My Living Room

Neutral

Morning light

Difficult to choose the right furniture as it has many openings into dining, entryway, kitchen. Also one wall is full of wal to wall windows, which are being converted to French doors opening into the patio. Love the space but dislike that it is difficult choose the right pieces that will give us adequate seating for entertaining as well as family tv time.
What has also contributed to this situation is that we have used furniture and decor from earlier apartments/condos we lived in and put it together. This space is unique as mentioned and needs decor that goes with it.

The old white leather sofa is my kind of ideal sofa because of the modern look and that it has been super comfortable - we have been emotionally attached to it but totally open to replacing it with another couch/sectional.
I like the chunky Ottoman but it is old and too much red hues in the leather so am looking for fitting covers for it that will go with the new decor. Open to not having it in the new design as well.
WHAT WE'D DEFINITELY LIKE TO KEEP:
1. our small collection of original paintings in the living space - even if not all of them, I have special preference for the blue landscape and set of three "big eye" like paintings gifted by an artist friend and the black and white (2) sketches from a relative. Photos included below. I don't mean to say they all have to be in the same living space but I'd love to know wall placements for the paintings.
2. the wooden plans as seen in one of the pics next to the fireplace. We have 4 of these planks and would like to use them in that corner for display items.

No

Yes, Area Rugs

We would like to get ideas on:
1. How to style up the fireplace column
2. Combinations of furniture pieces that would give us seating enough to entertain a party of 7-8 people but at the same time not make the room look smaller.
3. Any suggestions on how to incorporate our paintings and ideas for decor that will make the space pop but not look crowded and smaller.

We just repolished the floors and repainted the walls so would not like to change those things.

Also, my husband prefers neutral decor (brown, grey, white) but I like some pops of color and uniqueness here and there in the form of decor items, pillows, side/ arm chair or lamps/photo frames. We always try to meet in the middle when it comes to home design decisions.

This time around, I am confused about the right mix of these decor items as I feel anything I add to the room may make it look overcrowded or small.