You could fold a cream coloured throw and drape it over the dark green chair to brighten it up, maybe a lumbar pillow, depends on how comfortable that will be in the chair, I like the up/down blind, very useful and not unattractive. You could think about curtain panels flanking the window to dress it a bit more. Have a curtain pole that's wide enough to have the panels in front of the wall on either side, so as not to obscure the beautiful frame and block light. I'd go for a white or off-white semi-sheer fabric, a cotton or linen.

I'll see if I can find some fabric ideas for the other chair for you.

Katerina Tana Design · More Info

Garden Cottage / Guest House · More Info

Crossed posts with Bette P :-)

Window in office.

Other side of office

Great suggestions, what color to paint bookcase? Throw for chair is a great idea as well, easy fixes, plus plant .Thank you

Hopefully deleted the other post still finding my way around the site. Thanks

Consider your wall colour for the bookcase in a satin finish.

Just noticed you have a glass protector on your desk. You could back paint the glass to a lighter colour.

Are you open to selling your globe and adding a comfy ottoman to your chair? If so, try to look for one that has a higher leg and not solid sides to the floor, since you are saying this room is small. Again, looking for lighter colours. This one has great legs, of course you wouldn't want dark leather. You might find one in a consignment shop etc.

Betty I am open to every suggestion, rather than paint the glass, what if I put a lighter color fabric under the glass, never painted glass before. For bookcase, can I use the same paint that is on the walls, the wall is in a matte finish.

I was going to say a well pressed fabric, tablecloth remnant, grasscloth type wallpaper, (or a paper map if the colours worked) under the glass.

I'm not sure if your wall paint would wear well on the bookcase if it's matte. If it's a latex paint, you could add a latex clear coat over top if you are up to the work of it. Is your trim colour a warm white, bit of a sheen?

I added a bit to my last post, see the stool idea.

Thank you again, the trim is ben Moore semi gloss 101 white. Will look for a paint similar to wall for bookcase. Also great suggestions on what I could use under glass. Looks like I have my work cut out. Also working on dining room at the moment , so that is first, but you have given me GREAT suggestions thank you so much.

I really think the dark area rug is not helping with feeling like the room is dark. Also all the dark wood - floors, bookshelf, desk, etc. AND the dark green chair. If you want to lighten it up, add whites, golds and yellows. White pillows and blankets, gold or yellow rug, and try floor lamps that project light onto the ceiling.

Thank you DD Pennie, will be going shopping for material to lighten up room, think a light gold is the way to go as well as a floor lamp. Have a way to go as I am working on dinning room at the moment but keeping a file on all the suggestions. Many thanks

Perhaps you could find upholstery that is yellow with red dots and use this for the seat of the antique chair so that it coordinates with the hunter green chair. You might also use this yellow upholstery for valences at the windows and for throw pillow covers to brighten the room. The original upholstery on the antique chair is beautiful, and I would suggest you save it to frame as wall art to display in another room.

Perhaps you could find a colorful map to put under the glass on the desk. If just a map is too flimsy, you might use rubber cement to attach the map to poster board and then put it under the glass. Of course, the map will fit in with the globe, which you are so fortunate to have! You might try some larger lamps on the table and the desk. If you could move the sailing picture so that it is centered over the large green chair, you would have room for a larger, taller lamp on the side table. You have lovely colors in this room, and I think the red rug is very pretty. If you do not have ceiling lights, I would suggest you add some that have a crystal globe or strings of crystal and polished brass. You might put the large version of the fixture in the center of the ceiling and then put a smaller version in each corner of the room. Since you asked about painting the bookcase, why not use the white trim color as another poster suggested and then paint the back of the bookcase the yellow I suggested for the upholstery? If the yellow paint is too permanent for you, perhaps you could remove the shelves and put the yellow and red dot upholstery across the back of the book case, secure it with clear push pins, and then re-insert the shelves. The ivory color on the walls does seem a bit darkening. Would you consider a very pale blue that would harmonize with the navy blue in the rug? The pale blue would be neutral enough for the green chair and would be the complementary color for the yellow I suggested.

Lots of great ideas here already :-)

You could also add a light on the top of the bookcase and there are battery operated picture lights that you could hang above your collection of art on the wall opposite the window.

Found a couple of fabric ideas for your chair:

This is a material I found yesterday for the antique chair, it is a gold yellowish color, the stripes going down are a shiny color, blends well with the green chair, any thoughts ? Still looking, great suggestion for light on top of bookcase. The ceiling has a fan, so can't put light there. Plan to look for new flower pot and thrown today. Great suggestions all around, so helpful to get a third eye when decorating. Many, Many thanks, all of you have been great !!!!

That's a lovely fabric! Great find :-)

Thank you Carolins, am still checking, but think this fabric will work.

Wow, you're a speedy mover! It's already beginning to look much brighter. Thanks for keeping us up to date :-) Love to see the transformation.

Is that needlepoint on the chair seat? I would think twice about replacing the seat. It's the nature of the chair, and while I understand changing things up, juxtaposing, etc...sometimes there's something to be said for authenticity. The hunter green chair seems dark and heavy, maybe it could be lightened up/replaced instead of the antique chair. Of course, if the needlepoint is in poor condition you have little choice. I edited this post, it sounded very negative before, sorry if you read it in that condition..too much coffee.

Found on Etsy and I think it would be perfect for the balloon chair and your timeless room.

The only additional thing I would alter in that room is the baskets. I would use leather or carved wood boxes perhaps even a set of child size steamer trunks.

I like the flowery one, has the green of the chair in it, is more feminine.

Needle point is not in good shape, so that does really need to be replaced. Living with the fabric Think the flowery one looks the best, thank you carolins, will address the green chair at abother point. . Any suggestions, ? Also looking for new desk lamp. Thank you everyone, love Houzz,

Restoration Fabrics and Trims specializes in fabrics for historic decorating and also has some needlepoints that could replace the one on your chair seat as well. Plus you can download free illustrated yardage guides for everything from bedding to slipcovers, upholstery, and window treatments. Check them out and use the contact form on the site to contact them - they would be happy to help you coordinate fabrics.

I agree with Carolina - definitely the flowery fabric. The pattern of the other fabric is too similar to the chair fabric and rug patterns. I also like the light background of the flowery one. There is more of a contrast between the fabric and the rug and floor.