room for improvement

So, I really like my house. But we have the most super-awkward basement arrangement. The dimensions of the room are something like 24x13. We have rearranged the furniture a LOT. And then there are those random ledges (there used to be one along the far wall, too, but Jonathan framed it up since we wouldn't really miss 4 inches of depth on the long dimension on the room. We even painted it a darker shade to make it feel like the room eventually ENDS. It's more awkward even than this picture makes it look, I think:

Then there's the fact that it's the "guy room" of the house, in that those couches and that TV? Well, let's just say I worry our future children will come in second place to those objects. I don't want to girly-fy it, but instead of masculine it just looks... boring. Right? Not ugly, just depressing. I would love suggestions. I also love PhotoShop. Here are a few ideas I was messing with last weekend, which I can't afford, but I CAN arrange the furniture and try to visualize it, which is what I'm doing this weekend.

I like the idea of a large rug to better define 3/4 of the room as the TV area and square it off, then adding a bookshelf and chair on the back wall so it's a separate sitting area. (The doorways make it a really awkward space, too, so there's not room for much more.) And of course I'd need plants, a couple pieces of artwork, and a few throw pillows.

A coffee table would do wonders, although I don't LOVE the yellowish Pottery Barn one I've got here, I'm stuck on what would work. The couches are really dark brown. Black would be too dark, white would look out of place, and brown... well, the room already has an overwhelming "browness."

So... anyone have any brilliant ideas for me?