Lighten up. Ceiling closes in. I would paint
And the tv wall reads dark too.

Big sq coffee table.

Beach house: super white with touch of Aqua

Square rug 8x8 at least. Set under front legs about 8". This should allow two end tables to sit at each end of sofa. Add table lamp to open end. Add arced reading lamp over corner toward center of coffee table.

Rug should have a fair amount of teal to highlight the wood wall,
And a decent amount of white to balance it. Moderate scale pattern.

Two wood framed open armed side chairs opposite sofa that is along the wall.

Large painting on wall above sofa. At least 42" x 60" . Lots of sea blue aqua, abstract style. Beach flavor not literal subject matter.

Large square coffee table, perhaps white washed, with shuttered sides. A g,ass dish aqua color on coffee table.

On wall opposite sofa, place a side board at least 72" long and just shy of 30" high. Place two tall slender lamps on either end and a collage of art including paintings, objects, and a few small decorative e mirrors to dance the light around the room a little. Table top for framed family memories.

Thanks all for the ideas so far! Love the specifics DesignUnplugged! YES! I was also looking to add a couple of chairs near the wall near sliding glass door.

Also, I'm going to add a very slim sofa table between sofa and wall - add a couple of candlestick lamps for additional light.

Are you really at the beach? If so, then you should consider ditching the carpet. It gets wet, dirty and full of sand. Tile is the way to go, with an indoor/outdoor rug.

Agree that this room is too dark for a beach feel. Paint or whitewash the ceiling.

Looks like your couch is slip covered, which is great. You need to think maintenance, especially if you plan to rent or have big crowds around.

The rug should be large enough that at least the front half of each part of the sectional will be upon the rug and the rug should extend out beyond both sides by at least a foot, so an 8x10 or 10x12 rug would work.

You need to stop and figure out a style. Nothing that you have going on right now works ... that wood wall is not attractive, that sectional is going to look very schleppy very quickly. And that dining room table matches nothing. So get someone you know who has some decorating taste and work with them before you waste any more money.

Photos from BEFORE I bought. All furniture staged. I took out the wood burning stove and removed the platform. Room gets great light.

Measurements.

@DesignUnplugged - I thought about an arc lamp but didn't want to break up the room even more from the kitchen view. Plus it's hard to find an arc lamp that doesn't look super modern? Was really stuck on the area rug size as I worried about cutting too much into walking area between kitchen and sliding door. I think you and @FelizLady are saying that is OK?

Do you recommend that both the tv console and coffee table be whitewashed?

PS - Would love to update the room even more, e.g., by replacing the fan light. But given budget, I'll have to wait for that.

I'm looking at your "before" photos. Did you cover a window with the multicolor planks? That sort of treatment has been used on HGTV makeover shows, but I agree with CPaul, it's not creating the beach look you're aiming for.

We all try things that, in principle, seem like great ideas, but they don't work. We've got a kitchen cabinet like that right now. It's going to be repainted!

Take a step back and rethink this room before you waste money.

Thanks @Latifolia. Did not cover a window. That was a 1970s mirror, with no possibility of putting a window there as there is a water closet behind.

Here are a few sketches to get you around the room and furniture placement.

Relying on some of the colors you have liked above and building on a beach reference with some modern elements that transition between the two. Attempting to bring lighting around the room, for tasks and ambience. Using some mirror to reflect it and expand the width of the space. Hope you can make sense of the collage. Note I rotated the dining table chairs 45 degrees to assist in narrowing the dining area if needed. It also makes a more dynamic layout and opens it up to be more inviting. The rug is 10 foot square placed about 8" in form the rear legs. The coffee table should max at 42" square or round. I like the square personally to better anchor the seating and room. Layered texture, color, and character will enliven the space and bring your personality out.

I also added two white thick shelves the width of the TV niche to provide the TV base and the gap between the shelves would house any equipment to entertain. Doing a shelf, a few inches less deep than the niche and running the length of the niche will feel less cluttered with a aside table near by. As well, it simplifies the system and looks more custom/cleaner.

I hope you find some elements to keep you moving in these.

@DesignUnplugged - thank you so so much! This is just what I needed - specificity on rug/coffee table size. And your ideas are awesome. I'm going to search now for some good pieces in line with your vision. I hadn't even thought about adding a side board to the dining area. Cool idea! Thank you heaps!!!! Adrienne