I agree with everything said so far. Would suggest you get built in book shelvers on both sides of fireplace, lift tv into a slot it fits perfectly into (make sure you have power on both sides). Then it will disappear more rather than fight with fireplace as focal point. I am always disappointed with mirrors over fireplaces, they become dark, are to high to reflect much. Plus then you have three rectangles fighting for center stage. I'd say very colorful artwork instead. Wonder if you can reorient tv where the big chairs are so both tv and fireplace are addressed? Color, maybe you should decide on furniture first?

I would go with what the architect suggested. That was my immediate thought and also means that you will get light into your living area all day since the kitchen would be at the front and the living room at the back. It will be a nicer space to live in. If you really can't face bedrooms at the front though could you do something like this? It clearly isn't to scale!! You probably sacrifice a bit of space in that smallest bedroom but gain much more liveable floor space at the front of the house. It also gives your husband the open pan area he likes. It does sacrifice a separate entrance way though. I'd also shift the bathroom wall out and steal some space from the utility room so that you have a larger bathroom.

Other Houzzers are great at furniture placement, but I wanted to note that you really should have seating facing the fireplace and/or the t.v.

Could you turn your sectional and chair to face the wall with the large painting, then wall mount the TV on that wall? If you remove the foosball table and take away some of the counter chairs, you could probably put a table in front of the sliding doors. Either way , you do need a larger area rug. Your sectional front legs should be on the edge of the area rug.