Answer
 Narrow rooms present a problem because, when improperly arranged, they can feel oddly unbalanced and cavernously long.
The dilemma in your living-dining room area is compounded by the many openings on the long wall, further reducing the amount of usable width in the room.
Because both of these spaces are used all the time, they should be comfortable, attractive and practical for your everyday lives, as well as adaptable for special occasions.
One way to make a room appear more comfortable is to make it seem more spacious, and the way to do that is by paring down and using simple and clean-lined design to its full advantage.
Unless you have a large space, it is always a good idea to select furniture and accessories on a small scale because they will provide you with more space to move around.
And since storage is in short supply, consider buying wood furniture pieces that offer storage possibilities, such as a coffee table with drawers or a cabinet at the entry instead of an open
table. You'll be amazed what a difference just one drawer or shelf makes in a tight space.
In the dining room, use an expandable table that can accommodate up to six people. It is often a good idea to choose dining chairs that can double as occasional seating. Upholstered Parsons chairs are always a good investment.
Since the heating unit is limiting the possibilities in the dining room for a china cabinet or buffet, you have two choices: One is to relocate the heating unit closer to the window; the other is to consider a wall mounted piece that can sit in the centre of the wall, above the
heater.
With the dining table so close to the kitchen, the 15-inch counter that juts into the room seems to me to be redundant. A capable carpenter will be able to cut that piece away giving you the
extra space that you need in the already narrow area.
In the living room, a full size sofa and large occasional chair make up the upholstered seating.
Behind the sofa, I have shown a sofa table that will pull the furniture away from the wall so as not to obstruct the heating registers.
Keeping with the simplicity theme, treat the windows and patio doors as plainly as possible.
Simple sheers with elegant side drapes will define the area without drawing too much attention to them.
Because your floors are hardwood, it is always nice to have something soft underfoot and an area rug can be used to anchor a space, contributing to its cozy feeling.
Small spaces can be made to feel larger by using a palette of natural or neutral colour such as tan and camel with touches of black for upholstered furniture pieces.
Add colour with a collection of pillows fabrics and accessories that harmonize with each other.
To maintain symmetry and continuity in the room, it is often a good idea to buy lamps, side chairs, pillows and other accessories in pairs
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