I love the blue ceiling and the lighting. To tie the rooms together I would paint the library ceiling blue as well and have the same carpet in both rooms.

Thanks @holeinthewall! I think both of those ideas would help. I may need to do a jute rug until I can find budget for another Oriental rug like the DR one.

Great finds that will go a long way. I agree with painting the new pieces.

While I like the blue ceiling, I would not carry it into the library. The rooms will tie together (flow) if they are decorating in the same style, and it is the DR's "POW!" Repeating in the next room will make it loose its impact.

It is a Victorian home, and I understand not going full on Victorian. Eclectic, yes. The lounge chair will be comfortable for reading (and napping?). A sisal rug will add texture, but definitely paint the bookcases first, since you might change your mind on the rug afterwards.

If you want the home to be more eclectic or vintage, I would do an oriental rug instead. If you do the lounge, sisal and a couple more new chairs, the room is going to look more "decorated." The most beautiful homes, IMO, appear as if they were done over time. The dining room is more traditional, almost farmhouse, with the exception of the chandelier. Since you just purchased the matching chandeliers, I am not sure what style or vibe is desired. It is not what I would have chosen for the either room. The dining room chairs are fantastic, a favorite. I'm just confused as to the end goal.

Along with the blue ceiling, I think I might also paint the library walls to match the dining room's pale beige. I could do the inside back of the cabinets that color to give it contrast with the white trim on the rest of the cabinets. Maybe rub some dark wax into the cabinet details?

Allison 0704, thanks! I think eclectic is part of it and I kind of struggle to know how to pull it off -- mixing old and new, achieving a balance of casual and formal, traditional and today.

I guess I am wondering what would be wrong with not painting the bookcases. They are too deep to be built-ins and they have visual impact from the dining room as they are.

teresale2013 I want to tone down the gold detailing, it feels too fancy to me. This room is pretty dark, too, because it doesn't get a lot of natural light, so I am thinking a white might brighten it up and make a nice showcase for my collection of antique (and contemporary) books.

I would think about painting the cabinets the same color as the wall so they recede visually, but a bit glossier probably eggshell, and painting the backs a color. The same blue as the ceiling could be nice.

You could carry the blue from the dining room into the library by painting the inside of the bookcases with it and adding pillows and a throw in that shade as well. You want that color in there, but not on the ceiling.

First, I can't believe you found two units that fit perfectly between door and wall! Is the top portion of each case removeable? If so, I think you should consider having a carpenter cut the top cabinets down to the right depth for books (not that difficult) so that they look more like built-in's, then paint them as disfromage suggested. You could then store books in the upper portion and larger items in the lower. If the top isn't removeable, consider cutting the full back off each unit to a desired depth. The carpenter would then replace it with a new veneered panel. If the work isn't within your budget, then buy something to go above the door to balance the wall and paint the cases.

I love the wall color you have in the 'study' and wouldn't change it. For now I suggest you remove the rug so you can get a good feel of that room and what it needs.

@decoenthusiaste You're addressing one of my biggest worries! Hoping white paint will help a lot and I also want to explore more how to handle the above the door space.

@annztoo I found a person selling the units for $250 for both and so I decided to go for it! Budget is definitely a concern and I am exploring this approach as an alternative to having custom built ins made. Your idea about having the top halves cut to make them shallower is brilliant! I will check into that.

If a clever carpenter can remove the tops to make them more shallow, he could probably also cut off some inches at the bottom to lower them to be more appropriate with your current trim. Door enhancement below.

I would paint the bookcases white and the walls a few shades lighter blue than that which is on the ceiling in the dining room. I would get a jute rug (less expensive) and place an oriental rug on top of it in a smaller size (more economical) when the budget allows. I would also take the plaid runner off of the dining room table. It does not seem to go with the rest of the room and is too short.

Thanks everyone, so much for your ideas! Here are a couple more pics so you can see the outside wall of the room, with two windows. Everything in there now is probably going to change. I temporarily have the old bookcases in there until I can move the books. Boxes, mirror, console table all will go. Here's a shot with the door open, too -- and I removed the rug (and table runner!).

I would definitely have the cases made more shallow. Probably at top and bottom. (unless the bottom storage is needed) I think a deeper colour with a high gloss would look smashing and I would just tone down the gilt,not paint it out. Maybe consider finding a different home for that chair, and doing some low, comfy,clubby chairs around a circular table or ottoman.

" I would paint the bookcases white and the walls a few shades lighter blue than that which is on the ceiling in the dining room. "

layla

I agree with that

@hollybar Funny you should mention the chairs around a circular ottoman! That is one of the ideas I have been collecting. I've been considering moving the chair although I do love a good napping spot...!

@NE Broe, two minds thinking alike! I recently did the "swivel chairs round ottoman" for a rental we have. The room (a sort of sun porch) is small & finding the right size but comfy chair was key. Also not too spendy;-) A couple of our recent guests have commented on really enjoying that specific space which never happened when I had a small sofa in it. I think the space reads more inviting & planned now. Best of luck.

Well, I have not finished this project but I have made some progress. I've met with a craftsperson who is going to trim and fit the pieces I bought to fit the width on either side of the door.

I considered adding a more shelves above the units because there's actually a full 14 inches above them to reach the ceiling.

I decided not to cut the depth of the units because I like the depth and can make use of the storage space.

Today I found a piece of mahogany from the 1890s that I plan to use above the door. I kind of hate to paint the beautiful wood but will need to to unify the whole wall. The chalk marks show approximately where we'll need to cut it to fit between the bookcases.

I'm considering adding two lights to the top arches of the bookcases.

My contractor is going to first fit everything, then paint or all (in my garage), then install it. While he has it in the garage, I intend to paint the walls the same deep sea blue as the adjacent dining room ceiling.

That's the plan. Will post when complete!

Following

Nice. cant wait to see the finished product.

I would not miss the opportunity to paint these a fabulous glossy navy blue or charcoal...or plum :)

Here's the latest update! I decided to paint the walls Sherwin Williams Marea Baja blue (to match the dining room ceiling) and the cabinets white to match the trim in both rooms.I had dimmable soft white LED strip lighting installed in the arches. We're not done finishing the cabinet details but I am excited at how all the individual pieces are coming together!

All done and ready to style and furnish the cabinets and room.
Final touches made to trim and repair to a cabinet door. Tons of fine tuning needed to fit the straight cabinets into a crooked old house!

Great to see your vision coming to life. Looks lovely. I hope you share more as the space progresses. And if you ever decide on still more drama,you could always cover the door ala Lisa Borgnes Giramonti

Thanks @hollybar!

I thought I would post one last time to update this discussion and close out the project

My books are on the shelves and decorated for the holidays and I found an estate rug that I really like that matches the deep blue of the walls and the burgundy and geometrics of the rug in the next room. While I still need additional seating and may change some things over time, right now I'm feeling really happy with the result.

I appreciate all the ideas and encouragement from the Houz community!

Big change from the "before" picture!
(Sorry the "after" picture is so dark but when I turned the lights up it distorted the colors so I dimmed everything for the shot.)

Oops, forgot to post the before/after.
Here's the back wall:

Wow. Great job!! The rug is stunning. Enjoy!

Looks great - so warm and inviting. I would love to lounge on that chair with a book and a cup of tea :)) Have a wonderful holiday season!

I missed the original discussion but want to say that your result is awesome! Enjoy!

Wow. What a difference! You could not have found a better rug. It looks so inviting. Maybe silk spider plants or ferns on top of the book cases? Good job.

That was a LOT of work and the results are fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey. High on creativity!!

the bookcases look great in white ,thinking to do the them for the antique book cases in my living room , did the wood need to be strip ?,or can it be painted directly on the wood,the result is beautiful ,,let me know, your answer will be very helpful,Thank you , woodbern

@Woodbern I hired someone to paint for me, so I don't know all the details on the steps they took to prep the wood. I think what you will need to do will depend on the condition and type of your surface and the type of paint you choose. I used 2 gallons of Sherwin Williams 7006 "Extra White" semi-gloss over one gallon of a water based primer (similar to Kilz but SW brand). Hope that helps! Good luck!!

Thank you , this give me some guidance ,before I call a painter

Magnificent!

Really beautiful.

I learned so much from this project. Thank you for sharing with us. I love everything you did.