Living room design help? XP

[daisybuchannan]

So, I'm trying to revamp my living room, and am stuck on a few things.

1. I love the look of built ins, and these were here when we moved in. There is only room for a tv that is really too small to even watch comfortably from the couch. We're contemplating knocking the built ins out and mounting a big tv on that wall. Any ideas of what else we could put on that wall so it's not just a tv? Possible book shelves that would give the look of built ins?

2. There is a window right behind where I currently have the couch, and if I line the couch up properly with the opposite wall, the window is off center behind the couch. Is this awful? I know not to push the couch right up to the wall, so if it looks that way, it's not. Should I rearrange the couch and big chair?

I'm getting new drapes and a rug, so ignore those. Also ignore the bad ikea chair, we just rearranged things from having our tree up and I kind of shoved it in there.

For reference, to the left of the built ins is an arch way to the dining room, and the front door is behind the big leather chair.

I'm open to any suggestions! I wish we did different furniture, but no room in the budget to start from scratch.

[mrspez07]

Not sure on the traffic flow or if the dimensions of the furniture would throw these off:

What about setting up the TV in the corner or on the wall btwn the two windows (front corner), turn the couch 90-degrees to face the front window and turn your back to the dining room and front door with the chair?

Or

Turn the back of the couch to the built ins, put the TV in the corner where the floor lamp is (back corner), and push the chair towards the wall, again kind of turning your back on the room. Then if there is room, make a reading nook with the other chair next to the built ins.

Both of these don't use the whole space for TV viewing but instead divide the space. Either way I would add shelves to the built ins and fill with books and photos to make a library wall.

[munkii]

I agree with mrspez07 that you should consider moving the tv out of the built-ins. However, it you want to stick with the tv there, I'd recommend checking out Liatorp, Borgsjo, and Hemnes pieces as options to start off with and finish them off with base and crown molding to give them the built-in look.

[emjacobs]

What about building out the middle of the built in to mount the TV on so it floats over the built-ins?

I'm thinking that if you get a good mount and anchor a few boards to studs you can fit a bigger TV in that area. Maybe a swing arm mount so that you can get to connections?