Sounds great

We have a near identical space (once we've knocked down a wall!) and having a similar debate, so I'm watching with interest. Key difference for us is we don't have a separate living room so this room will be everything for us. Our current thoughts are dining area immediately below the island with the t.v./ sofa area immediately below that and the 'foot' to the right is an office area, but could also be used as a dining area as during the week we think we'll mainly be eating at the breakfast bar. Good luck!

Hi George, there are a lot of different ways to achieve this. If you want to keep the existing furniture, it would be best to start by creating zones. This can be done in a multitude of ways. You can achieve this with paint colours, rugs, furniture, plants etc. The key is to ensure that both areas (the dining area and the sofa area) have a distinct zone while still giving the feel of a cohesive space. I would be more than happy to help you achieve this. Feel free to get in touch with me if you want me to show you different options that would work based on your budget. Tessy :-)

I would paint the base any colour you like (you could match your kitchen units if you like the colour) and keep the top natural wood. A mirror would certainly lighten the space. As your table is rectangular try a round or pond shaped style. Try and position it so that the garden or outside is reflected. Some art on the wall or some shelves with plants and simple ornaments would finish it off nicely.