Answer
 There is an old adage about fitting a square peg into a round hole and I’m afraid this is the case here.
The furniture that you are trying to incorporate into this space is simply too big and bulky to function effectively.
Rooms that are as narrow as yours will need smaller scale furniture that will allow a lot of flexibility in furniture placement, without interfering with traffic patterns.
Since the existing sofa really only fits into one specific spot in the room, it lacks the necessary flexibility to accommodate what you want the room to do and because of its size, moving it to other locations in the space interrupts traffic flow and makes the space appear awkward.
If you want the best results in this room, you must consider buying new upholstered pieces chosen to be more conducive to the room's architecture.
As you can see from the indications on my drawing, not only is your room long and narrow, but there is a major traffic flow from the front entry hall to the kitchen that runs right through the room, effectively making the space available for furniture placement even more limited.
Another traffic flow runs from the kitchen to the patio doors and while this is much less used, it is still an important path that should have as few obstacles as possible.
Once traffic patterns are taken into consideration, the space remaining for furniture is barely 10 feet (3 metres) by eight feet (2.4 metres), a room that would give anyone problems in planning.
Given that you described it as “heirloom furniture”, I will assume that changing the dining room furniture is not an option.
With that in mind, as you can see from the plan, the table is centred in the allotted dining space, with the chairs placed parallel to its length.
This allows for more space between the dining suite and the patio doors, making egress and entry easier.
The breakfront, or china cabinet, is shown placed on the wall adjacent to the patio door giving it a place of prominence.
I have shown the buffet moved into the conversation area where it will help to unite the styles of these two adjoining spaces.
In the living room area, two love seats and an occasional chair will provide you with maximum seating in a limited space environment.
Lighting and details can go far in relieving the sense of a long narrow room.
If privacy is not a concern, leave the living room window and patio door bare, or decorated only with a minimum treatment – a simple, tailored valance would be ample to dress up the window without overwhelming.
In general, it would be best to avoid lighting that will "wash" the walls or give a general illumination to the area in favour of a well lit specific zones that will create a sense of cosiness in this space.
As always, in limited space situations, it is usually best to maintain a neutral or a monochromatic colour palette in order to make a space feel less fussy and cluttered, and especially when marrying seemingly disparate furniture styles.
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