It's a trifle austere. Try adding a good sized rug, a coffee table, end tables with lamps, and some framed artwork. The artwork should not come from Ikea if you don't want it to look like Ikea.

On a tight budget you can budget to save X dollars per month. When you have enough for the next purchase, then make it. You can often find good things at second hand shops and estate sales. Buy a new rug to avoid potential bug and cleaning problems.

You can make short exploratory trips to Home Goods or TJ Maxx, both discount stores, to see rugs. Sometimes they have great buys on framed artwork.

What I notice first: No wall decor. Add something big/not expensive (Ikea to the rescue!).

No side tables or lamps (the only lighting is overhead). Get a floor lamp, or two.

Need a cabinet for the shoe/bag pile in the left foreground - that, and the shapeless sofas, is what screams "dorm space" to me.

Bare floors. You can put a simple light colored rug under the dark dining table, and not have to ditch the table.

Sad, "lumpy," shapless sofas - they look VERY comfortable, and like hand me downs. Save up and get something new with structure. My guess is that dad spent a fortune on it, and now that he doesn't like it, he's "gifted" you with it to avoid the guilt of ditching a "perfectly good" sofa. It screams 90's to me. It looks squatty and out of proportion for the space.

I am not sure that you can re-attach sofa and make it work. The room is pretty narrow. Get rid of the large ottoman and 1/2 of the sofa and get 2 chairs. Your dining table is ok for now. Turn the remaining sofa so back is to curtain. facing dining. Bring in coffee table in front. Get a storage ottoman for the shoes and whatever is in that pile and an end table and lamp.

Mock floor plan as I don't know size of room, but arrange like this if possible. Oops forgot storage ottoman :>)

Get rid of post-it board and invest in a couple of large paintings. Get some posters and frame from Michael's. They are cheap. Apple had good idea with Home Goods and even consignments shops. Here are a couple of chairs from overstock.com, they have some great buys on tables and lamps also. And storage ottomans. $100

I would make do with dining set and spend the money on chairs, rug and some wall décor. If you want a glass coffee table here are a couple. My thinking is get some pieces now that will bring you up to date :>). As time goes start replacing pieces with things you want to keep long term. I don't recommend matching tables, but there are some good items out there to get you started in the right direction, make the place look better and be more functional and can be traded off down the road.

These are $250 for 3 pieces

That sunroom is restricting your potential furniture arrangement. Any possibility of removing that wall? Also need to know how you use this room. Will there be a TV here?

Your dining room light is too high and needs to be centered over the table. Also, remove those mirrors; they simply contribute to the length of the room. If those are closet doors, perhaps that space can be opened up and house a built in. That would give you lots of dining storage.

8x10 rugs under $175 or less

If you don't use the sun room, get rid of it. Open the window.

Put the sectional back together and turn it this way. (You have no idea how hard it is to find a sectional pointing the right direction. LOL) Hang art over the back of it. If you have a TV, put it opposite on a long console (which are also hard to find pointing the right way...so I didn't try).

I didn't finish your room--too much construction--but this is a start.

Dining room built in, chandelier moved, art on the wall. Doesn't look like a dorm anymore.

This is the best free advice ever. So far, I plan to do the following things:

• Buy light-colored area rug for living room (possibly another one underneath dining table)
• Combine L-shaped couch and set as pictured by groveraxle
• Lower light fixture
• Procure glass table-top coffee table/side tables
• find some wall art!!
• Purchase shoe credenza that's less gross and open

This is great because these options are less expensive than I thought this ordeal would be (i.e. changing flooring, buying all new dining set - although, i'd like to do the dining set purchase in the future)

Wait, you left out knocking out the wall to the sun room and the built in in the dining room closet! Those will be expensive. If it's not an expensive ordeal, what stories will you have to share with the grandkids?

What kind of budget would you be working with? What colors do you like? What would you say is your style? Contemporary, traditional, transitional? As far as rugs, do you like patterns or solids? Is there room in your mirrored closet for your shoes and bags or do you need some sort of storage for those? Do you need to use your computer at your dining table or would it be possible to set up some sort of small office in your sun room? Will you have a tv in the room? Do you need any additional seating besides the sofa? What kind of art do you like? Lots of questions I know but you're better off trying to define your issues so you can best resolve them.

Measure your sofa pieces & the room area before trying to move them. I think everyone has given you the direction you wanted to go in. Get rug first, then art, lastly accessories. No more dorm room for you. (Keep the lovely flooring).

I successfully combined the sofa and set it at an angle...although, the living room does look slightly cramped (pictures are forthcoming). I also moved the shoe rack to the closet...I plan to set shelves inside to make more room for all our shoes.

I'm having a hard time picking a rug though! I want a modern feel to our place and something definitely simple, light-colored for our dark furniture. Suggestions?

Will wait for rug suggestions when I see sofa in place. I was concerned and still am that putting the sectional together and using will really close up the space.

Ikea Rug 2, or Ikea Rug for dining area.

Could you try turning the sofa so the chaise side is next to your door? I'm not sure how long it is compared to the space you have on the wall, but it looks as though it could fit. You're eliminating too much usable space as it is now.

Sorry dear, that is not good. Take it apart and put straight section as in floor plan above and get rid of ottoman and curved piece. Get another chair. Is the chair in the last photos new are did you bring from another room.?

Agree with Susan. That angled arrangement is an absolute no go. Can you put the long side against the left wall so the chaise separates living from dining?

Get rid of the darned sofa. It was free so nothing lost, Get a rug and some floor pillows and call it a Moroccan room. Will look better than it does now.

Try it this way:

Hi! My name is Olivia and I work for a Los Angeles based daytime talk show. We're always looking to help people work on their own interior design. Where are you located? I'd love to learn more about what you're trying to do with your space. Please e-mail teamfivecasting@gmail.com Thanks!

How about a large giclee print to tie it all together. See this one I did for a home decorated by Design the Senses. www.ldanielsart.com Lisa Daniels

Or something like this: