Two separate seating areas would be best

Color ideas,do the whole space the same color ,do not paint the beams ,and leave the trim white

Why not back a sofa/sectional up to the step to separate the areas?

Sorry, my furniture orientation is pretty off but this should give you an idea...

Brandi..yeah would def not paint the beams, love them.

Er612, I don't want to block off the flow to go from kitchen out to patio either. And didn't want a couch butt up against and flush to the stair. In your second picture are you saying to angle the sectional and then on the upper level do two chairs and what else? Hard to see that photo. Also what program are you using to place the furniture in the room? Thanks

I like the idea of using the upper level as a dining area, since it is right by the kitchen. A large farmhouse table (or whatever your style), a cute rug, comfortable chairs, and you have a fun, bright open concept eating area that will give you lots of extra seating if you have parties. Then make the lower level a seating area with the sofa/sectional facing the patio and fireplace, add a couple of additional chairs, a large area rug and you're golden.

I thought that too, but next to the kitchen and off the living room is a dining room.

I'm gonna play with all the suggestions on a layout app so that i'm not ruling out any suggestions.

Do you have the room's dimensions?

Here's what I did up quick, need to remeasure size of door and windows, but I have them pretty close. I changed the direction of the floor to represent the two levels of the living room area.

Is that white door into the dining room the front door? Would you consider moving/removing the chandelier and making that a large entryway/great hall/sitting room?

No that is a closet under the stairway

Here's what I tried to put together.

So do you have to go through the living room to get to the dining room?

yeah u come through dining room or kitchen to the living room.

Which area do you eat all your meals in? The dining room off the living room or the dining area by the family room with the fireplace in it? Let me see if I understand, but you walk thru the kitchen to get to this area of the house? I apologize if you explained this, but I am late to party and there is alot of back and forth going on; fun post!

OK I think I understand? haha Um a consideration might be to move the dining room at the front of the house to the area off the kitchen doorway. The combined room is so long that it will be very difficult to see a TV that far away I think?

Forgot to ask, is there a doorway from kitchen to dining room shown at front of house? There much be but I cannot see it?

The now empty area where the dining room was could be converted to a library /office area / crafting area with all closed storage and still allow a walkway into the back of the house. You could add floor to ceiling storage pieces, either closed or open for display and make it an all purpose work area for the whole family.

I suggest this only as an idea that you can customize to the area. You have a lot of square footage and it would be sad not to see it being utilized every day.

In addition, if you wanted to do something in the room, I think you would be wise to move the entry way that is shown in the dining room to the right side of the room. This way you are entering the family room area not in the middle of the seating area but actually in the middle of the whole combined room so it is an easy walk to tv area but stops the sound from moving out of the tv area and a direct route to the kitchen. Redoing the wall would not be astronomically expensive and would vastly improve the flow of the house if you indeed considered moving the dining room to a more convenient place to the kitchen......formal dining rooms take up a lot of space. Again just an idea with some pics to show open and closed storage.

Yes the two large openings to the living room are the kitchen and the dining room..when you come into the front door you come through an area and can go straight into kitchen or left right into the dining room. the kitchen has an eat in island that seats three. You can see the stairs they boarder the dining room.

So you can access the dining room from the kitchen without going through the living room? Is the area to the left of the closet in the current dining room open?

Correct can access the dining room without going through the living room..do you see where those stairs are in the pic that is the opening to the dining room. So when you come down from upstairs you can see right in the dining room.

OK. That makes things easier. Now either spot can be used for dining. I prefer great rooms but it's totally a personal preference. Here are just some ideas - some may make sense, others may not. This first one is my favorite…

I created this next one not knowing there was an opening to the left of the closet. I'm including it because I think it can still work as a TV room if you put the sofa in front of the window and the TV in place of the sectional.In these next two, I'm just showing what you can do to make the back of the sofa functional should you decide to push it against the step. I used a bench but you could also put a media stand to act as a sofa table or a desk and have the space double as an office.

That room sort of scares me....there is only one step down and the same flooring is throughout. Easy for a guest to not see that step down and take a tumble! Add an almost wall to wall rug to the lower level. And the sofa backed up to the step (as was mentioned) will help folks to see it.

This is the sectional that I used in my first layout: http://www.westelm.com/products/henry-3-piece-sectional-h063/?pkey=csectionals%7Call-sectionals%7C

It fit perfectly on paper but you should tape off the dimensions before ordering any furniture.

amp, this is the way I would arrange it. Four chairs and an ottoman in the top level off the kitchen. Good place for having quiet drink before or after dinner and a cozy conversation area, for 2-4 or just alone with a book. Whoever is in the kitchen preparing dinner can feel more part of the activities.

FP area. Sofa with back to conversation area to define space. Sofa table in back to create interest. 2 comfy chairs by FP. make them swivel for better tv watching and visiting. Large ottoman with tray for drinks and snacks. floor lamps in each corner of the room. Rugs.

Clear pathways for getting outside and to all the rooms. Sectionals are so overrated and no one likes to be seated like ducks in a row at a shooting gallery. :>)

susan2494 I was thinking something similar too. I'm gonna spec your suggestion out too.

Susan 2494 this is really perfect! Love all your ideas really. Are you a licensed designer? Great ideas always!