Where do you eat?

Looks like where a dining area goes? Or is that covered somewhere else in the place?

Could you do some open shelving, like a unit, the type with no sides that's placed against that wall to the left of the sofa - it would add a bit of visual interest without taking up floor space, and also give you room for a small tray or box to use as a "landing & takeoff" area for car keys, handbag/purse, wallets, etc, the kind of stuff you need running out the door in the morning? A lower area could even be kept for workbags, breifcases, etc.

Looks like you have a breakfast bar in the kitchen. I would rotate the sofa, love seat and tv console 90 degrees clockwise so the sofa floats as a natural room divider. You could also add a desk behind the sofa, a console cabinet or dining table that could rest against the sofa or be pulled out to seat more when you have guests.

That would be a great spot for a round dining table and four chairs! Does this floor plan show your current furniture? If so, try flipping the sofa layout so the shorter sofa has its back to the kitchen, which would define the space more. You could put a console table behind the sofa to use as a sideboard.

I'll answer my question with "we eat in front of the television or at the bar." You may still want a table and chairs for those times you might want to entertain.

PS for the shelving I was thinking something like this Ikea piece because it's very open, even got glass shelves, or obviously whatever matches the rest of your style:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50214678/

Art

Agree with floating some furniture -- everything's lined up against the walls. The TV's taking up a lot of real estate.

Drop leaf table against the wall right as you come up the stairs, then you will be able to set it up in the open area for entertaining.

I'm thinking like the rest that this is supposed to be a spot for dinning area - but not sure the dimensions and are you saying that there's a door that leads to the bathroom in that area? It would be helpful to see a photo of the spot you are talking about to help with suggestions.

Definitely put a table in this space - for dining, working, or to display objects you love. Or all 3. I would do a long narrow rectangle table and place it parallel to the kitchen bar counter. Be sure there is plenty of room to walk around it to get down the hall, aka flow.

Just for an example, a 3' x 8' glass topped table paired with 6 Eames molded side chairs. The Eames chairs are good because they look interesting and can tuck right up to the table so they stay out of the walkway. The glass top also helps the 'flow' idea, in that it doesn't create a visual barrier in the center of the space.

I think your living room layout is fine as is. But if you can't afford a dining table and chairs, you could rotate furniture and put a low shelving unit at the back of the sofa. The shelving unit should be a bit more substantial in feeling (wider, deeper, bulkier material), and house some interesting objects, so it has enough visual interest to 'fill' the large dead zone.

TSPInteriorDesign and Thorndale have the right idea. It will look great. Also, with this 90 degree rotation you can watch TV while working in the kitchen if you like.

Oh, and don't forget rugs can really help to define zones. So if you want the dead zone to read as a room, put an area rug in it.

I like the idea of an open room divider/shelving unit along the left edge of the living area and then a dining table and chairs in the space. Or even a small desk to make it into a small office. Nothing huge in scale of course, but I think with the right sized pieces you could still have good flow of traffic and not feel like you are tripping over furniture to move about the space.

what about a wooden game table or wooden card table?

I think it's important to leave it empty for flow. That said, I'd fill up the sides, like add stools or chairs to the breakfast bar, a tall plant or narrow shelving unit next to the tv, and a piece of art and very narrow table at the top of the 3 steps (facing the alcove with 3 doors.)

Turn the furniture in the living area about 90 degrees - the sofa should be a natural divider. With this you likely even have space for another chair if you want it. It seems that you already have a place to eat by the kitchen (the bar seating) so you don't necessarily need a dining table. I'd probably place a desk behind the sofa and some shelving to the right of the desk.

Turn one of the sofas so it has its back to the empty space. Put a narrow table against the back of the sofa with 2 dining chairs. Voila, a dining area that doesn't take up the flow space. If you also rearrange the TV, it gives you extra theatre-type seating for watch parties.

You know, you don't HAVE to fill your house with furniture. Sometimes some airy, empty space is pleasant and restful. Why not leave it alone for awhile? You might like it, and, conversely, inspiration may strike as some point.

Round dining table floating in the middle, and I would add a credenza to the entry wall next to the sofa.

Although turning the furniture sounds like a good idea it's success will really depend on your furniture. Are the couches long and low to the ground or big and bulky? If the latter, putting them in the middle of the room might make things look cluttered. Nevertheless, I'd give it a try.You are wasting a lot of usable space by crowding so much into that one corner.

I agree that the space needs a table. Where do you sit to have your coffee? You could get a nice little drop-leaf table and just one or two chairs if the space is too small for a real "dinette." Think Ikea.

I agree with MDorothy, you don't have to fill space. I have lived in two houses with odd layouts that my friends jokingly refer to as the ballroom.
Suggestions on turning the furniture around are right on, as having all the furniture against a wall might give the room a bowling alley feel. Turning one of the sofa's back against the kitchen and place a low console or bookcase against he back to add some definition and storage.

Idea 1 - Place a table in the center of the space and use it for entertaining. It could be like a buffet table, or place appetizers on it, or drinks, etc. When not entertaining, use the table as a library table (place books on top), a mail sorting center, or whatever else you like :). Having a table without chairs will leave you plenty of space to walk around it.

Idea 2 - Place a desk on the other side of the kitchen/sink, back to window. Use the desk for crafting, writing letters, or other projects, etc. Be sure to devise a partion that is tall enough and waterproof enough to keep kitchen/sink water away from the area.

If you don't have a separate dining area, I agree with the other commenters that a table and four chairs would be a nice addition. I would actually recommend a round or oval dinning room table to break up all the squares you have going on, plus curves are easier to move around.

If you have a dining area covered or wouldn't find this useful, try putting a daybed or chaise in the space. It'd be flexible enough where you could pull it up to your main seating area for add'l seating but large enough where it could float on its own. The Jasper model from Room & Board is a nice option that can work with both modern and traditional decor:
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=3127

Obstacle course, of course!

I agree on floating a sofa. But even more, I think you need an area rug. Something colorful will warm up the space and make it welcoming. Invest in wool instead of synthetic it will last longer and be soooo much easier to keep clean. I'm thinking kilim or other ethnic?

Rather than cramming in more furniture, maybe just add a carpet runner to visually make the space not so dead.

I'd add a loveseat to mirror the one lining the far wall. If you needed a table, stick a miniature one in the small square sticking out near the kitchen.

I'd use that area for a dining table. I would go with a rectangular table and, though I'm not generally a fan, use a rug to create a separation in the area.

I think I'd add two arm chairs facing the love seat, maybe with a cool small occasional table in between them. (More seats for entertaining. Chairs wouldn't disrupt the traffic flow as much. A sculptural table would be something interesting to view as enter the room...)

Maybe something interesting on or against the wall at the top of the steps, opposite the nook (which seems to lead to a patio?) Art, shelving, something...

How about a dining room table? Rearrange your living room so the largest sofa faces the east wall, put a console against the back and use some of that dead space for a dining room table. I wish all problems were this simple.
By the way, you're not going to like this but "we have ran" should be "we have run". It's a common error. A lot of people do it. Unfortunately, some of us hear nails on a chalkboard even when we read it. Please think of the overly sensitive grammar nazis out here.

Go for a dinning room table and chairs that don't take up much visual space. Like a cleaned lined table and clear plastic chairs or ones that you can see through.

prefer to see the long sofa diagonally across from walking up stairs. if short sofa stays at far end, then try smaller round table in the middle of the empty space illustrated, like foyer tables in fifth av apt's. if going with the console table idea, would be smaller & fold-out, flanked by two side chairs, other two side chairs would flank tv/bookshelves.

A dining table! A breakfast bar. An office space with a room divider between the couches and stairwell like a bookcase that functions visually for both sides. Some eclectic or plushy chairs. You really need an eating space or something that functions as extra kitchen prep space that can be converted into an eating space as well.

Don't buy furniture you don't need to fill a space you won't use. I f you have a dining table elsewhere, why add another? Same goes for if you eat on the couch and don't entertain. A bit of open space is a good thing. I'd recomment a large rug under your lounge space and the same size and style, colours etc. parallel in the dead space. This will ground the area. A large picture on the wall next to the couch and centred above the dead space rug will also give it more purpose and make it look intentional and "finished". Finally if you wanted to add some occasional seating for guests or feet, you could always add a couple of single ottomans on the edge of the dead space rug, facing the lounge area. Good luck!