Your room seems to lack a good lighting. Adding the overhead lighting, sconces, table lamps will improve the ambience at night.

As far as the space layout, two sofas will work. You may also consider sofa and two accent chairs for the furnishings. Choosing lighter colors will help with the brightness of the room.

Kindly,

Good Sister

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http://7sistersinteriors.com/

I think light seating will make a world of difference. Do that first, as you want to anyway, and get used to the result before trying anything else. Of course it doesn't help that the TV covers some of the window, but it doesn't look as though there's any other way to accommodate it aside from over the fireplace, which is also usually a room killer.

When you talk of updating the fireplace, what kind of look would you like?

I see some beautiful examples in your ideabook. Are you leaning towards any particular one?

Based on the ideabook -- a wider mantel, marble instead of brick Just to give you an impression. This approach in itself would also help to lighten the room. The disadvantage is that you lose the attractive way the shape of the brick forms a three-part arrangement with the two curtains. On balance, I would keep the fireplace as it is, but that's just a personal preference.

Consider grouping your four chairs at the fireplace with a round hassock/coffee table. Honestly, I don't care for the shallow untrimmed shelves and would drywall them closed if it were my home. They appear too narrow for the books and look like they've just been punched into empty space between the studs. To me, that's a more important project than redoing the FP. Instead of sconces, add more strategically placed table and floor lamps. Put a small scale sofa, but not a love seat, where the back of your sectional is now. Put TV on one wall, sitting on a credenza 25% wider than the set, with a swivel base under the TV to make viewing adjustable for the sofa sitters. On the opposite wall put two comfortable chairs and a table and lamp. Have you tried that piece of art above the mantel? I'd like to see you prop it there today and take a photo so we can see how it looks. A bookcase and a console table with your mirror and a lamp should flank the fireplace. Just guessing at your room's size. If you'll get me the measurements, I'll make adjustments. Also, how wide and deep are your four chairs?

your drapery panels are reading dark in the photo as well, they could be switched out easily.

Adding white where possible can help. You can mortar the bricks in white to give it a whitewashed look and perhaps finding an area rug with your colors with pops of white will help as well.

I love your four occasional chairs. Are they comfortable and do you use them where they are? Looks like the cushions could be pumped up a bit for more back support.

You need a console table behind the back of the sectional. Looks like there might even be some extra space there. Maybe instead of a console, do a little deeper and use a writing desk with a chair.

Is the other section of the sectional pushed against long window panels? Since those are dark anyway, maybe remove them altogether? Replace with bamboo blinds or plantation shades?

I am guessing g you actually watch TV in this room. If so, form needs to follow function. Are going to make any changes to the fireplace mantle / surround, then plan them around position along the TV more optimally. There is no shame in watching TV!!! Your room shouldn't treat it like a dirty habit.

The occasional chairs are Barbara Berry purchased 10 years ago. This room is our Family room / living room combo. It is just off the foyer so it's the first thing you see when you enter the house.

These were taken during the day. The back windows on either side of the fireplace view right into our neighbors side yard which is not a nice view. The size of the room is 16x21.5. It's a pretty large room. Our house was built in 1939 and the room is the original living room. The dining room is just off the living room to the right of the TV.

This was supposed to be the third photo...I accidentally sent one of them twice.

I've gone back and adjusted your room size on the proposed floor plan, but if you're interested in that arrangement, please provide the width and depth for your 4 chairs, and I'll clean it up a bit.

The couch is too big, stuffed and dark thus dominating the whole space. Depending on the room, you can put a console table behind the couch (would be facing you in the first picture). This would break up the stark wall of the couch. Of course If you get a smaller and lighter couch and put two chairs to the left of it in the first photo, you may not need that.

The mirror above the mantel is too small.

The nearest area rug in the first picture is too small.

The curtains are dark and lopsided and throw off the balance. Consider light filtering roller shades in a natural, light material. It will show off nice windows and lighten the room.

There appears to be some art in the right window. That throws off the symmetry with the other window. Ideally the TV wouldn't be there either.

Lighten up the fireplace brick with some marble like someone posted above. It'll look great!