Can someone help me with a layout please?

[Captainkanga]

Because I'm banging my head against the wall trying to work it out!

Currently we have the sofa in the alcove, a too big snuggle seat and an oak dresser on the wall opposite (which also has a window) and a dining table squashed up against the kitchen wall. I HATE IT!

It feels like we've just plonked the furniture in and that the room is a corridor from the hall to the garden. It doesn't work for us at all.

How would you all place your things? I'm not opposed to a full redo (the room is all bland and beige but that's a whole other story) the only thing I don't want to change is the solid oak floor. Would you scrap the dining table and put a small table/breakfast bar in the kitchen? It's just DH and I at the moment but baby number one is due October..

My friends house is very similar to this, they have a sofa in the alcove, a sofa against the wall of the kitchen and the tv on a stand in the corner opposite and a coffee table in the middle. Theirs might be a bit smaller than yours though as they can't fit a table in their kitchen.

What shape is your dining table? Could it work in the alcove with the tv in the opposite corner and the sofa on the kitchen wall?
You'd have to get rid of the armchair though.
Tricky shape room.

I find table and chairs useful for weaning so I'd keep that....can it go in the alcove?
If you split the room in half by a line between the kitchen door and patio doors and the living room furniture somehow then on the right?
It would make it two seperate zones with the walk through between them not through the middle

Could you replace the dining table with a gate legged style table so it isn't taking up room when not in use. I did this when I moved in to DH's flat before we bought together and we used it as a sideboard type thing when folded, so it had my radio on it, flowers etc. and looked nice but could also sit and eat up to it when we wanted to. You get some which store folding chairs in the central part of the table too.

I'm actually reluctant to get rid of it now we have a dining room as I like the fact that it can be fully out for family meals, half out most of the time for DS and I too have breakfast and lunch, so I have room to iron or dry laundry there and completely away if I want DS's playpen there so I can watch him more easily while I'm cooking.

What about a corner suite from the top right corner and coming round across the room to break it, tv in far left corner and a smaller dining table in the newly created dining space. You could always push the table agains the right wall and pull it out when needed.

Thanks everyone

The dining table is rectangular - we used to have it in the alcove, the sofa against the kitchen wall, and the stupid hateful snuggle seat in the same place it is now which somehow felt even more like a corridor. Such an awkward room!

I love the corner sofa idea!