Love your Saltillo floors. Do you know the history of the place? Based on the ceilings and differing flooring, I'm wondering if the brick room was a porch. Is there a view? Could you replace the built-ins with French doors onto a deck?

Lightening up the brick room should be possible, but combing the two rooms may be trickier.

As far as I can tell the brick portion was the old part of the home and the high ceiling room was an addition. We are still trying to get more info on the history. The door you see on the brick photos can be glass or a large window but where the built-ins are located is a sidewalk. The decks are all on the other side of the house. I do have a tiny window by the stairs that we might be able to enlarge.

I see what you mean now about the french door now. I will measure that space but I think there are steps right on the sidewalk outside where that window is.