Congrats on the new digs.

Without yet having clicked on any of your links, it occurs to me to mention:

1. Light glare is something for you to consider.

Would you be looking directly into the sun either AM or PM if you were looking out the window and/or at the tv by or in front of the windows.

Would light from the windows create a glare on the tv screen if the tv were on the wall opposite the windows.

2. Room size/width matters.

Would putting the sofa and tv across from one another between the exterior wall and the opposite wall have you sitting too close to or too far from the tv for comfortable viewing -- and, if you must pass through this room to go from one adjacent room to another adjacent room, how will that affect tv viewing and/or the traffic path you need.

1. Light glare:

We get the sunrise in our window, and we won't really be watching TV in the morning that often, so I don't think glare will be a huge issue here.

2. Room size / width

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're recommending here. I don't think either of the layouts we mentioned affect traffic too badly. Additionally, the distances of most seating positions seem far enough away from the TV to avoid any eye damage.

Either way, thanks a lot for the prompt response, these are definitely good things to be thinking about!

My thoughts after clicking the links:

First … wow … corner room w/windows and a view!

If you don't already have a huge sectional sofa, don't get one

-- because they take up a lot of room and make the room feel crowded;

-- the smaller your space, the more they limit your furniture placement;

-- no one actually likes sitting (sitting upright) for an extended time in a seat w/o arms;

-- and if even one cushion gets "ruined", you either live with it or most, if not all, your seating is "ruined" and you have a huge expense rather than the expense of replacing just one chair.

If your already have the sectional, putting it against the wall and letting the shorter angled part (option 2) be a room divider makes more sense than blocking most of the pathway between living and dining.

The placement of the tv, however is another issue. You might consider adding a cabinet with glass doors facing the dining area that would serve as a wall between the dining and living areas against which you could place the back of the tv at an angle, making it visible from the entire sectional.

Edit: and morning sun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well done.

How many people are going to live in your new place? Small spaces require you to use the majority of the space for what you do the most. Are you going to have sit down dinners a lot or more likely sit at the bar? What if you put a small round table in the area outside the kitchen door? Then the rest of the space could be all living space. Or is that space to small to consider for a table and chairs?

Placing the tv with its back to the window as you're considering likely would result in the tv being too close to at least one end of the sectional for comfortable viewing from that end; however, a version of this pony wall cabinet w/glass doors could work for a room dividing china cabinet and as a wall against which you could set the back of your tv. Not sure where all your electrical outlets and/or cable connections are but there appears to be one outlet on the short wall between living area and the kitchen left of a doorway; alternately, a cabinet could work as a room divider equally wall with its side against the exterior wall.

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/pennington-50s-ranch-renovation-traditional-dining-room-philadelphia-phvw-vp~3838587[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/pennington-50s-ranch-renovation-traditional-dining-room-philadelphia-phvw-vp~3838587)

Also, if that is your heating/ac unit in front of which you're considering placing the tv in front of the window facing away from the window -- nope -- digital tvs don't usually like heat and blocking the air flow from it -- hot or cold - would not be a good idea.

@Joe

It's just me and one other person. If you were to put the TV near the kitchen door, how would you propose we layout the larger living room?

@suezbell

Thanks! We luckily haven't bought a sectional yet. What would the alternative to a sectional be, a 2 seater sofa and single seater chairs? If so, how would you layout these 3 pieces and the TV?

Also, my roommate and I want the living and dining room to be more open than closed.

Put the back of the sectional against the wall as shown in your option -- just put the tv farther to the right -- put it closer to the dining area -- at the edge of the living area -- w/its back to some kind of cabinet -- any kind of cabinet to help hide the wires and keep the tv from getting knocked over. You could angle the tv a bit toward the center of the room. You could then, if you chose, add another chair between the tv and that corner that is between the exterior wall and the wall against which you're putting the back of the sectional.

Wow...such a beautiful space!

1. I'd suggest a longer rectangular dining table (more narrow so therefore, more room and could hold more guests than a square.

2. I like your layout with the couch against your longest wall, and don't mind your L shape that covers the HVAC vent. It doesn't block the entrance into the kitchen table, etc. Or, one long couch against the wall (perhaps one that can pull out into a bed to accommodate out of town friends), and then 1-2 nice chairs flanking the side with a smaller round coffee table so it's a nice sitting area....

3. Then, since there is nothing but a white building outside at the end of. the room, I'd consider doing a neat built in type unit or full piece of furniture, perhaps keep open on top (open bookcase style) for light to come through, with TV below and below that more storage. Put it at the end of the kitchen, essentially filling up that entire space. Then, you can watch TV when cooking in kitchen, eating, and then back on the wall you can see across the room......

(Just a Houzz photo for idea, but remove the back panel to expose open bookshelves so the light and view still comes through).

@Laura Mac
Thanks so much!

1. Definitely agree with the dining table, even fitting two extra people would be a huge boon to us.

2. I like your idea about the sofa + two chair combo. It seems hard to find a sectional that fits our needs, and as @suezbell said, it's pretty inflexible once we do get it.

3. This is definitely a novel idea, our only worry though is that the couch is so far from the television. As we would be mainly watching TV from the couch, I feel like this would propose a problem :\

Would you personally go with a sofa + two chairs or a sectional?

You can buy rectangle dining tables with removable/addable center sections (leaves) that you can store until you need the table to be larger for guest seating. If you're planning to do much in the way of entertaining that includes meals, that might be the way to go.

If you buy comfortable dining chairs with wheels such as a duplicates of your own comfortable choice for your desk/table/computer, they can do double duty as guest chairs for the dining room as well. A chair that you find comfortable enough to sit in while on your computer for an extended time would likely be a good modern dining chair and so many of them are black … that goes with anything.

I think I'd prefer a sectional actually since it will cover up your HVAC unit. More space to fit more people. But if you were thinking you would have out-of-town guests, then was thinking a sleeper sofa could be an option too, with some large, comfy swivel chairs to flank. (Hard to tell how much space you have but go as big as you can on the couch and remember room for end tables with storage, for a lamp, more room to store items....

Maybe a sectional like these? There are zillions of choices, fabrics, styles, so you can see if anything catches your eye...

https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/infini-furnishings-reversible-sectional-ifin1361.html

https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/three-posts-camden-sectional-trpt4530.html?piid=24490752

https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/infini-furnishings-reversible-sectional-ifin1361.html

Another thought is to put your TV on the wall of your kitchen (photo below), but it might stick out like a sore thumb and the person cooking can't watch TV, etc. (Not sure how wide that wall is), but you could put on a swivel mount....?

Or you could do a tall built-in there with storage, and doors, so when you are ready to watch TV, just open the doors. Go full ceiling with a beautiful built in....

I'd investigate covering the HVAC unit with a custom built cabinet..I did that in two of my rooms (NYC apt) that have those units. And I would top the cabinet with any kind of stone, which will be much easier to clean than the normal wood window sills. You didn't ask but I'm offering that advice anyway. Hope you don't mind!!

Just a couple thoughts- light gray looks fabulous with peacock blue. I have a light gray couch and it is such a versatile neutral that you can change out your pillows and throws on a whim and have a whole new space. I would stay away from a bulky sectional, I don't think you have enough room. Don't go too dark with your furniture, it will make your room look smaller. An ide for a small space- use an ottoman as a coffee table or two small tables side by side, that way you can easily reconfigure your space for different occasions. The heater/ radiator- does the heat come out of the top? I would build a narrow "sofa table" to fit over the top of it if possible. I would advise putting the television on the wall and not in front of the window. What a beautiful space, good luck to you!

A little inspiration.

In the future, don't make us click a million links to see your photos. Upload them directly to your dilemma, please.

Before you buy any sofa, especially a sectional, invest in some graph paper and draw, to scale, the living/dining room AND, using card stock, draw, to scale, the size and shapes of any sofa and/or chairs you are considering, cut those shapes out and then move them about within the space you've drawn on your graph paper.

Sectionals are generally mistakes for several reasons.

No one wants to be wedged in the corner, so that is wasted space.

They are big and bulky and take up too much visual space in a small area.

They are not versatile and rarely can be moved to another room or another apartment or house.

In the are on the other side of your kitchen, I would buy a rectangular dining table and chairs. The table should seat at least four people. Think about getting one with a leaf to sit 6 and buy two extra chairs that you can store somewhere, or buy two really nice folding chairs you can store somewhere. Like under your bed.

In the living room, I would put your television on the wall perpendicular to the window. Only get a big entertainment unit if you need the storage space. Other wise, just get a low media unit and put the television on top.

Put your sofa, a three cushion sofa for normal size adults in a non-fussy tuxedo style facing that wall that is perpendicular to the window.

You can put two chairs that are either upholstered or combination wood and upholstery of the mid-century modern or Danish type perpendicular to the sofa.

You can put a side table between the two chairs, and either a square coffee table in front of the sofa, or a big square ottoman with a big tray to hold drinks, snacks, etc.

And when you don't have company, you can put your feet up. and you can always get another side table for the other side of the sofa.

On the wall next to the kitchen on the other side of the cooktop, you can put bookshelves and even a desk and chair, if you need one.

This is a tuxedo sofa. They come in different sizes.

These are large ottomans in leather in two different styles

following

I had an L-shaped living/dining room in NYC for 5 years. I thought the layout for furniture and TV was very difficult. I think I'm also in the minority because I like sectionals. I agree that they can be a bit awkward when we have guests over, but me and my family like lounging most of the time and think it's more comfortable for that. All of that said, I would put a sofa against the long wall on the left with either two chairs (or the other side of the sectional) with their backs against the windows, and the TV on the wall next to the kitchen entrance. You can still enjoy the views out and have a comfortable place to watch TV. This will also keep the path open to access the dining area, which I think was an issue in both of your proposed furniture layouts.