First, don't decorate above the normal height of a room. It will only make the walls seem taller and art, etc should be eyelevel. I would not do a wall unit. I think it would overpower the FP. Hang the TV at eye level (many hang them too high) and get a media console at least 25% wider than the TV (50" TV, 62" wide console). You need to pull the furniture out on the corner. It looks jammed in there. Have you tried the sofa angled facing the FP? Hard to tell color on monitor but the rug looks black/gray/blue not sure how that will look with the brown leather. Make sure the rug is large enough for the front legs of the furniture to be on it. At least 8x10.

I like the room you are using for inspiration. If the ceiling fan is not a necessity I would recommend replacing it with a gorgeous chandelier if that is in the budget. It will add a lot of look in the open space and add warmth to the room. We have many options on our website here www.chandelierfinelighting.com but there are also many options online that fit every budget. Good luck!

I would only add one armchair to this setup. As large as your room is, you'll still need people to sit close to each other and having two armchairs will overcrowd it.

You have many big walls in your house, and I specialize in large artwork. Check out my work for ideas here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShoaGallery  Many colors and sizes to choose from.

For the space directly over the mantel, you can actually cover that arched inset with a large tall artwork (I don't know what builders think when they put those features in - everyone has a hard time with them).

I also have many pieces that can go over the other walls. Check them out on the link and let me know if you have any questions.

Here are some samples for the long wall.

I think I'm liking the following new arrangement best so far...I've moved loveseat back to window wall and floated everything away from walls, but not as far as the first "floating" arrangement. It is becoming very apparent to me that I definitely need lighter colored end/coffee tables. Open to suggestions there, too! :) I think with this arrangement, one accent chair will be sufficient to avoid overcrowding. I wouldn't mind one just a touch wider than the sample chair in these photos, and a narrower end table to pair with it. Opinions?

Hi Lindsay! I too have an 18 foot ceiling, a wall of
windows and balcony. Here are my thoughts.
(1.) Your instinct is correct to take advantage of the height. Long
draperies are one way to create that, but be careful they don’t create clutter
if placed next to the fireplace (2.) Ultimately you want to have your window
wall, fireplace and TV wall relate to each other. The niche over the fireplace
doesn’t make sense. The arch in
particular seems out of place in a room of predominantly rectangular
shapes. I think your idea to sheetrock
over it is a good one. A mirror – that goes from the mantel to the top of the
windows – works there in my house – not sure about yours. I love built-ins, but
tall ones can be very expensive. I like
the solution you bookmarked below. Even
if taking the stone to the ceiling is out of the budget right now, I think if
you did a horizontal cabinet that spanned the entire wall and related in color
to your fireplace and kitchen, the room would feel more unified. That top
shelf, made to match the mantel, also helps with visual integration. In the 2nd photo I like the way the fireplace and built ins are essentially one unit. It's tougher to do with a high ceiling, but the point is that the elements relate well to each other. A key will be finding the right heights of
elements so you don’t chop up the wall.
I used the golden ratio in my planning. (3.) I think furniture placed in
front of dramatic windows like yours diminishes the windows’ architectural
value, breaks up the soaring height and disturbs the integration between
outside and inside. An idea is to skip
the accent chair and put in a low bench or two along the windows, which can
double as toy storage. If that doesn’t work, pick a lower backed accent chair
and keep it and the lamp away from the center of the window. Remember less is more. (4) The angled
furniture placement takes up too much room.
I like the floating option. The big couch should center on the TV. (5) Unless your climate demands it, ceiling
fans are usually better replaced with a chandelier. (6) My mother irritated me
after I bought my first house by telling me to live in it for six months before
I made any decorating decisions. She was
right. Things look different and ideas
pop through with time. (7) Your house is beautiful. Good luck!

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Do we have the same mom, Susan? My mom has advised me the same way. I did wait after we moved into the first house we built...I'm being impatient now because after living in a "completed" house for some time, moving into a blank slate (which we waited darn near a year to be completed!) has me itching to have the room in which we spend the most time finished and comfortable, both physically and aesthetically. But I do truly appreciate the value in living in a space for a good amount of time to get a feel for its true purpose.

We could move the leather loveseat into the "formal" living/dining room combo room located at the front of the house, but given that we do a decent amount of entertaining and spending the most of the time in this room as a family of 4 (with a 6'5", 300# husband and friends of comparable size!) and often friends, I feel we do need the two sofas and at least one decently sized sturdy accent chair. I do wish we didn't have to cover any of the windows, but I'm not seeing an alternative that will fit our requirements.

I do wish to hang floor-to-ceiling curtains in the room, and I share the concern about it cluttering the fireplace where they meet. The builder who built our house has had two model homes of this floor plan, both with corner fireplaces, and the older model had curtains hung at the "middle" level (which I didn't care for), and the current, new model has them floor to ceiling. Since they won't be functional curtains (i.e..show only) I think slimmer end panels will work okay. I would like to address the transom windows...I love them but at certain times of day the sun is blinding. Someone has mentioned possibly tinting them to cut down on UV rays, which is something to consider.

Ceiling fan...we live in Central Texas. Totally necessary, unfortunately!

I am really starting to favor that first photo of my bookmarks you shared...the idea of doing the cabinets across the bottom and hanging the TV above will afford me storage without being visually huge.

Thanks for your input/advice!

LOL! That is so funny. Moms. That kind of advice must just come with the baby. Because now my daughter's 21 and I'm sounding more like my mother every day!! You posted your last furniture pics after I had written my comments. I think the loveseat there works. It's pretty low, and I'm sure the windows have more vertical impact when you're standing in the room than they do from a photo that's cut off at 9 feet. Ultimately the room needs to work for your family, and I think the couches you chose look great with the fireplace and floor.