I'm not sure I understand your question.....can you be more specific in what you're seeking?

First, paint trim and fireplace. You will be amazed how open the room will look. It is ‘choppy’ now.

This is the family - living room. It is 17’x17’. Besides the basic paint, trim, window treatments needing updates, the room lacks balance in a big way. With the doors, fireplace and window “crammed“ together, I am struggling with furniture layout, tv placement, and what to do with the awkward corner fireplace. The wall sconces are unusually placed as well, with two on one wall next to the windows and one across the room in the middle of the wall. (Why???) The chair rail will be removed too.

I am open to any and all ideas big or small.

Most of the sconce walls seem to have electrical outlets on them or nearby. Not so for the wall perpendicular to the FP. I'd remove all the sconces and the chair rail and repair the walls. On the wall by the FP have an electrician pull wiring for TV installation below the sconce location. Sell the window treatments on Craig's List. Embrace the idea of floating seating away from walls and using walls for some casegoods. Do you have furniture you plan to use or are you buying new?

I apologize, I’m relatively new here. I noticed the photo of the fireplace wasn’t uploaded initially and I was trying to edit the post as you left a comment.

Yes, we plan to paint or stain the trim throughout.

I would start with removing the chair rail, remove the sconces & then come up with a redesign of the fireplace, depending upon your taste, I would make whatever you decide a design that’s more cohesive top to bottom. Many options available. I would contact a good fireplace remodeling company or an interior designer for ideas.

Modified my comment above.

The fireplace can be painted to match the walls and it will still be slightly off-balance but much less so. A mantel may help improve it as well.

This isn't a a room for a symmetrical arrangment, but it isn't "awkward" either, or won't be once you have furnishings. I agree on putting the TV on the wall to the right of the fireplace, and then place seating on the left side of the room, floating off the wall, so that it encompasses fireplace and TV views. Hard to be more specific with all these fish-eye photos and no measurements, but start with a couch and then add a coffee table and an arm chair or two. I suspect that the sconces are arranged for reading lights, but I'd rather have a lamp on an end table and some recessed lighting for ambient light.

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Honestly, if this was my home I'd remove the corner fireplace. It doesn't lend itself to being the focal point as most fireplaces are designed to be. If you decide to keep it then NO ACCENT WALL.

white washing the fireplace will help it blend into wall visually.

Also, be careful if use the fireplace, those curtains are too close for comfort. spark, poof.

When you paint the trim go ahead and remove the chair railing all around the rooms. It accentuates the low ceilings and cuts the wall in half.

Raise the drapery rods which will mean you need new drapes. That will also help make the ceilings look taller.

Choose a paint color that blends with the cool gray carpet.

It looks like your home is in a beautiful setting.

Thank you everyone for all the help. I really appreciate it.

The room is roughly 17’x17’. What other measurements would be helpful?

I would love to move the fireplace but, its not financially practical and because we live in Minnesota, with very cold in winters, the added heat source is great.

I like the idea of putting the tv on the wall with the randomly places sconce, but I’m struggling with furniture layout. Any ideas?

A 2d layout of the room with dimensions including measurements/location of fireplace, windows, doors, other openings in the room. This will help posters give you more concrete layout recommendations

The photos posted look like they are panoramic. If so, please post w/o panoramic. It looks like their is a wall almost directly across from the fireplace? If so, can the TV go there?

I am going to try to show you a before and after from designers Colin and Justin.

I would say njmom's picture of the two rooms above is what you need to do with your furniture. You just have to ignore the fireplace. Don't try to work your furniture around it because then the whole room will be lopsided.

It's gas logs, right?

I think this room is beautiful, high sellings, lots of windows, beautiful fire place....
I will paint the walls (inclusive the one on top of fire place) in a litle darker color, paint bright white selling, paint all frames and trims inclusive franche doors ider white or 3 shades down of the color u shouse for the wals or go to a different family color. Fire place u can paint same color as the trims.
Then to have a flow in this room , I will make the fire place the focuss point in the room and place the TV on top of fire place. Place furniture away from walls and apart, to be able to walk around them. Your franche doors have an unujuale way of open..., maibe u want to add hinges to bouth sides , and open them from the midle, like regular french doors do.

don't ignore the fire place, people this days pay extra money to have fire place in their home.

I love the first example picture "njmoma" send u at 3:37

sory, 3:27

Remove the chair rail. Paint the walls all the same color. The bold feature wall behind the fireplace draws attention to the awkwardly placed fireplace in a not so good way. If the carpeting is staying, pick a wall color that complements the gray.
I'd try removing the fireplace mantle and surround. Perhaps a simpler look would help.

Again, thank you so much! I appreciate all the suggestions. The pictures really help me visualize my options.

The decor is from the previous owners and we have been working on projects since moving in. This room is just posing such a challenge I didn’t expect.

I have moved our current furniture every which way without anything feeling “right”. At this point, I’m open to different furniture if it helps this room come together.

The has a vaulted ceiling 8’ with the peak at 10’+.

The fireplace is gas. I’m guessing ceramic (?) logs.

The carpet is a beige-silver gray. im not a fan of carpet in general, but the sellers had it installed just before we purchased so it’s new/clean and not a budget priority.

Can you show us what you currently have? Here is an example of how you can lay out your furniture.

remove that chair rail. all of it. cuts the room in half and looks like it's 1987. Paint the baseboards bright white.

remove the heavy drapes, paint the wall, including the red. don't know what your furniture looks like, so that's about all we can comment on.

Sorry, this is the current look. Empty and waiting.

My first thought was the same as leelee: to remove the whole thing. But since you will use it, I think you can make it work. And I think you can even refashion it with some limited diy skills.

First thing as everyone says is remove chair rail and paint all trim. If you don't need them, remove all the curtains, but for sure no curtains on the French doors.

I'm gonna remove your chair rail and paint and maybe remake your fireplace. Will return in a bit.

go go grover!

Okay, I found this picture from the sellers listing. So, not our stuff/style but hope it helps.

Thank you leelee. I was trying to upload that image horizontally, but it uploaded with the sides “cut off”.

Once you get to this point, it's a whole new room:

I tried painting your mantel white, but I think I like it in wood. It feels less obtrusive.

Well, I see you've already done a whole lotta work getting this place turned right side up.

Here is an empty to-scale plan if you want to cut out little sofas and chairs and push them around.

Thanks so much for the pictures. It’s so helpful.

I was contemplating simplifying the look of the fireplace by removing some trimwork, including the rosettes and staining it much darker until we can firmly commit to a plan for this room. I can kind of envision that with the pictures you posted.

There is chair rail in several rooms, including a large bedroom (why, just why??) I want to go tear it off right now.

This is great!

grover- Perfect! Kaialu,,,see how much better it looks w/that chair rail gone and the baseboards painted ? oh, an those drapes gone? you don't need them for the french doors. for the window by the fireplace, get some type of blind. you don't want billowing drapes next to a firebox for crying out loud!

You make a good safety point and I thank you for your concern. The curtains were put up temporarily for privacy as my teenager needed to move to this space for a bit while we resolved some major issues found after moving in. It was summer and the fireplace was not in use. Now, the room is empty and “waiting”...

well, besides that dramatic point, it's too crowed for drapes on that window. either leave it open, or perhaps try more of a sheer type of blind. have you seen these?

I like the grovi`s 4 & 5 version scheme

This shades are custome made size and starts frome $600 each

I just tough this looks preaty much like the room you have difficulty arranging, maybe this pic. will give u an ideea. Good luck

Why not position your couch diagonally in front of the fireplace, floated in the room? On the far side of the room behind the sofa , you can have a conversation area or game table. If space allows, a narrow desk or console behind your couch. TV can be to the right or your fireplace.