I have been doing a lot of research on fireplaces in general. Though if you want something just for looks you can go with a gas see through fireplace, it won't produce much heat or be as efficient as a lot of other fire places. I have a L shaped fire place w/ two sides and while reading that I come across other topics on two sided "see through" fire places as you mentioned. On hearth.com forum I browse, most people hate them. They usually suggest blocking one side and putting an insert into the side you want more visible. I have even seen some suggest putting two inserts back to back. If you want something that generates heat you could put and insert on the living room side and something decorate on the other side that people normally use for fireplaces that are no longer used. Personally I am ditching my gas and going back to wood, so long as the inspection comes back okay for the firebox and chimney.

Too bad your floors are laid in such a way as to over define the separate areas because your living furniture really looks crowded in around the FP. I would "L" the sofa and love seat with all their front feet on the area rug (you really should consider a larger one with some of your green in it.) This would put the large sofa floating across the visual divide, loveseat on the wall. Move the chair in the corner with the table in front of the arch window. I suggest trying your large colorful art over the fireplace. Hang green drapes floor to ceiling at that window as the photos below. Raise rods for the other two windows and hang drapes as high as they can go and still kiss the floor. Get a buffet style credenza to back against the long sofa so it can function as a sofa table and become a server for casual dinner parties. You can display 2-5 of your family pics from the mantel there. Add a round table and chairs in the kitchen end of the space with a great drum chandelier and add some more colorful art as a finishing touch.

Love all of the ideas. I like the idea of painting the island black and I'm a big fan of cabinet cup pulls, this is my first home without cup pulls and I have not changed them out yet because the current hardware holes are so far apart, I can't find cup pulls that would cover them. Really like the idea of pewter hardware if the island is black. Would black hardware on the cabinets to coordinate with the iron in the table blend in too much with the cherry? I'm open to any decorating ideas. Leather chairs would be great for a table that will be used constantly, but I have leather in my family room that opens to the breakfast/kitchen and I'm afraid there would be just too much brown. In my head, the fabric chairs break up all the wood and brown. I'll try to take a picture of the kitchen/breakfast from the family room since it is open.

Regarding feeling "exposed," emotions and gut-reactions are not always logical, nor do they need to be, especially in a case like this (if you don't like the tub, don't get the tub). This bathtub obviously will show more of a person in it than a normal one would. Many people look at the tub and imagine themselves in it and even knowing that no one is likely to see them in there, still "feel" more exposed than they are used to. I'm sure if it was actually in someone's home, they would get used to it, but the initial gut-reaction is one of self-consciousness.