Here's two more pictures. I don't even have a dining table...

Do you need an office? How about a sitting area away from the TV in the bay window area?

I put my office in one of the bedrooms which I don't like but it's too open with my father watching TV all the time. I was thinking of just making it another sitting area but I'm not sure if I need another couch or just some chairs would work. It's awkward not having a foyer because I ask folks to take their shoes off or put on shoe covers.

It will be easy to visually separate the two spaces with large rugs. I've also seen a low, long bookcase used in a the middle of a big space give the illusion of a wall.

I'd be tempted to get a plain room size rug and put your Turkish rugs on top.

I would also add another larger rug by the door to define the entry. 3 by 5 or 5 by 7, as big as will fit. Place a bench for guests to remove their shoes and a nice piece of art above it.

Something in your home may be making you sick. I once moved into an apartment and the rugs had been cleaned with something that threw my son and I into deep depression. Needless to say, we got all of our money back and moved out. I checked your flooring and it appears to be safe. What might be off-gassing something that you're sensitive to? You can layer your rugs - they are be beautiful that way. You can also lay them over a larger sisal rug. You can get wool sisal. Plants might help keep the air quality better.

decoenthusiaste - Indeed, I found out that the previous owner had used drugs in the house and I believe that made me sick and triggered an autoimmune neuropathy/chemical sensitivity. In fact, so sick, I lost my job last year. It's been a nightmare - If I ever by a home again, I will check for mold, drugs and VOCs. I had to remove all the new hardwood flooring and carpet. I sealed the subfloor and walls. That's why I used the Kahrs flooring and some green pain tinted the BM gray. I had all the vent system cleaned. I have some air cleaners. It's been crazy...I'm just now feeling like I can do something with the inside with regards to decorating. The pictures you posted are exactly my style. The floor is dark but the other colors of Kahrs were very light. I have some Herenke silk Turkish kilms. I will check out the sisal - I looked at jute and people seem to complain they are dusty.

d_gw - thank you for your ideas - I wanted to put my three Ikea cabinets on the larger wall but the return duct is there so that is why I have the two alone. The other side, I put the old dresser because a fung shui person once told me that mirrors facing a bed were bad energy so I moved it to the large room. There is enough space on that wall for both a bench and the dresser. I have some African masks, Iranian pictures, etc from my travels that are large and would fit on the wall so I can get that up.

How would I place furniture in this sitting area? I see the couch in the picture up against the bookcase. I don't have room for both but maybe a small couch facing the window.

If you want to create a foyer, consider putting the two short IKEA cabinets back to back about 5-6 feet in front of the entry door and perpendicular to the wall. It looks like one of them has wood doors at the bottom while the other one has glass doors. Place the one with the wood doors facing the front door and people can put their shoes inside. Find a little stool for them to sit on to remove shoes. Top them with some of the masks. Add a reading chair and floor lamp on the other side of them between the cabinets and the small "east" window. This will be your reading area. I assume dad likes the lounge chair, so angle it by the window and turn your sofa to face the window. Try a ficus tree or rubber plant left of the fireplace, or put TV there on a swivel base with the sofa under the window and dad's chair in front of TV/FP. I really don't see where TV is. Am I missing something?

Is this what you are describing? The TV is over the fireplace - that is where the previous owner wired it to be - which I don't really like but its there. My father has his recliner and watches TV all day.

Close. I was really focusing on a "foyer/shoe area" and a reading nook. The rest looks good. I was leaving the north wall and the area in front of the bay window for later.

Yes, that's it. If you want a separate social area, so dad can watch TV while you and guests visit, the bay window area and north wall beside it could handle another sofa and pair of small scale armchairs. Use the tall IKEA cabinet in your dining area, and place a 3-seat sofa on the wall. Float a pair of armchairs facing it with a coffee table 12-18" from all of them. You could flank the sofa with a pair of floor lamps. and the table where you now have the box/paper lamp could go in the bay window.

decoenthusiaste - here is another mock up. The light (rice paper/metal) was one I purchased in Mexico.

George Withmore - thank you for your ideas. I like MCM and my old end tables are from Lane 1960's.

following

I rearranged my furniture based on the input and what actually seemed to feel right after moving the stuff around. This is what I have come up with. Living room - I need a bench for the bay window, an entry rug, a chair where the African art is. I made the family room into the TV area - I'm thinking of another recliner or a recliner loveseat and a 9x7 rug. The dog hates the new arrangement because he's used to the sofa and now I brought out the Santa doggie bed... I switched the black table for the mirrored dresser and now I need a round or oval table for the dining area. Any suggestions for chairs, rugs, etc?