IMO remove all the stuff from the walls then only put back about 1/3 of what you have. You need a lower wider cabinet for that monster TV. If you are worried about the view from the entry IMO that pot rack iand mess in the kitchen is bigger issue.Could you take a couple more pics of the whole room since I am confused why the TV and seating are all scrunched up in that end of the space . You need lighting so end table with lamps are the norm . The sofa is the elephant in the room , way too big and a sofa and 2 chairs smaller scaled is what you really need . I do need more pics .

Try turning the table and putting it up against the side of the sectional. Use it like a sofa table, put a lamp on it. Sorry but I like it better than the round or the coffee table. Those need to be rethought. For Christmas DIL asked for a tiny table that clamps to the arm of a sofa like yours. It doesn't take up floor space (which it appears you don't have to spare in the third pic) and gives you a place to put a drink and phone I suppose. I think I am seeing a desk or bookshelf on the other side of the round end table???? I might also move the entire sectional toward the window to eliminate half the space, so you aren't so cramped up where the chase is which also eliminates a space that has no purpose. Then if you put the cat house between the wall and the table it would take it out of view as you come up the stairs. You might need to hang the TV with an arm that allows you to adjust how the TV faces when in use.

For me sectionals are very difficult to work with. They very much limit and restrict your flexibility in layout out a room. Would much prefer to see a sofa and chairs instead.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts 🙏. It’s a long narrow room so that’s why the couch and TV are where they are. I’m just now realizing that our furniture is wayyy too big. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. Nor do I have a clue about furniture placement, etc (obviously). I’ll definitely take down the pot hanger—we don’t even cook. And we do plan to mount the TV. It’s kind of ridiculous, but between my husband, 2 cats, and myself we really use the entire couch. The ugly bookcase is being removed so then there will be another gap space to figure out 😑. Eventually the bar will be lowered and will make a bigger kitchen counter. Everything is 20 years old and seriously needs to be updated. Windows, paint, cabinet, etc. So it’s a work in progress. The townhouse is 3 stories and it’s a really stupid layout. Everything is long and narrow. As for the insanely big TV, big speakers, and so forth, my husband always buys bigger, better, newer. Unfortunately, bigger isn’t better in this case. The couch and coffee table are new and we’ll be keeping. Pretty much everything else can go.

Additional pics

The couch truly is an elephant. If you have to keep it, I don’t understand why it can’t be nudged toward the windows about 2’ or so, leaving just enough room for an end table of some sort. Are you forcing symmetry between the tv and the couch? In this small room with extra large furnishings, that’s not going to work for you.

The other elephant in the room is the blue (or gray) paint. It’s a definite no-go with the floor and the couch.

I agree with other comments on the pot rack and itty bitty wall decor items. Your decor scale is set at LARGE by the couch and tv.

I wonder if taller bookcases against the wall on both sides of the couch would work? At least it would get the stacks of books off the floor and allow a little breathing room in the bookcases themselves.

I’m creating a reading nook here. I’ll have to do something lamp and hanging light. This view is from standing in the kitchen. I bought the purple chair and I have a big glass and silver bookcase on the way. I wanted a pretty little nook, but it is a MAJOR clash with everything else. 😩 I think at this point we should just hire an interior decorator to salvage what we can and then fix whatever is left.

Just a side note—all the other junk in that area will be gone

Stop buying tiny art! If bigger pieces are out of the budget, then wait and save up. Empty walls are better than walls filled with little stuff that was bought just to feel like you were filling the space.

Thank you! The little pieces are almost all anniversary gifts so we do want them somewhere…

It looks like you have a secretary desk near your proposed reading nook. If you moved it to your trouble spot, it would make sense to style it as a desk in that corner. You would have easy access to it and it would provide something pleasant to see as you enter the room from the stairs.

Leave the writing surface down, tuck a small chair underneath and add a small lamp to illuminate the corner. If the hutch has lighting, even better.

Also consider the angle you'll see from the kitchen. Remove the art between the window, adding drapes will help soften the hard tile and smooth leather. Take all your art down until your figure your furniture placement, then create groupings with impact instead of lots of little bits and bobs. A rug under the sofa will also help soften the space but don't buy one until you figure out a cohesive color palette.

Omg that’s brilliant!!

You have made some good furnishing choices for the room, but the accessories and wall color don't work with those choices.

• The blue walls must go. They don't seem to be linked to anything and they are certainly not a good backdrop for either your family room furnishings or your kitchen cabinets.
• Accessories have to either be large enough to compete with the furnishings or grouped to make them large enough. All your items are just random pieces and don't play well with one another.

IMO the addition of a patterned rug will help anchor your sitting area. I selected one that has some caramel tones in it to complement your seating.

If the blue wall paint was an attempt to add color to the space, that might have been more successful by select large art canvases to bring in the color instead of the wall.

I have changed your shades to woven woods/bamboo & added neutral drapery panels to help add texture to your room.

The size of your TV requires a large media cabinet. IMO a wall hung, minimal style would work best for the room. NO WALL DECOR TO BE PLACED ON THIS WALL!

I get the sense that you want to fill every space in your house with furniture or purpose. You've set the tone with overside coffee table and sofa. To balance it out, negative space is your friend.

How often do three of your sit at the bar and eat? If never, put two stools instead of three. If neither of you ever eat there then goodbye stools completely.

So many people are creating reading nooks these days. It makes me wonder if it is trending on tick tok or something. Is there really nowhere else in your home to read a book? On the sofa, in your bedroom? Have you tried sitting in that purple puffy chair for any length of time and reading? It doesn't look comfortable to me.

Instead of a reading nook, this hallway mostly empty would be wonderful breathing room between overly furnished spaces. It will help balance out the big hefty feel of your living room. Maybe make the space to the right of the window a floor to ceiling gallery arrangement of your small anniversary art pieces. This space will feel like a walk through gallery.

Living room - Take down all artwork. Hang one or two large pieces in the living room above the sofa. That along with the gigantic TV will cover more than enough wall space.

Brilliant idea from @JT7abcz regarding secretary placement, long curtains, and right sized rug under living room furniture. Yes to removing pot hanger and painting entirespace a new color.

Why a reading nook at all??? You have the entire couch to read on, it's just the two of you and animals from what you posted. A reading nook where the TV is most likely on if your hubby is about is counter productive.... Blue and brown are a popular combination. Get some pillows or throws in the same blue.

Yeah the blue walls were done as young starry eyed newlyweds. We’ve hated them for years but I’m just now trying to fix everything up since I don’t work anymore.

The purple chair is not comfortable at all. I just thought it was pretty. I read an average 2.5 books per week and will probably never actually sit in the nook. I’m just using it that way because I have an overflow of books. I mostly just need the shelves.

Someone eats at the bar probably two times a year so those ugly stools can totally go. And it’ll be much better when we have the bar lowered to just be a bigger counter.

Should the blue walls go back to the color of the other walls? I don’t know what you’d call it… cream or off white or something.

I keep jumping around to different rooms with my hair braided ideas instead of doing one at a time and paying attention to making it cohesive.

I’m definitely not going to buy any more furniture until I get a handle on the mess I’ve made!

@BeverlyFLADeziner I don’t know what magic you used to redecorate my actual room but I LOVE it! Many thanks!

First - solve for function and removing clutter, then for color and decor. It's smart you're thinking about all of the spaces throughout your home. List and prioritize the functions you want/need most. It looks like closed storage may be an issue.

A good way to fine-tune your taste and create a vision is to remove all clutter and ruthlessly keep it cleaned up. Is it possible the reason you don't use your counter stools is because you can't use them for the stacks of books and pet bowls? Why not box the books up for now, get the cookware off the rack, move the bookcase elsewhere and group all the pet furniture and toys in a small space out of the way, then see if you enjoy using the stools. If not, when you're ready to lower the countertop, you may decide adding cabinet storage underneath is more valuable.

Is everything on your kitchen counter used every day? If it isn't, stow it away and open up counter space. This habit will also help you identify pain points and help solve for various functions.

See if there are ways to group your existing furnishings to achieve the functions you want. For example, maybe instead of a reading nook, you may decide to just add book shelves and eventually create a more polished playground for your cats.

If the purple chair is uncomfortable, you don't need it, your space is limited, and it's a color that will clash with everything else you own, get rid of it. BTW, a cohesive color palette will also give you flexibility in moving pieces throughout your home as needs evolve.

Lastly, don't feel pressured to get everything done at once. Have fun, enjoy the process. Most spaces take several passes over time to refine.

A couple of alternatives to the many pieces of cat furniture that may be compatible with bookshelves:

No magic, just cut and paste with Microsoft Paint.

Get rid of the barstools if you're not using them.

Use a closed door cabinet beside the sectional for storage.

Or used tall cabinets for storage in place of the table you have against the wall.

Thank you! Yes, the lack of storage areas has always been an issue. But, to be honest, we need to do 15+ years worth of spring cleaning of all cabinets, drawers, and closets.

We don’t use the barstools because we just eat on the couch. And we basically never have guests, so the sectional is plenty of sitting room for the occasional visitor.

A good amount of the stuff on the kitchen counter is, in fact, used daily. But realistically more than half can be removed and/or put away during the clean out.

My husband and I decided this morning that #1 priority is replacing all windows, 2nd is to renovate the entire kitchen, 3rd will be gutting and redoing the master bath.

I see now that I’m jumping the gun by trying to redecorate before we renovate. I’ll have to return to Houzz after the 3 main projects are done to find out what it even means to have a color palette and how to make it cohesive!

You have way too many little object all over the place (walls, floor, etc.). First you need to declutter your room. Below I'm showing simple ways you can set-up your living room area by replacing a few items at very reasonable prices (from Amazon, Wayfair). For the start, I've kept your existing wall colour but a warm white would be a good choice.

A sofa table behind the sofa with a lamp with a cat tree and cat tube. You don't need to have cat stuff scattered all over, keep it in one place, don't worry, they'll be happy. I'd replace the coffee table with a round one, it will be easier to get around with your U-shape sectional in a small space. For the TV, look at floating TV cabinets that are at least 12 inches longer than you TV leaving 6 inches on both sides of the TV when it's hung on the wall. I'm showing bamboo roman shades that look better than the horizontal blinds you presently have on the windows. A large canvas above the sofa, coordinated accent pillows, new lamps, and an area rug complete the look.

Thank you 😊