Is there a plan for lighting, as in lamps beside the seating areas......and side tables for drinks, too?

i basically have no clue what i'm doing. :) so yes, you are right I just don't know the right answer. What would you suggest given this layout?

Maybe I didn't read all the comments well, but what are you using the room for? Is it a room for people to congregate or just another space that gets used sometimes? I like the first picture best b/c when you have the couch facing the fireplace it makes the room seem quite small. It opens the space a bit more with pic 1set up.

I love the first layout, and in an actual room, it would not look like a face. I see this as a room to sit and chat and enjoy a drink in front of the fire or maybe just spend some alone time, too. The chairs and couch and ottoman are wonderful. A tray on the ottoman will allow for drinks to be placed there and a nice floor lamp beside the couch will light up that space. With the chairs angled, which I like, a nice big round table will work with a generous lamp on it. Art over the couch will provide color, as will pillows on the chairs and the couch. The wall with the chairs will have a lamp taking up wall space, so I need to see that before thinking about art and how it will work there.

i paid an interior designer $200 to come in and tell me I had to have the couch face the fireplace. I said, "I'm not crazy about that option" and her reply was, "well... you paid for my advice and this is what I think." what a nigttmarish experience.

what do you think of the last pic with ONLY a single bigger chair?

1/3 books and 1/3 decor and 1/3 blank space for the shelves. Pictures can count as decor, and have fun layering the pieces, too. Choose some with whimsy and conversation starters.

That does work, too. The chair will need a table and lamp and then the couch will need a side table on each side since nothing is in front of it to place drinks or a book on. Each side may not need a lamp.

i'm a single father with my kids half the time, i generally don't have a bunch of people over except on occasion time to time, so rather than having 2 smaller slipper chairs, the thought of a cozy bigger leather chair with an ottoman sounds better.
I'm concerned it would look weird though.

check this bad boy out:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/turner-leather-armchair-collection/

Very nice. They do make recliners that do not look like them....if that makes sense....and then you could still kick your feet up as needed, but the couch could have the coffee table instead of the chair getting that big huge ottoman. This would make a nice place for you to relax at the end of the day, a little fire going, after the kids go to bed or during the times when they are not there. It gives you a place to have people over.....but only two, as just two will sit on the couch.

I agree about the ottoman. I could put it in front of the couch, or that could double as a place for people to sit on occasion. The sacrifice of not having enough seating (3% of the time) with the benefit of a very relaxing place to sit. Also, some of these chairs are 40 inches wide, and a couple could sit there.

There you go.......the ottoman can work as a coffee table for the couch, too, AND extra seating. You do know what you are doing!!! Can you slide it over in your rendition and then add a table and lamp by the chair?

Do you have art for over the couch?

I love the rug in the room and the colors on the rug and the couch.

i slaved over the rug decision for months, after picking out 2 rugs that didn't work and had to send them back. Thanks to my girlfriend and some designers in the houzz community, i came up with that one.

No art yet, but was thinking throw pillows rust and/or dark green.

Colors may not be good on my computer, but I am wondering where the green and rust are coming from? Are either in the rug or the furniture?

The Pottery Barn chair would look awesome in that room. You are correct it could use a table and lamp next to it. Still leaves the room not so crowded.

abbyjean: another designer suggested matching throw pillows with a painting which I liked. her sample had some rust in it. I don't want to overdo colors. I'm going with a "vineyard" theme which is grey/brown/green.

Question: What about one of those narrow tables behind the big couch, and put a lamp on that?

Here's my advice: Usually when one has people over, they come in pairs. A sofa comfortably holds two people only, so if you have 4 people in the room, you will need comfortable seating for 4. An ottoman is not considered "comfortable" So.....two smaller, narrow armchairs is what I recommend. look at places like West a Elm for inspiration. hint: slipper chairs may look good, but are not comfy for just sitting and reading (what to,do with arms??). And as one ages, armless chairs are harder to get out of.

Love the idea of the pillows matching the colors in art and happy you have one in mind.

OK....math to do......is your room deep enough for a table behind the couch, the couch, 18 inches and then the ottoman and then room to walk between the ottoman and the chair? Not sure, but wanted you to check as I like the idea of a console table and a lamp behind the couch.

More math.......with a table behind the couch with a lamp on it, that will also affect the art you place there as will the lamp and the art both fit over the back of the couch. With a lamp beside the couch, the art does not share the space.

OldGrayMare speaks wisely, too, with seating in the room....you, your girlfriend and a couple have drinks before going out to eat or come back from dinner and want so spend some time chatting and sipping......where do you all sit?

In your option #2 how much room is on each side of the sofa?

Do you have the sofa now?

easy answer, my girlfriend and I can easily cuddle on the 40" wide leather chair. It's not a love seat, but it's still doable for a couple that get along. So many options if presented when people come over. the ottoman doubles as a place to sit, 2 people on the love seat, 3 people on the couch.
GrayMare: The primary scenario is me, and kids, and then me on my own, hence having a really super nice comfortable arm chair is awesome.

Angle your sofa away from the right hand wall, but so it is a comfortable location to see both the TV & the fireplace when seated.

Can you give me the measurements I asked for?

no tv in that room -- there's a separate "den" area in the house with a sectional and flat screen. This is more of a casual sitting area.

that room is 146 inches wide

How about two love seats on opposite sides of the walls adjacent to the fireplace wall. then you should have enough room for two accent chairs where the sofa is in option two with a very small round table such as a ceramic garden style stool between them with a lamp on it.

Darren, I've just seen your dilemma. The first layout seems the most effective to me but I would use an oversized chair with an ottoman and then a smaller club chair with a swivel. With two children, though I obviously don't know their ages, the oversized chair makes a great snuggling spot when you have them and a great reading spot when they aren't there. A swivel club chair is fun at any age. Don't stress over the bird's eye view because no one is going to see it from that level.

I have a similar set up in my living area and instead of a coffee table I have a long ottoman in front of my sofa that has storage in it. My grandson keeps puzzles and books and other assorted play things in there to use when he's here. As he has aged, I've changed the items that stay there but that's where he knows to look for his "stuff".

Good luck!

I can tell you have your heart set on that chair, and knowing the size of it, it is probably the right size for bedtime stories, too.....guess I do not know how old your kids are, but know that is a good cuddle time, too.

I'm sorry what is looking to me as a TV above the fireplace I guess is actually representing a piece of art. 146 " is 12 feet, 2 ". What is the other dimension of the room?

whynottryit....we overlapped with our cuddling kid time. Love it!

I thought it was art, too, but I think it is a mirror...look at the reflection of someone taking a pic. CUTE!

:D...yep abbyjean. I used to tell my grands "I am buried in babies!" Such a great thing to have.

I would get two accent chairs to sit opposite the sofa in option one. & use an ottoman for one. Then as coffee table you could put two storage cubes together & they could be used for additional seating when needed. However you will need to place a small table between the two chairs to be used for a lamp. You should also have enough room on both sides of the sofa for small tables & lamps. Or you can place a sofa table behind the sofa with two lamps on that. Good luck

At the risk of being contrarian, I like the other layout that your designer suggested. It is symmetrical and offers the most seating. You can get 2 of those pottery barn chairs. Actually, I don't think one chair in the other layout will even fit in the room if you have it angled and with an ottoman. The large chair is 44 " deep and 44" wide. Angle that in a corner and it adds 22" of depth, if my geometry is correct. I think it would look awkward. But since you already have the couch, why don't you buy one chair and see how it looks? If you don't like it with the one chair, switch the couch and buy another chair to match.

What is on the other side of the room? Just walk space between the two doorways?

I have this same issue with my living room. I used two chairs with table between them.

so if I get a club chair like this (obviously will be a nicer one from pottery barn or RH), it will have side table.
maybe plant behind it ?
for ottoman in front of grey couch, what color -- match the chair, or match the couch?

I would get a cocktail ottoman in a zebra fabric. jazz things up a bit

A plant would be awesome in your room......I love them in all rooms, but I am not sure there is room for one behind the chair.

Would you feel safe with the kids if you had a cream colored ottoman? But then again, a part of me likes a touch of black in every room. Maybe your side table would be black?

Darren Levy, what app do you use to place furniture ? I am trying to figure out furniture and paint wall colors in my space. I am bad at visualizing things, so it is gonna be a great help if you can share what program you use?

Thank you in advance.

Sam: Google Sketchup is the bomb!!! I'd totally help people put together their rooms if they sent me a few pics and the measurements.

thinking the rustic, "farm-house" wood as the side table would be awesome.

And the drinks look awesome, too! That is one fine picture and think how nice that chair and table would look in your room! SCORE!

Darren Levy, nice choice. I am glad I was able to help. those slipper chairs are great for parties, but to sit and have a drink or read, nothing beat a good armchair

Thank you Darren levy, did you say you can help?

Sam: sure, let me know what you need.

Hey darren levy, i have hired a home designer whomis still in school,she is going to start her internship next year. From your post, looks like you have hired home designer. I wanted to know what is the rate for in school home designer? I am so confused on what i pay her. Please i really need your advice.

Oh and you mentioned you can help me. Thank you, thank you and thank you. Is there an email where i can reach you at? I have floor plan, pics.let me know. I would love your input.thank you again.

feel free to shoot me an email darrenjlevy@gmail.com

This might be completely crazy, but have you considered getting a chaise instead of a sofa? If you did, you might be able to put the chaise in the place you had your sofa in the second original picture you posted. The partially missing back of the chaise would help soften the room divide. Just an idea :)

is there room at the other end of the room (the one we do not see. to maybe add a couple of slipper chairs and a table. that way when you need them you can move them over?