Need assistance with long family room - Please help!

Trilevel

My wife and I have recently moved into a tri level built in the late 60's.

We have a long 22 by 12 (approx) family room on the lower level that is putting us in fits trying to arrange.

On one side of the room we have a doorway with a set of stairs coming down into the room and on the other a large sliding glass door with a great view we don't want to block with furniture.

On the south side of the layout is also a fireplace. This is our primary "hangout" "television" room and up until recently we had the television mounted above the fireplace (Layout 1.)

This coming winter we would like to start seriously burning some wood in the fireplace/wood insert and I'm afraid the flat screen won't tolerate the heat...not to mention the the location of the tv puts us very far away from the unit and at a high viewing angle.

So...we are trying to devise an alternate setup (Layout 2). This gives us a clear view of the television and frees up the fireplace wall for proper heat production but also splits our room in half.

Our current plans are to replace the love seat with two swivel recliners so we can turn them around to enjoy the fire and swing them back around to also watch television depending what is going on in the room at the time.

We still aren't sure this is the best layout though as it gives the room a choppy feel. Can anybody lend a hand or advice regarding what to do in this situation? Any advice you can give would be much appreciated!

Attached Thumbnails

   

oh'mike

Clumsy design---The second drawing looks like it works--but the fire place area is orphaned--

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

Trilevel

Yeah that is kind of the conclusion we keep coming to. Do you have any suggestions or see any arrangements we aren't?

oh'mike

Try a layout with the T.V. on the wall to the left of the patio door( near the fire place--

Add a book case wall at the end across from the stairs---

The stair way may make furniture layout a failure--It's just paper--so see of that could work--

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

Trilevel

Looks like I didn't make it close enough to scale. That wall to the left of the slider is actually much smaller and not large enough for anything. The slider has a full length window on each side of it making everything on that wall glass with the exception of 4-5 feet on each side of it. The fireplace side of the room also has an 18 inch hearth sticking out of it. Thanks for the thought though.

oh'mike

Well---those windows make that wall useless for hanging a t.v.---

Where are all the folks with imagination?

Come on and help! I'm down to bean bag chairs---

__________________
New members: Adding your location to your profile helps in many ways.--M--

lisadesign

Looking at your room, I think you should consider making two sitting areas. You could keep the couch on the inside wall, put the tv on the north wall on some shelving unit or a large taller buffet type piece of furniture. This will give you storage. I would put two chairs or small recliners across from the couch. I know you don't want to block the view, but putting two chairs will still feel open. I would then put two of the same chairs, or coordinating chairs placed in front of the fireplace. Depending on the size of the chairs by he fire place you could fit a small round end table between them. If you can find swivels you like, the chairs at the fireplace could swivel for tv viewing,ie football games. I would think out of the box for your tv stand. Long buffets are great and you can get them very inexpensive second hand. I took one and put plexiglas in the bottom door inserts. Equipment fits great and the remotes work thru the plexiglas. The plexiglas looks just like glass but I don't have to worry about breakage when The grandkids are over. Just some thoughts, good luck!