decoenthusiaste, two interesting ideas! Where would you put the upholstered armchairs? I will post a picture of the kitchen momentarily. Thank you so much!

These pictures are sort of stark since we had just moved out pre-reno, and it was dark out. The only thing that changed in this room is the backsplash and paint color. However, that should not matter in terms of room lay-out. Thanks again for your ideas!

Put a floor plan up, with all the walls, the column, the entry points windows .................and the INCHES. Otherwise? It's guesswork. Include "the can't move built in, and its dimensions, and why it can not move...............yes, why?

That is the only way to get real help. To scale all windows dooraways where the doorways lead and all measurements clearly marked . I find it easier to use graph paper to do scaled drawings .IMO that TV cabinet is not a built in so I would need to know why it can't be moved.

I also await a to-scale sketch. Just a comment - your troubles with tricky layout/multiple pathways/wasted space were greatly exacerbated by your two huge pieces of furniture (sectional and entertainment center). Glad to hear the sectional is going out.

I love your windows! And your floors. Actually I like it all except maybe the walls (I get the impression they have just been painted so I’ll refrain from commenting about that).

Measurements/on line room planner will be your best friend! Define your seating needs and what would work for your family, but I think a couch and chairs (2 or 4) provide the most flexibility.

If possible, I’d suggest removing the top of the cabinet, as it’s overpowering the space and could paint/change hardware.

Basically with a sofa and coffee table, you would do the same configuration as the sectional. Sofa in front of the column facing TV with two chairs right to make an "L" perpendicular to the center of the double windows. Chairs can be swivels to optimize TV viewing. Or you can do a circle of swivel chairs around a coffee table or hassock. Place a console table on the long wall right of the door with a piece of art hung above it and a lamp on it. Consider a tall piece of casegoods like a bookcase or secretary on the wall with the thermostats. Put a tall plant in the corner between the two sets of windows.

Since you can’t move the tv case then where your sectional is makes sense. I would add a chair as well. But something not bulky as that is somewhat near the door. I would add a better coffee table maybe a square or rectangle.

Behind the sofa by the windows I would add a small table and chairs like a games area. We used to have this as a puzzle space and my kids loved it

Thank you so much for the great input! Below are the best floor plans I have for now. The reason we can't move the built-in (or modify it) is because it is built into a bump-out in the wall that looks very awkward without a full size built-in. Also, cost is an issue. And yes, the room is now painted Ben Moore Floral White (a creamy white), and the kitchen tile has changed. Will attach pic of that, although it does not really affect the floor plan! :)

(Unfortunately, these plans don't show the built-in.)

The walls are floral white? Is your picture a ’before’ picture then? Cause the picture looks like ice blue/gray walls.

Little Bug, yes! We painted the walls Floral White and changed the backsplash too. Here is a pic of the backsplash with a peek of the new paint color near the cabinets. (We are going to change the cabinet hardware but have not done so yet.)

Ah! Then I retract my comment about the wall color. I like the warm white next to your cabinets!

What did you like or dislike about your current arrangement with the sectional? You mentioned that the area between the sectional and the window is wasted space. Is that the problem? If so, what is the size of that space and any ideas for your family's needs that this could fill. Storage? Desk? Games/puzzle table?

Seems to me that if the TV stays where it is, you'll need a sofa or sectional to face it, and to the right either the other arm of the sectional or a couple of chairs. Not much different than you have now.

Little Bug, thanks for the vote of confidence! I did agonize over that color choice. :)

Partim, good points! I like that the sectional provides lots of seating with a good view of the TV. However, it totally takes over the room and makes it feel less open. It was also hard to fit in end tables and to use the space near the windows. Your ideas/points are all good ones! I also loved WestCoast Hopeful's idea RE: a puzzle and game table near the windows if we could fit that in!

If you had a long sofa plus 2 swivel chairs, the chairs could swivel towards a table in front of the window.

Partim, that is a very cool idea! Thank you!!

Glad you think so. I like the idea of swivel chairs making it easier to take in your beautiful view at non-TV times. Adding 2 chairs on casters for the window area would give you even more flexibility if the table is easy enough to move. For example, 2 same-height narrow tables against the window, that could be moved together to make a square table for card games etc. A combination of swivel and caster chairs would let you put 4 chairs around a square table. Here are my rough ideas - I'm not too good on drawing to scale so the sizes might be off. You'd have to measure carefully.

I recommend Susan Susanka's book The Not So Big Remodeling. She has lots of little tweaks for making an existing house more multi-functional.

An idea for the smaller caster chairs by the window.https://www.kingrattan.com/store/p265/Swivel_Caster_Dining_Chair_Cushion.html#/

partim, you are so kind to put together these sketches! Wow, it really helps to see your idea (which is a great one) laid out like this! I can't wait to share these drawings with my husband and to see if I can identify furniture pieces that would fit the bill for this or a similar lay-out. Many thanks again!

What am I seeing with the two wooden dining chairs? Is it a table or counter?

Judianna, that is our kitchen table. I posted a few pics within the thread, but I can post them again here. We love our kitchen table, but it does get hard to use it for meals when we are also using it for puzzles, homework, etc. Having an alternate table in the space would be nice. This pic was taken before we changed the backsplash and the paint color in the space. (We had just moved out pre-renovation.)

In my opinion the room feels off balance as there is nothing on open side of sectional

Could the table go over by the windows? To the right of the entertainment piece? That would provide some wiggle room. Instead of a sofa, you could use swivel chairs, working (or ignoring) the support column.

So, this idea....imagining the entertainment piece is two of the windows.

WestCoast Hopeful, great point about the balance issue!

judianna 20, such an interesting idea! I really appreciate having the visual!