I have a similar situation in that I have a dining table with a leaf that can be expanded. I always center the table under the ceiling light to be sure it looks even. I do that each time I alter the size of the table, so it's easy. The layout is fine and you're ideas are good. Let's see what others say.

Not everything has to be lined up and symmetrical. Also, things won't appear perfectly lined up once you move from the one perfect viewing spot!

The only place for a china hutch is he outside wall between the dining area and living area. It would work well there.

Patricia -

I love the idea of 2 sofas perpendicular to the FP. My only hesitation with this layout is walking in from the foyer and being welcomed by the back of a sofa...

put a sofa table on the backside

The current dining and living room layouts seem like they will be a bit congested when you have traffic moving through the areas. To make some additional space:

+1 to two perpendicular sofas with a narrow sofa table on the side facing the foyer.

Don’t use end dining chairs with arms, use a chair that can slide further under the table when not in use.

Consider a double sliding french door rather than hinged french doors so you can position the dining room table a closer to the doors & deck.

Also consider sliding the hinged single door on the side deck closer to the corner (and across from the fireplace hearth). Or change the door swing to the opposite side.

Design Fan -

Thanks for the tips. I am actually happy to hear that you think it might be congested, because I have been worried that an 18' x 34' room would be weirdly / uncomfortably HUGE.

That side door will be used for carrying wood into the fireplace, and I will definitely switch it to the opposite swing.

One solution might be rotating your dining table 90 degrees. Get a 48" wide table that expands to 12 or 13 feet long, with trestle or dual pedestal legs to maximize the seating capacity, and armless chairs as Design Fan suggested. With two people at each end of the table, you can definitely fit 14 in this arrangement. For 16, you will be tight, or you rotate the table and squeeze the living room furniture in close.

For a living room TV, have the door to the LR-side deck swing the other way, and put the TV on the deckside wall. You could have a sofas in a L shape facing the TV and the fireplace, and one swivel arm chair near that door.

Congratulations on your new home! This is the right time to be thinking about all of this. It makes a big differance.

It’s smart to think ahead! For flexible dining, center your table with extra space on both sides so you can expand it easily. Float your living room furniture closer to the fireplace to keep the right wall more open for a future TV setup. You could move the windows slightly wider apart to fit the china hutch between them without feeling crowded. Keep pathways clear and prioritize flow. A modular sectional could offer versatility for everyday lounging and larger gatherings. It sounds like your space will be beautiful and very functional with a few small adjustments.

I always create a furniture plan concurrently with designing a room. It's much more efficient and prevents surprises after the house/room is built.

It would be good to see the entire first floor plan, as well as exterior elevations. I think that the door in the living room to the little porch is limiting what and where you can place furniture. The entire seating area could be moved closer to the fireplace if the door weren't there or if it were a window.

Agree that sliding/gliding French doors are more practical than in-swing doors, especially if you are concerned about space. You might avoid the crowded feel if you could widen the living/dining area a few feet. That's a question for the architect.