pass through. Congrats on your new home in this beautiful spot and enjoy!

I found that I had to make the drama more contemporary since I was working with darker wood tones and dark floors, I made the color of the room bold and bright such as a turquoise or a rich teal color, thus bringing the drama and the clean lines into a cohesive existence with my traditional pieces. Painting these colors would also bring in the outdoors inside making the space appear bigger.

Bits of these might give you ideas with chairs near fireplace and sofa towards view - dining included in some - just a few view rooms . . .

I might frame out the mirrored wall to update and set it apart even more. You can paint the gold details on the insert to a chrome or silver to update while not risking damaging the mirror. I like the idea of the curved sofa at the fireplace, and maybe do a more intimate seating area at the windows. Maybe 2 bold patterned chairs with a table in between. I would think about a natural bamboo roman shade all the way across the window, with panels on the side. This will unite the windows and soften them while not obstructing the view. I like the idea of a dark bold wall color in a dark navy or dark charcoal with pops of color.