Congratulations on your first home!

Try to imagine the space without the very large entertainment unit, as it seems to overpower, limits layout choices, makes room feel smaller; as well, the fireplace and windows are lost while they should be the focal points.

- First thing I would do is create an on line room planner with the dimensions and include all structural components (TV unit included and excluded and tv on same wall or over fireplace) and play around with configurations.

- If you could provide dimensions and advise (even show your furniture), in order to get more useful advice, or are you starting from scratch?

- In regards to actual decor, suggest looking at lots of inspiration pictures on Houzz and Pinterest. Your style description could be so many things. Some ideas, without really knowing much at this point.

Back wall

Wall with tv over fireplace

Start with a versatile, contemporary couch and accessory choices will define the room style wise.

Creating mood boards really help

Congrats on your first home. You want the space to feel bigger than what? It looks quite large in the listing pics. What do you mean by "elevated"? Agree with Maureen, you need to start with measurements. Are you buying all new furniture? Sometimes, it's difficult to see what a room could look like when it's already staged. How one uses a space determines how it's furnished.

Get that stand out of that space gift or no gift .These are a really dated look and honestly that one is really ugly and totally dominates the space . As for anything else we need to know your style , the floor plan to scale all windows and doorways marked and all measurements clearly marked. IMO that wall is the perfect space for the TV but not tah huge elephant in the room The TV stand in your idea book is a much better choice

Are the window treatments staying? That's a huge savings. The bones of the house look solid and classic (hardwood floor?, trim and mouldings...). This does not look like a builder-grade house. Dimensions, quality of materials and colours can be terribly tricky to gauge via most real estate listing pics so I'd hesitate to tell you to discard the entertainment unit. Depending on your budget and other finite resources like time and energy, good quality furniture can be worth transforming or repurposing.

I agree with Patricia - I would not want that big entertainment center. Turn down the "gift" offer nicely. It dominates the room and will make it hard for you to decorate around it. If you decide you don't want it down the road, it is hard to get rid of big furniture like that.

It sounds as if you really like the entertainment piece. It is covering some lovely paneling, but, any large piece will do the same.

Suggest you paint the wall behind it black. For this effect:

As much as I really like the tv stand, you all have convinced me that it becomes a design limitation because I imagine a completely different room with it gone. It is also the likely reason that the room feels smaller to me.

While I am planning to use my existing furniture for my office or den, I have attached a couple of photos here. The room is very indicative of my style minus the Happy Birthday sign I’ve been too lazy to take down. 😊

The living room in the nee place is 22 x 16 and the natural light pours in through those windows because that entire wall wraps around the house and is all windows.

@Maureen, thank you using imagery to trigger my imagination. I love the light and bright from the inspiration spaces, especially since the new living room has those lovely windows and pool views.

@tartanmeup you are absolutely right about real estate photos. I walked into this home expecting to just kind of like it, but was sold from the moment I walked in the door. My taste is eclectic, but leans more modern than traditional. I would never have expected to like that tv stand, but in that space, it is absolutely gorgeous. It is solid, solid wood. The pictures simply do this home and this room no justice.

Window treatments don’t stay, but I have my own.

@elcieg I do like it, but would never paint the beautiful wood paneling behind it black. I don’t like it that much. 😂

@Patricia Colwell Consulting thank you for the feedback. I see the limitation for design in the room with that piece.

Isn’t the paneling painted? It looks applied.

@elcieg, sorry I meant I wouldn’t paint it black.

I don't know how the unit is constructed (and certainly can't see any details in these pics) but a carpenter would know if it can be transformed in pieces or whatnot. Your choice to 'inherit' the piece with the new house or not but know that there's no law that says such a piece must stay in the room and dictate the decor.