Lovely home! I would bring in lighter blues/creams in pillows, art, & rugs. I'd replace the existing bulky wood coffee table with something lighter, both in color and style. Add light white/cream curtains panels. Eventually, think about replacing the recliners with smaller scale chairs. For a layout, I would place the sofa by the window, with the chairs facing the sofa and the TV o a low cabinet along the long wall. The door on the opposite walls seems odd. Can it be relocated?

Edited to add another thought. Your husband did well building your cornices and trunk. Pic is too dark to tell what the finish is on the trunk -- is it a wood finish -- if so, don't paint it; however, if it is already painted, decide if you're open to repainting it to get more of whatever color you want in the room. If you have a piece of glass cut the size of the top of the trunk, you could display family pictures under it. Try not to clutter up the trunk. If you have a wooden bread bowl for the top of the trunk, that would work well to catch the tv remote and mail and keys without being breakable and be in keeping with the style of the trunk. A large clock, perhaps with a pair of sconces on each side of it, would work above the tv. If you want your fireplace to be the focal point of the room, paint the surround some color other than white -- perhaps a gunmetal steel blue gray and add blue gray throw pillows; alternately a dark burgundy and add throw pillows with that color in them. You might consider creating a faux chimney above the fireplace. You could build a plywood triangle for the corner and set it atop the fireplace unit and paint it brick red or add faux brick backsplash tiles. If you want the room lighter, consider white mini blinds placed inside each window frame and long sheers -- white on white -- over the windows instead of colored curtains or drapes. If you cannot add a light fixture to your ceiling fan, you might consider swapping it out for one that has lights. If lighter colored walls would help, I'd suggest a really light brown or tan paint without any yellow or pink hue -- You'll want to avoid tans and light browns that have a pink or yellow hue because they tend to limit your color choices for furnishings. Safari 7697 Sherwin Williams should help and still look good with your choices of furnishings -- it would work well with nearby walls being either tan or gray or off white. Look up and decide if your living room ceiling bright white enough to suit your or if it is in need of repainting. If you want a more cheerful and lighter, colorful and upbeat feel to the room, you might consider adding horizontal wall paper trim tape to the top of the wall with your choices of colors and/or your choice of theme (neighbor has a hunting theme on the ones on his wall and relative has a beach theme on hers -- yet neither have wall paper; another acquaintance that does have wallpaper on the walls with a lake pattern with blue and tan colors has a ducks theme with the same colors on the horizontal trim tape.

I should also add that the wall opposite the window is very low because of a low sloping roofline on that side of the room, so everything along that wall probably has to be 2 feet or shorter.

It doesn't feel right to me and I would suggest one of the ideas below. Couch under window, if having a tv, place next to the fireplace and wall opposite could have a long console table with a large piece of art above and add a large rug. I think it's more important to have a practical and balanced set up, vs worrying how to connect to everyone in the kitchen. Using a room planner, based on the furniture you plan on adding will be a great help. Couch with it's back to the kitchen/console table behind and when someone wants to chat, they can sit in comfy chairs under the window. The set up below allows people to enjoy the view, and side seating to chat with people in kitchen. Couch on long wall as you originally had it, but once you accessorize and add more furniture it will work well also.