(overlapping posts but doesn't change suggestions especially need for locations of doors and windows) to make space for a 55" TV i would swap rooms and make a media room with a wall of cabinets to include the TV, music, books etc and have a roomier dining room with extra small lounge chairs that can be rearranged when you need seating for more than 4 to watch TV..the lounge could be a sofa bed with a storage coffee table for bedding but best size and placement of all furniture depends on measurements and you will use an accurate plan of the whole apartment (including exact size and location of all doors and windows for choosing furniture, floor and window coverings, appliances, built ins, kitchen cabinets etc etc so if you can make a rough plan showing the distance from the windows and doors to all corners i can make a more accurate plan for you

Whilst I do some of the things listed, probably at least 10, my number one thing apart from putting everything that can go away put away, it is that everything has to be totally decluttered and perfectly finished off with flowers or a flowering plant so my kitchen might look brand new and unused, I just so love that "staged" look!!

We've eaten in the dining room or outside for the past 20 years. When the children were younger, we had the kitchen table angled off the end of a kitchen bench with just enough space for the whole family to eat at it, and we only used the dining room when we had guests. I found that saved a lot of work. I now hate that we have to set the dining room table for just the two of us. I've tried using stools at the servery (and I use those for the grandchildren when they visit) but my husband refuses to sit at the servery, so we plan to renovate the kitchen and re-shape it with a standard-height table on the end of the servery. We are doing away with the existing dining room to make the living room larger, and security-screening a large covered outdoor area to make a combined dining and outdoor kitchen. Since there's only two of us now, we don't see the need for an indoor dining room. If we have guests, we always eat outside. The area is well sheltered and will be partly enclosed. If it's cold, we can set up a folding table next to the kitchen table to extend the indoor eating space. The kitchen table will seat 5 anyway, so it would be rare to want to eat inside and need the extra seating.

And change the light . That room will always look 1970's until you change it IMO . The new layout looks approx 1831% better IMO haha . A big ( at least 1.2mtr long by 800 tall ) abstract picture in bright reds , oranges , yellows with a bit of green and charcoal would add some colour . So would a red rug . Yellow cushions . Some colour in other words . I've never done it , but possibly even look into dying the blinds -- a mid yellow or even a brown may lift the room , but be subtle enough to not overpower it ? If you want to go more into blue or green tones for the whole room , you probably could , but you'd need to get rid of the black couches .