try to create a room within the space and allow negative/circulation space around it. I might suggest turning the sofa to face the shelved wall and then back the sofa with a console table. Then chear the chair to the left of the image toward the sofa to create a conversation area.

John, what is negative circulation space?

I think he meant either negative OR circulation space between furniture.

Aha! Thanks for the architect-speak translation, Dy.

Thank you for the ideas. I will send measurements after Halloween.
So helpful- new to this site and love it !

Please send photos showing what is across from the sofa

Looks like you have a nice space and beautiful floors. Yes it would be helpful to see what is across from the couch and also picture facing awaying from the bookshelves.

I agree with the furniture orientation...that is the perfect wall for a nice built-in and it would add a wow factor. that would also add storage for the kids toys below. I would make the built ins with closed storage below and open shelving above-put the tv in the middle.Maybe making the built ins white would add contrast and brightness to a dark room.

By taking away some of the smaller items on the bookshelves and softening the windows with a soft shade would be helpful. It is a nice space. That would give you a nice focal point with few larger accessories.....

Your basic problem is that your furniture is out of scale with your room. You need smaller scale furniture. You need a love seat where the book case is. Maybe in from of it. Chairs on either side of that.. An area rug in fron of your sofa. Window treatments the same for all windows.. Then it will look good.

Try creating two different sitting areas with (as suggested previously) smaller furniture. A rectangular leather or fabric ottoman can double as extra seating and a coffe table in front of couch. Using a console table allows for 2 square storage ottomans to be placed beneath; these can be pulled out to sit on, too.

I have a living room that is very similar. When I exchanged my smaller area rug like yours for one that went under the front legs of the sofa and loveseat (which I have across from the sofa), it drew the eye out and made the room look wider.

without room size it is hard to decide on furniture pieces. however, if the proper scale is used, my first thought to try would be to start almost in the middle of the room (2 or 3 ft. away from fireplace coming toward entrance, so that your seating in the sofa facing the back wall has full vision of the fireplace) and if you have enough room, try a two seating area from the middle of the room working out. draw it out in rough to scale, with maybe two love seats back to back with, if room, a sofa table between the two, and work out with two comfortable chairs on each side on the diagonal in corners, or facing each other, with ottomans in center of eachside. if that works, you can use the entertainment wall for watching tv, and storage. now you have created two seating areas with two feels with ample seating. make sure if everything to scale works, that your traffic areas are functional. otherwise this could not work. good luck.

I like the idea of orienting the sofa facing the two small windows where you currently have the book cases. The book cases are great storage, and a flat screen TV could be mounted between the windows. I would find an area rug that is slightly larger than what you currently have, and place it so that the front legs of the sofa sit on the area rug. I would replace your current coffee table with something with storage, like this from Overstock.com
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Crestfield-Dark-Brown-Coffee-Table-Storage-Ottoman-Set/5283486/product.html.
Don't love the style, but it's super functional, providing both additional storage and additional seating when needed.

You mentioned that you don't have a lot of storage.

Perhaps an entertainment center with plenty of enclosed storage space would be helpful.

http://www.contempospace.com/living-room-furniture/wall-units/upton-low-profile-wall-unit-low-ceilings-overhead-display.html

I also have a long narrow living room. For years I rearranged and rearramged the furniture trying to make the room feel less like a bowling alley. About a month ago, I moved everything out of the space and put back only half the furniture. I painted one long wall the same color as my sofa, and put the sofa against that wall, (similar to where you have your sofa). This made a HUGE difference, and made the room seem wider. I put a love seat at a right angle to the sofa, a leather ottoman with storage in front of the love seat, and a small upholstered chair to finish the seating. I put up white sheer panel curtains. I have floor lamps for lighting. Finally, I used mirrors in lieu of some of the art on the walls. Wow. What an improvement. Everyone who walks into the room comments favorably on the changes. I'm really pleased with the room, and the whole family spends more time in there now. Good luck with your space.

HI

A small Murano Glass Chandelier in either Crystal or White would look stunning in this space. Please contact me at salesandsupport@italiandecor-glasslights.com for more information

Dean

What's at the other end of the room, at the back of the photographer? If we turned around with our backs to the living room, what would we be looking at? The kitchen?

Suedesmond- I would love to see a picture!!

I would build a storage unit on the wall with the two windows. Closed in the center (all the way to ceiling and open on each side up to the window sills. Take out all your furniture for a new arrangement. Get one large area rug and place centrally in the room. Make the wall adjacent your TV wall for a flat panel.(I assume that's a freestanding fireplace across from the couch?) Move couch in centered opposite TV and fireplace. Add in chairs, end tables, coffee table. Good luck.
K Yaude, Yaude Studio Designs, Inc.

The header serves to divide your large space into two smaller ones, so go with that. I would add an apartment sized L shaped sectional facing the fireplace with a comfortable wing chair angled to face it off the fireplace. A console table with stools tucked under would allow for overflow seating, along with an ottoman that acts like a coffee table. Anchor the grouping with a larger area rug and mount a flat screen over the fireplace. Then treat the section by the bookcases by either using two club chairs and small table with ottoman for reading or a reading chair with a small table and chairs for snacks, games, etc. Unite the spaces with color and window treatments. This space planning makes the room more versatile and eliminates the bowling alley feeling from a long narrow room. Good luck!
Diane Grubiak Interiors

All the comments seem very reasonable. But if this was like in my home i would probably make more room for people to sit closely all together near the fire place on Christmas night or gathering. Have someone put the TV above the fireplace where you have a picture hanging at this moment. This living space actually is identical to my sisters newly built home, so i can actually visualize the dimensions. If you really like more room for gatherings, i would remove the book shelf below the two small windows and place a sofa there or a sectional going all the way into the far right hand corner of the living space so it would face the TV above the fireplace. I dont know about you..but when i look at the shelf it seems to take up much of your living space and not giving you much room for ppl to enjoy there time sitting there. where you have the sofa in the picture, something like a small dining table would look nice there near the window/two chairs and a small table in between like a conversation place/ a nice pool table to play games on and have entertainment for everyone to enjoy their time. I don't know but i love to go on HOUZ.com and just look for ideas. Especially when it comes to hanging certain things on walls (things that still light up the room for entertainment etc. ) Would recommend you to look up on Google or where ever "modern style living rooms/comfort rooms/ family rooms" would be best. Because this living space is in a nice modern home and you want to keep rugs, sectionals, furniture etc. very nice and modern. Good luck:)
annie

so glad u liked the ideas. let us know what u will be doing after some time of remodeling and send us pics. thx:)
annie