I think that you should abandon the sofa and coffee table in the LR.

I'd get two over stuffed club chairs and position them with either a table or ottoman between them in front of the fireplace - a cozy spot to curl up in front of the fire. I'd put a bookcase or library table with art above it in the spot where the sofa is today.

I'd get rid of the two cute but not comfy side chairs and maybe to a tall tree in front of the window beside the Fireplace - leave the rest open. If you have an area rug, it can be the centering piece for the two club chairs in front of the fireplace.

How do you use this room?

How about a few more pictures from different angles in the room and a few room dimensions to make our suggestions more realistic?

While I like some of the suggestions, I don't know that any of them are practical for your family-- too many butts to seat. How does this design work for you now?

I do love how you can see the sofa in the sunroom and the chairs seem to connect the two spaces even though they are different rooms.. but does anyone sit in them? Where do you gather as a family? Say you wanted to play a game (do people still play games?) Where do you do that?

I don't remember what the other side of the room looks like but i do remember that's where your windows are. Is there seating there too?

I agree, a few more pics from different angles would help us decide on what you can do to help improve your LR. I think you should remove the coffee table in front of the fireplace to give more space there. It's making the room appear less wide and somehow making it narrow.

I think you need to ignore some of the doorways. I would put a drape in the doorway (portiere) on the right to help close up that opening...or else have it sheet rocked to make the opening narrower so that the sofa can be moved closer to the fireplace.

I would then take the two armed chairs, pull them closer toward the sofa and put a single small round table in between so that you have a conversational cluster. Then the traffic can go behind the chairs into the sunroom.

I agree with funky; I like the way the SR sofa connects to the LR; however, isn't the connection to the outdoors the best thing about a SR? Your sofa just looks into the LR.

As far as the LR, I think you could seriously edit the furniture by getting rid of the chairs and tables nearest the SR, and putting some beautiful bookshelves on either side if the SR opening. Then, use either 2 small sofas or love seats or a small sectional in front of the fireplace. This will reroute traffic behind the sofa rather than through the middle of the seating. You could use a console table with small ottomans underneath against that wall flanking the DR.

Oh, thank you! Yes, I am sorry for not providing more pics. Here they are-- as you can see, these show some different arrangements I've done.

More info than you will ever want to know:
(1) the curtains are leaving once I get my new ones sewn (new ones will NOT puddle-- only left current ones long b/c I was going to raise them higher but now am changing them completely).
(2) The coffee table is completely and terribly wrong for the room; it should be square or a circle, but I love the table so I am keeping it for now.
(3) The room is OBNOXIOUSLY narrow. Where the FP juts out, it is max 7 or 8 ft wide! It is about 22 ft long.
(4) The room does not want anyone to have a conversation. There are no places to put seating together. I would just like another wall-- another corner, please!
(5) The piano gets used all the time so it can't be moved.
(6) Sofa and matching chair won't be replaced anytime soon.
(7) Would love hardwoods and rugs (old-- not new ones) but cannot figure out how to arrange them-- the long way seems like it will emphasize the narrowness of the room, but the short way means I'd have to have many rugs.
(8) We have 5 kids, so seating is always needed!
(9) Room is used for reading, listening to piano playing, playing on floor, parties, talking, etc. No TV in there.
(10) Nothing can be on either side of FP (symmetrically) or right in front of it. Putting anything right in front of it means blocking the only narrow path that's there . . .

Probably more than you want to know . . .
(old pic- chair in original place)

Are the bookshelves narrow enough to go where the demilune tables are now?

I know this isn't very helpful, but I am very distracted by the photos being in black and white. Unless I missed something, no one has mentioned a peep about that. But it is making me nostalgic! The room is giving off such a nice vibe. So I love the room just the way it is. I am waiting for Lucy and Ricky to come in. Other than the sofa arms, it looks like my relatives' homes when I was a kid. It looks so homey!

If the width narrows to 7' at the fpl and the room is 22' long, it refuses to be one room IMHO. I'd divide it in half pretty much as you have.

I especially like the chair/table/lamp that flanks each side of the SR entry. The proportions are nice.

You can turn your interiors int a cost haven by bringing a shaggy rug possibly in natural shades like beige or ivory. Moreover, i cannot see the curtain in front window why not cover them with roman blinds to give a classic look.

The love seat in the sun room looks like a time-out corner, two chairs with a table between them would be more friendly.

This room is always going to be a problem. The Fire Place should be the hero of the room, but you can't make it that because the room is too narrow and add "we have to seat x number of butts" = any solution will never be pretty.

Narrow the opening to the Dinning room, so you can shove the couch down more to the left, in front of the FP where it belongs. That might mean loosing the all important right end table as well. Two upholstered chairs to the sides of the FP.

An other option might be to push the couch in front of the FP and have a walk thru behind the couch.

I think you've done a really nice job with your space. I had a long narrow LR in my last house and it was a challenge-- but at least the fireplace was a fixture at the end. Do you use the fireplace?

The entry feels a little tight but I get that the piano isn't in the mix to move. I believe you had the bookshelves at the other end at one point.. did that not work out? I think it they might give some purpose to the seating area at the end and open up the entry and window wall a bit.

I don't think the coffee table is all wrong. The proportions are perfect for a long, narrow room.

I definitely think you are on the right track! I'd just want to soften the space up a bit. Add your new curtains, move your artwork around. I'd add a few more throw pillows and a soft throw or two... and I am still on board with painting the fireplace. I do like it's shape-- as is.

If this were my room, I'd accept the fact that there are only two windows and the room will always be a bit dark, and invest in more lamps, maybe controlled by a wall switch so that you wouldn't have to walk all over the place turning lamps on and off.

Then I'd give up on the fireplace as a focal point. Move the piano directly across from the fireplace, as it is narrow enough to still allow people to walk through the room. Put a comfy bench or two upholstered stools in front of the fireplace that can be moved when you need additional seating.

Then move the sofa in front of the window. Yes, it will block part of the window. But by focusing so hard on keeping the window unblocked, you are causing all sorts of issues with furniture placement. With the sofa in front of the window, you can put the coffee table in front of it.

Without knowing the dimensions of the room, it's hard to say, but I think you could fit the chair either on the other side of the coffee table, or to one side. Then put another chair down in that area for more seating.

One problem with the current furniture set up is that all the furniture, except the coffee table, is against the walls, more or less. On the sunroom end of the room, you could try putting some furniture in front of the doorway to the sunroom, with enough room behind it to allow easy access to the sunroom. People will have to detour slightly around this furniture grouping to get into the sunroom, but that is not always a bad thing.

I would experiment by pulling those two chairs out of their corners and putting them on either side of a small table, a few feet from the doorway. Live with that for a week or two and see how it feels. It partly depends on what you use the sunroom for and how often. But if you are entering the room from that door on the right (dining room), you wouldn't be blocked at all going to the sunroom.

Moving the chairs out from the walls would let you put bookcases behind them in the corners, and you have just created a cozy reading spot.

This way, you have divided the room into three parts--main conversation area down by the window, piano/hallway by the fireplace, reading/chatting/sipping tea area just in front of the sunroom. You could easily use two or three area rugs to define these spaces, and the rug edges would give you some lines running across the room, which would help to break up the "bowling alley" effect of the long walls.

One larger rug under the sofa and chairs. One smaller rug under the reading area. For the piano area you could do nothing, or a runner between piano and fireplace, or another smaller rug. Or do a rug under the sofa area, and another rug for the rest of the room.

I think you have a pretty good layout in the main living room considering what you have to work with.

I would want to try the commodes and bouillotte lamps where the bookshelves are. I know you aren't supposed to put pianos in front of a window but would try that too.

You just need a bit of fine tuning on the room. Move the bookcases to the other side of the room and eliminate the demilune chests because they are a bit too precious with the large scale of all your other furniture selected. The piano has no other place to go and it has to fit in the corner and not overhand the doorway.

Get a cocktail ottoman that can stand up to the scale of the slipcovered chair and sofa. Get a slipcover for the wing chair. 86 the two small scale chairs for this room. Maybe they can go in the sunroom. Your living room is only so large and you can only get so many people is this room.

You need to do something about the fireplace though. It's kind of brutal in it's appearance compared to everything else. Painting it would be the easiest thing to do.

I love Beverly's suggestions. They make the room less bowling alley-ish. I think you have too much in there now....the bookcases and the piano especially look crammed into the space. Agree to paint the fireplace..I would paint it the same color as the walls so it blends in and doesn't look like it's supposed to be the focal point. I'd also paint the mantle the same color so it's not broken up visually by a dark horizontal "bar." Since the room is dark, I would lighten the wall color.....a light cheery version of whatever color appeals to you.

You are all so amazing! Thank you!

Beverly, thank you for the floor plan! I added in some measurements:

To answer some good questions:
(1) Sadly, no, the bookcases do not fit where the little tables are. Before I bought the current bookcases, I looked for ones that were narrow enough but not too narrow for the space, and did not succeed.
(2) Sadly, one cannot move things to the middle of the floor, because the room is essentially a long (narrow) hallway.
(3) My husband is growing increasingly annoyed with my furniture moving! We moved the piano to the long wall. It looked awful. That long wall is very problematic.

Annie, the portier is a good idea! My only issue is that, to center the sofa in front of the FP, I would make the DR entry pretty narrow. (Has to be pushed over the entrance very far.)

Dee, yes, we used to have the loveseat the other way, but you couldn't see out the window. On one side is a built in area (too shallow for books-- just display items) and on the other, windows that almost go to the ground. So, yes, even though the view is to the LR, one can also look out the window easier this way.

Neil, yes, the table is definitely making the room look even more narrow.

Mtn, haha! Yes, the black and white was done to focus on the floor plan. I dislike my wall color, and nothing in the room really works color-wise, since everything is being pieced together/from my last house/going to be recovered/whatever. I am glad it looks homely!

Mike, I'd like to have bamboo roller blinds!

Lily, yes, it will always be a problem. :( It is really frustrating. I'd take a smaller, square room with fewer entrances any day! And, really, I don't think I am asking for much in regards to seating. If I could get the sofa and chair to work, I'd be happy. If I could get them to face each other, I'd be thrilled. The room wants to have just ONE sofa in it. Period. How can anyone use it that way, even in a smaller family? Moving the sofa in front of the FP means we'd have just a few feet on either side. Too narrow.

Funky, yes, if the FP would be at the END of the room, it would make a huge difference. Oddly, many homes where I live have the FP where I have mine. I've been very tempted to knock on doors and see their floor plan, but maybe they don't have the other wall issues that I do. And no, never had the bookshelves elsewhere as they won't fit. Not even in our basement, as they are too tall! I definitely need more pillows and art.

Camlan, I have a lot of lighting! We have a lamp on the piano, one on each end table, and then the ones on the little tables. We also put in can lighting-- which I dislike-- but because I couldn't come up with anything better. I tried the sofa in front of the window when we didn't have a piano. The problem then became the long wall. There was nowhere to put a chair. It looked weird against the long wall. So, it's great if I only want a sofa in the room, but was not practical.

Pal, I wish those bookcases fit on that side. If I got ones that were more narrow, it would mean losing more book space, which is a potential problem. I like what you said, 'considering what you have to work with." Yes-- this room is a challenge, and I bought the oversized furniture before we bought this house . . .imagining our next house would have a much bigger LR!

Beverly, yes, I think the ottoman will be a must. I love, love my table, but when I took it out last night to sort of start from scratch, it looked better without. I did remove the little chairs. Guess they will be listed on CL soon! And yes, the tables are too delicate compared to everything else. My ideal would be to keep them and get smaller scale furniture, but it's not in the budget.

Joanie and Beverly, the fireplace has long been a thorn in my side. I have had other threads about it-- the only reason I didn't paint was b/c someone on GW told me that if I did, drywalling over it would be a problem and that is what I want to do to the top portion. (Too much brick in such a narrow room-- overpowers everything.) But, others have assured me that it's not the case, so I will paint first, and then maybe drywall and add an English-type surround to it, when I can afford and find the right one surround/mantel.

Now, if I could somehow move the piano to the sunroom (but I'd then have to move the loveseat to face it), would this kind of FP work? It would mean I'd move the sofa to the window like Camlan said, and then slipper chairs sort of along the long wall and one sticking out in front of the entrance to DR. I've already tried blocking the sunroom entrance with the loveseat, just to see . . .and my room is too small and narrow compared to the pic to pull it off. But, it's interesting to see how he has so many entrances too and was able to do this . . .I guess because the room is just bigger.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Anele, Where are those last two pics from; they are fantastic, as in what fantasies are made of! I think the decorator broke a few traffic flow rules (maybe even just for the shoot) but what an inviting room, oh my I want it i want it I want it.

Mtn, those are from Furlow Gatewood. He is not an interior designer, but instead "just" a fascinating, gifted man. A true artist.

BTW, Furlow Gatewood's book is wonderful.

http://www.amazon.com/One-Mans-Folly-Exceptional-Gatewood/dp/0847842525

Lots of good ideas. My suggestion would be to remove the fireplace. I know, I know!!!!
I love fireplaces and love them as focal points, but sometimes for whatever reason they aren't placed right.
i had this situation in a summer home. We removed the fireplace for a more functional set up. I always felt that it could be put back if I ever wanted to.

Narrow the opening to the DR. it's not helping anything being so wide. And it's easier to do than getting rid of the fireplace. Although I wouldn't rule that out, that's not easy to do.

OK, move the book cases to either side of the sofa and layer accent tables in front of them. Your existing tables may not be the exact right size, but the bookcase have to move somewhere to allow for the piano.

Is there any room to place to book cases in the sunroom?

The arrangement you have now, or Beverly's plan, are probably the best for the room.
I think the corner with the bookcase and piano looks crowded. Could you angle the bookcases in the corners where the demilune tables are, since the bookcases are slightly too wide? And then angle your small chairs in front of the bookcases?
You could also get some small upholstered stools/poufs and put them in front of the fireplace, so the kids could use them and move them around as needed.
I agree with painting your brick a light color. I think it would make the room brighter and take the focus off it. I would put a BIG mirror over it.
I sympathize completely. My LR is about 25' x 12' with two huge doorways on one wall, and our casual dining table at one end. I have rearranged furniture a million times and still don't love it.

You know, I really like beverly's last floor plan with the bookcases flanking the sofa. The claustrophobic me shutters a little bit but i think the scale of the sofa can handle them. What I don't love about the plan is that the bookshelves arent all that reachable for little ones.. what I'd propose is a small stool or ottoman or poof in front. It will provide a place for a little one to sit.. and won't completely obstruct both bookcases. i know that takes away a surface for a lamp-- but you could use a sconce or the dreaded can lighting to fill in.

The Furlow Gatewood room is lovely-- and it shows what that extra width could give you.. but I will also say, it takes a special touch to bring all those pieces together in a room and have it look lovely.

I have a thought-- and i know you've tried many arrangements so it seems unlikely I'd come up with something you havent-- but if the sunroom is a good location for the piano, could you put the loveseat under the window.. piano in the sunroom and the club chair beside the fireplace? I know the club chair is big for the space but it is a cozy chair next to a cozy fireplace. It is a little removed from the seating area but it is a lovely place to read a book or curl up with a laptop! A blog writing corner!

Love your pillows.. and I am really loving the bones of the fireplace. It reflects the age of your house and I really like its simple, rustic charm.

Do you use the fireplace? I know you don't like it and want to redo it. So, you could possibly paint it, cover the firebox, remove the mantel (???), and move the couch to that wall. It would open up a lot of options for furniture arrangement, but it is fireplace sacrilege!

I really love your home. I know I'd be frustrated about getting the arrangement just right, too.

I love Beverly's last floor plan with the bookcases flanking the sofa, too. It may seem counter intuitive, given the narrowness of the room, but I would try a very narrow sofa table behind the sofa, between the bookcases to hold a lamp or lamps and visually connect the bookcases. It would move the sofa forward enough that it wouldn't feel as "surrounded" by the bookcases, and I don't think the extra inches eaten up would push the arrangement too far into the room space.

Chjim, yes! I borrowed a bunch of books from the library in search of ones re: English cottage and country styles, and his was one that popped up in my search. I'd never heard of him until I read his book. It is just amazing.

Ellendi and jlc believe it or not, removing the FP would not solve many issues. There still isn't much of a wall across from it. It's really the darn entryways that are the issue.

Holly, I've measured and measured, and it just wouldn't help to narrow it to the point that would help the sofa and still provide access to get into the DR. I could possibly use Annie's portiere idea and put a curtain up on just one side, though . . .it might work. I am thinking of putting a portier up in the entryway doorway, at least, because while sitting on the sofa now, the view is of the front door . . .does not feel like a cozy thing to be staring at!

Beverly, I am so thankful for your floor plan ideas. I'd thought of moving the bookcases on either side of the sofa, but thought I would be making that wall too heavy and emphasizing the narrowness of the room. But, I can see how it would help to break up the large expanse and also lessen the crowding of the piano. And, no, there is nowhere in the sunroom for the bookcases. The walls on the other side are the same as where the little tables are as you may have guessed, 2 walls are windows, and the third has built-ins that are too narrow for books.

Jlc, thank you for your suggestions. I bought some poufs recently from Target (big sale!) but they are too big for the room. With the skirted furniture, wall-to-wall carpeting, etc. they were just too much. So, I will have to try some other ones that are smaller scale. (The new ones live in our TV area now.) Interesting idea about angling the bookcases-- I will have to try and see. I am sorry about your room. :( I hope you can get it to feel right. Have you posted it here and I missed it?

Funky, yes, the bottom shelves are where we keep most of the books for the younger children, so the tables couldn't live there now, as you said. Olychick had a great idea to use a console table to solve the lighting problem. Furlow Gatewood also does something neat-- he puts these little paddle things on his bookcases to hold lamps. And you're right, it takes a lot of talent to pull off a room like his, which I clearly do not have! I have tried the club chair by the FP (we used to have two) and it was just too big . . .but I like the idea of the loveseat where the chair is, esp. if moving the bookcases works out. Hee, hee about the rustic charm of the fireplace! I wish it were rustic in the dreamy sort of way, but you're right, at least the bones are there.

Olychick, that is a great idea, about using the console table. As you said, it would make the space seem more cohesive and solve the lamp problem. If the bookcases are 11" deep, do you think the table should match that depth?

You are all very kind not to mention my elephants in the room, namely, my very overstuffed furniture which I did not buy for this house. But, while I said I can't replace them now (which is why you kind people didn't suggest it), I do think they, esp. the club chair, are a "big" problem.

What do you think of this as my short-term and long-term plan (long-term because of $)?
(1) Move the bookcases to either side of sofa.
(2) Buy console table to go behind sofa, maybe the same depth as bookcases (11").
(3) Add a pair of lamps to table and artwork behind sofa.
(4) Add some artwork to walls where bookcases currently are.
(5) Replace sofa and chair with something that smaller scale. I'd say same size sofa, smaller chair (not as deep or wide), but both with low-profile arms like an English roll arm for sofa and maybe chair-- or a pair of slipper chairs instead.
(6) Redo fireplace: paint and/or new mantel, surround.
(7) Refinish h/w floors; still not sure about rugs (where they should go and which direction they should run).
(8) And, of course, accessories in the form of pillows, art, etc.

Thanks so much, everyone!

You should send this puzzle to Christopher Lowell!!

The Furlow Gatewood room is extremely pretty, BUT, it is obviously not livable, or the photo stylist would not have moved the chair completely out of the room for the second perspective. It is WAY too busy to live with, IMO.

If you can find a narrower console that would be functional i.e. hold a lamp, I'd do that - every inch will count. Maybe when you try the bookcases in their new position, you could mock up a console table with cardboard or a board (ironing board?) and see if/what works?

trying an ironing board is brilliant.. definitely worth a test run before spending time/money looking for one!

Hey, Anele, many of us are working with furniture that was bought for another house. Our homes evolve just like our lives. :)

Instead of making the wall longer by making the doorway smaller, can you get rid of that wall? What room is on the other side? The room seems so difficult to use, can it be combined with the other room?

Olychick's idea about the console would be great if there is enough room. Doesn't have to be a table. You could suspend a long shelf behind the sofa between the two bookcases. Just consciously assemble a complete arrangement of picture/s, lamps, bookcases and the sofa.

Spring, that is an interesting observation! He has several properties on his land-- finds things he likes about a property (even if it's just a door) and then has it moved to his land. (Of course, then he does a whole lot of work to make each property amazing!). Maybe he does not spend time in each one so does not matter if not liveable?

Oly and Beverly, I moved one of the bookcases to one side of the couch. I thought it would be way easier than it was! Ikea furniture is cheap but it's still heavy for me, haha! The sad news (for me) is that I didn't like how it looked. Where they are now, I can sort of pretend they are built-ins . . .I am eventually going to add one more layer of curtain (some sort of sheer-- maybe in a linen) so that I can extend the window further/make it look wider, which will also help to make them look like built-ins. By themselves near the sofa, they looked like the cheap Ikea bookcases that they are . . .no hiding.

Funky, true about the evolution of our homes and us!

Hoovb, nope. :( On the other side of the wall is a staircase. It really is a hard room to decorate, though we use it well, if that makes sense . . .one side for sitting, and the open area (I moved the little chairs out and just have the wing chair) for playing on the floor, dancing, whatever.

I think I will have to focus on making each element in the room Beautiful. Nothing really is except my tables, to my eye. Eventually, a great old rug . . .eventually great art . . .eventually the right scale furniture . . .etc.! Oh, and not hold my breath for AD to come take photos! :)

Thanks for all of your great ideas, everyone!