If furniture is all against walls a room will tend to have a flat, square, uninviting appearance. Even when placing a sofa "on the wall" you would want 3" inches space so the sofa won't rub the wall. The important thing is that furniture groupings facilitate conversation. Try moving your sofa out from the wall, if you don't like it, you can always move it back. :D Best wishes!

I would very much like to enjoy a swinging chair like the image below in my own house. I wonder if anyone has experience or knowledge in how these are installed, and what weight restrictions they may have? I do not want to sit and pull the ceiling out!!!

sararahim123 What constitutes an adequate illumination level varies from person to person. What exactly do you require illuminated? If its simply ambient light you would have tiny lights as shown that throw light on the stairs itself. If a bit more is required you could consider adding a railing with a light under. If general illumination is what you are going after, but in a muted way, would suggest wall scones that throw light upwards onto the ceiling, diffusing the light.

Pournima, this appears to be a high rise building. The design has no markings of columns in it. Your designer is my most likely right. Such structural changes ( beams columns etc) are not recommended without getting an architects buy in as it impacts whole buildings integrity. In balcony, they may have provided a design element which you are referring as slanting cutout column. You may want to share a pic of that one. Thanks Nitin Cornerstone Designs, Bangalore.