Hi Sharon, are you able to put the TV on the left side of the 1st photo and have a sectional sofa along where you have the TV is right now. As for the fireplace brick you could just paint over with white.

Thank you for your very quick response. I like the idea, unfortunately as you'll see with the follow on pictures, I don't think the placement for the tv on the left would work. About the brick, I simply don't like brick (original or painted), though the painted is certainly an interim solution. I think the first decision, nonetheless, is where to place the tv (of course, my husband says get rid of it altogether...). :-)
Pictured are left side where sofa currently sits (off the kitchen area).

It is possible to drill into brick and hang things. If you can figure it out, your room will be easier to arrange. I had the same problem in my living room. (Only one small wall about 6 feet long ... the rest were windows, doors, hallways, or fireplace.) For awhile I "ignored" the fireplace, by putting a small writing table (not a heavy desk with drawers) and chair facing the room. It was in a corner, facing out, like your striped chairs are now. Then, the rest of the furniture was "up" in the room with the TV on the only wall. The nice thing was, you could sit at the desk and work while your family watched TV and you were part of the group. This could work in your space because there is already a natural break where the patio doors and railing meet. I does not look as odd as it sounds. Bring your couch out from the wall and add a love seat. The back of the love seat will be seen from the hardwood area. Your TV stays where it is in the arrangement.
Or, you could keep the TV area in the front half of the room and add a small round game table instead of a desk in a corner by the fireplace. If your family is young, you will get hours of use from a table in the main living area, and it becomes extra seating at TG and other holidays.
Plantation shutters or white wooden blinds on the fireplace windows and just painting the mantle white would do a lot to get rid of the "heavy" feeling going on around the fireplace area.
Your room does have good "bones"; I'm sure you'll figure it out!

Thank you so much for this creative idea and approach. So, one thought I had was putting up dry wall to cover the brick and changing out the wood burning fireplace to gas (I know that's probably a sin to many). I'm not dead set on the current furniture; it's what we had when moved in. I tend to like Mediterranean/Contemporary/Modern feel.

I don't like where the sofa is placed: it's hiding nice wood spindles for no reason & is disconnected from the fireplace and chairs. Move sofa to face fireplace.

Thank you.

I also think painting the brick is a great solution, but you still have the dated looking fireplace. Please check out our site, www.fireplacesafetyscreen.com. We design and manufacture screen specifically for this type of fireplace and it will give your black metal prefab fire box a complete makeover. Check out our before and after pictures and I think it will give you some great ideas.

Hi Sharon,
If you don't like the brick and want a different look you could always panel over the brick to give it another look. Here are a few our customer photos to show you a better idea of what I mean. Hope they help.

Beautiful work by FauxPanels! Here is a room with a similar orientation and fireplace placement:

Hi. Sharon. There are many fireplace surround options - as evidenced above. As I'm sure you know Houzz has wonderful photos of all sorts. I'm sure you'll be able to find one that will work for you. Here are few that may give you some ideas:







Regarding the furniture arrangement, I wonder if something like below would work?

Hope this helps!

These are great finds and the suggested placement is fantastic! Thank you!