I love the table and sideboard and would definitely keep those. If you are flexible with the other furniture, then I would suggest moving towards club chairs for the other end of the room. I like the two corner pieces you have by the table and maybe place the buffet on the wall where you have the table with the lamp. Can the rest of the pieces you have be used in another room? You might not be able to hold 4 chairs in the room, but maybe two cozy club chairs would help to make the other end of the room more functional as a conversational area and you may be able to work in your blue couch.

Keep the cute boy scout!!!

The Zuzu Room (a favorite on GW)

Here's my thoughts -- hopefully some of our brillant room arrangers (like Les or bronwyn) will join in!!

First -- you have really LOVELY furniture!! :)

Remember the key is to play with your furniture -- and make every inch and every small adjustment to any angle count!!

1)Remove the two corner cabinets -- and switch the larger buffet to the end wall. Add a grid of four or six smaller matching artworks over it -- and a couple of lamps to act as lighting for the dining area. This will create a taller and more substantial visual focal point the whole area.

2) Stash as many of the dining chairs as possible. Keep about four of the armless chairs at the table. You could TRY placing an armchair at each end of the buffet IF there is room.

3) Try the smaller cabinet between the windows.

4) Play with every inch! Leave the sofa in the same basic spot. Add the coffee table in front of the sofa. Play with the exact positioning. Sit on the sofa and look around. Try reaching for a cup of tea/coffee/wine glass to see if the coffee table works.

5) Try the white wing chair in front of the window -- but angle it into the corner with its back slightly in front of the railings. ((consider painting the railing white to work in better with the rest of the mouldings in the room)

6) Add the four-legged table and a lamp (maybe the standing one) to the side of the wing chair.

7) Float the armchair/armless chair from the dining set (is there one armchair or two?) on the wall where the smaller cabinet sat -- now you have a conversation area! Add the smaller table (which is sitting beside the wing chair in the photo) between these two chairs. Add the tall buffet lamp on the table.

8) Place the Hitchcock chairs together (with a small table) in the corner of the office.

Just some thoughts!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I agree with Jan--you have some lovely pieces there. What I would suggest would be to move as much as you can out of the room and place pieces back one-by-one to see how you like it. I would start with the lovely dining room set. I'd place the buffet against the wall opposite where it is now and group the chairs around it. The tall skinny lamp on opposite side of room can go on the buffet. I'd also look for a mirror to place over the buffet. Use two rugs to ground the two areas of the room while still keeping an open flow to the room. The DR rug could be round to go with your table.

Brownysmom had some great suggestions for sheesharee in another thread regarding the process to use to go about decorating a room--by thinking about what you use the room for as well as what your likes/dislikes are--then to use that as a guide to determine which pieces to keep and what to look for. She said it much better than I, though. It'd be worthwhile to find the thread and read it.

you guys are great. I will move some things around and take some pictures with better light. It is so nice to have some opinions instead of "whatever you think".

I do have some pictures that are currently leaning against the wall. Once I get the furniture placed in a way that works, I can start to see how they fit in.

I absolutely will not give up the cub scout!!

Allie

Great advice teacats, I was going to suggest similar ideas but it was bedtime last night. I may repeat your ideas but some are a little different. Here goes.

Keep dining set in same place with the 4 chairs only.

Long buffet against that back wall. Lamp on one end. Mirror above would make room look larger but I also like the picture idea.

Place extra chairs in each corner of wall buffet is on.

Place sofa on a slight angle in front of the stair rail.

Place wing chair at a slight angle facing the sofa along the wall between the windows, closer to the window the sofa is now near.

Put a round table in front of window, between sofa and wingchair, but closer to the wingchair.

Keep the shorter buffet on the wall it is already on. Move it down towards the doorway a bit more so you can put that cute chair next to it.

Oh, definitely keep the Scout.

ok see what you think of these.

this passage is tight

then moved the couch again

thanks in advance
Allie

It's already looking so much better! I prefer the couch not to be floated in the room, but how you have it in the latter pics. Try moving the Queen Anne chair to the opposite side of the couch so as to create a conversational grouping.

Looking good...you have great pieces!
I'm wondering about raising the round mirror so that the lamps and mirror are not all the same height. Then you could put a large floral arrangement or something else below the mirror.

I like the first arrangement in the first pic (sofa facing chair rail).

I wonder whether you need all the cabinets in the room ?- the corner buffet seems like a lot with the other one right beside it - try removing it and see what you think & putting your 2 extra dining room chairs on each side of the buffet inside.

You're doing great, really is a matter of taking things out and slowly putting things back in & seeing what you like

Loribee - I agree about the mirror, I was just using a nailt that was there! That side of the room needs something other then wood.
Valinsv - I am not sure I can get the chair to fit against the railing, but I will give it a whirl.

fillagirl - I will see what it looks like without the corner cabinet. That side of the room has so much wood!
I have a plant stand, that would allow me to put some other textures higher up on the wall.

I will try a rug now too. I am already so much happier with it!

Well done indeed!!! :)

Love the large buffet against the back wall! Good idea to try the mirror! Love the shape!

O.K. -- in the last arrangement (with the sofa under the window) -- try flipping the small cabinet and the bookshelf -- to see if that switch gives you more "pass-through room" on that side of the sitting area.

Try placing the round side table on the left-hand side of the wingchair.

And yes -- see if the armchair can indeed fit along the railing .....

Yes -- I do vote to remove the corner cabinet ....

BTW -- you do have really, really lovely furniture!!!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

This is sooooo fun.

Remove the tall corner unit.
Raise the mirror.
Put sofa at angle against the rail.
Put wingchair in space between windows, angled toward sofa.
Put small round table between sofa and wingchair.
I love how you put the chairs around table, thanks for trying that.
Put the armed dining chairs on each side of buffet, at an angle.

You are going to be tired after moving all this stuff around, but it will be so worth it.

ok, fell asleep with DD last night before I could try these suggestions out.

The railing just doesn't seem to like any of my furniture. It is pretty short and overlooks the stairs to the foyer. I added the rug I use in the foyer, just because all the wood was distracting me. I have a large rug I had in the room when it was just living room, but pulling that out makes it much harder to move things around. I think the pass thru works as long as the couch isn't the item floating between the areas.

Couch angled for Shannon01

Switch - chair against railing

Seems to work best so far

wall sofa and chairs are facing

armchairs in dining area

Whew - comments now? The larger rug is square, I am not sure how it will work in the room with 2 groupings. I will have to pull it out and see. That would be my next effort - unless you all have more concepts for me to try.

Also, didn't move the mirror yet. Want to place all the furniture before I start making more holes.

thanks!
Allie

I love your furniture, I have Queen Anne Style
as well. I would love to see the 2-arm chairs
from the DR, facing the sofa in front of the
window. My preference is to leave the sofa
in front of the window. Also, what about trying
the Hitchcock chair up to the current LR grouping
at an angle on the right side facing the sofa.
I would also try the butler's tray coffee table
in front of the couch. I'm not keen on the bookcase
together with the end table, one needs to stay and the other moved.

Again -- really well done!!! :)

Yes -- The armchairs in the dining room do look great sitting on each side of the buffet -- and -- when needed -- could be pulled into the sitting area for even more seating.

Yes -- do try the coffee table in front of the sofa and see if it will work into the latest arrangement .... always interesting to see the changes!!

Thanks so very much for trying out ideas from the forum here ... and posting the photos ... gives everyone a chance to look and learn! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Wow, you have been working hard, good for you!

I think removing the corner china cabinet opens up that space. I might suggest taking out the lamps on the buffet for now, or just use one. The two of them seem to be "dividers" and seem to frame that space and make it smaller. Then consider art over each dining room chair, on each side of the mirror. That wall can then be a focal point as you turn in from the entrance stairs.

I agree, well done indeed! It is so fun playing around with your room as you have so many lovely things including the oriental! Thank you for

Yes, to the chairs flanking the buffet, though I would place them flush against the wall and not angled. Then a nice print for over each chair. In my DR I used vintage botanical prints from eBay. The two buffet lamps are very traditional so I would keep them, though what is throwing it off is the mirror. Unfortunately, the scale is wrong both for the size of the buffet and the lamps. It would actually look nice paired with the console that is opposite the couch.

Yes, also, to putting the coffee table in front of the couch.

I agree the WC doesn't look quite right against the railing or the couch angled, but thanks for giving it a try and posting the results. Of the ones posted I much prefer the couch under the window and WC to the left.

As pretty as the console is, unless you plan to place a TV on top, I suggest removing that as well and placing the bookcase there instead. The lamp you can place on the round end table. You would probably need to then lower the painting, but that can wait until you are satisfied with the furniture placement. Next to the bookcase, I'd place your hitchcok chair and perhaps a tall plant to breakup some of the wood look and add a more organic feel to the room.

As for the rug, as you say it is very big, I'd suggest measuring and marking out the dimensions with blue painters tape first to see how it plays out with your new arrangement. While I love the one you have now, I'd prefer to see something larger.

I know you did not ask, but are you considering painting the room and/or WTs? I can see some lovely bamboo shades flanked by stationary panels--though perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself.

Do you have a foyer or entryway? If so, I can see the console paired with the round mirror in either a hallway or entryway or even a bedroom. They are both lovely pieces.

Also, I'd love to see some pics of your kitchen remodel that you mentioned. You have a lovely home.

ok, busy work days, but I did switch the buffet and the bookshelf. I don't think the book shelf has enough weight to anchor this long wall. The picture is of the foyer as you walk in. You can see the living room railing and bookcase in the background on the right, to give you some perspective. I was thinking maybe the foyer table would work in the living between the windows, but now I am not sure. Since the bookcase doesn't seem to be enough on that long wall.

Bookcase - pretend the dining chair is another hitchcock. I was too lazy to get it from the bedroom.

Buffet (Console) next to sofa. Seems too cramped there.

Foyer with view into living room

I will clean up the kitchen and get some pictures up. The 2 doors you have been seeing both lead into the kitchen for perspective.

I wasn't going to paint, but now everything seems more washed out in that room. Definately want some great fabric on the windows to balance the plain fabric I have in the furniture. All in good time. :)

At least I have a 3 day weekend to play!
Allie

I am so glad you posted the foyer pic. Thanks for trying the sofa at the angle. I agree that it is not good at that angle at all.

I like the bookcase between windows but lose the round table all together, just too many pieces in room.

I like the smaller buffet on the wall and think that the two matching chairs would look good with it.

Turn the dining chair in the corner, which look super, at an angle. It will compliment the angle of the chairs that are actually at the table.

Coffee table might bring the WC and the sofa together more cozy.

I wonder if you bring the large square mirror above the large buffet it might make the room look taller??

Also, not sure if you are done yet, but what about bringing the rug under the sofa and WC, again making the space more cozy.

Smart to not hang the mirror until sure.

allie, bumping. any changes?

very nice! You have some beautiful funiture and have placed the beautifully.

I did put the rug down - WAY too big and brought down the coffee table, which seems to work. I need some help moving things out of the room, but Dh hasn't been available.

I will post a picture so you all can advise me on the rug size and if I should get 1 or 2.

thanks for asking!
Allie

alright, I am happy with the furniture placement and am now wading into less familiar waters. As you can see from the picture,the rug I had in this room is WAY too big, even though the colors are lovely. I need to find something for the floor - 1 or 2 rugs? and windows next. What are your favorite sources? I can't stand the shedding wool rug we have someplace else in the house, so that is out, and I think this room calls for the formal mood of an oriental, but am looking for opinions and places to go look. (I live in northern VA)
the room is 12 feet wide and the couch is 6 feet to give you some perspective. What size rug do I look for?

thanks in advance!
Allie