groveraxle, as usual, you are right on the money with your pics. Love those chairs! :))

Get an area rug to ground he space and build the scene on. Put the 2 chairs with the little round table between them in the alcove. Put the sofa across from them with the coffee table in the middle and the 2 other occasional tables on either side of the sofa.

if the sofa is on the left wall, it'll feel a little claustrophobic considering the dimensions of the room. however, placing it on the right wall overlooking the hallway or entry, (or at least that's what it looks like) will give the illusion of a larger room and feel more spacious. best to experiment with the furniture placement to get a feel for what tickles your fancy.

I took another look at your furniture placement. I like it. is there a table in back of the sofa? I think a good size green plant would sort of interesting there. Just a thought.

I love this site. Thanks for all the great suggestion. Again, the photo of the room with the window is in the process of completion. The double parlor is separated by a fireplace on the outside wall. The opposite side of the double parlor is shown in picture #2 and is the room that I would like to be more of a reading room. Love the ideas of the bookcases and reading areas. Now I'm thinking of wing chair and ottoman in the corner on the left at an angle, and settee/chaise on right side of room with added book selves and lamps. What do you think???
Thank you for all the suggestions and photos.

This is #2 picture - the room for redo

I'm thinking wing chair and ottoman on the left. Settee/lounge/chaise for the right. With small bookcase and lamp right far wall.
For reference while taking this photo, my back is to the window room, fireplace on outside wall on left, door in photo to dining room and door to the right to hall and entrance foyer.

another pic of fireplace center left of double parlor

Yikes! This is a better pic of fireplace.

Put a rug in the library/comfy section to help delineate the areas, I love the more formal section by the windows, great job. Beautiful home, I'm sure it will be fab.

If we are using existing furniture then I would put the two side chairs in the bay with a table in between, the sofa against the far wall and some sort of console or chest on the shorter wall with another side chair to the left of the sofa around the coffee table. If new furniture is an option then I might add a small writing desk in the window facing out with a wonderful ghost chair in front so as not to block the view, place the sofa against the right wall and the two side chairs on the other wall with a small table in between. Perhaps a small bench to the right of the sofa in front of the coffee table to create a conversation circle of sorts. Good luck!

ekmckay, how fortunate you are to have such a beautiful row house! The moldings and crown and stained-glass are just gorgeous. You are receiving lots and lots of great ideas and hope you will be able to post a completed pic of the room. :))

I didn't read all of the comments but wanted to share my first thought on your picture of the sofa in the window. Have you considered removing the 2 end tables and placing a sofa table behind your sofa? The 2 lamps could sit on it. Leave the chairs where they are. Easy fix. You have a lovely space.

If you really want to create a room for reading how about moving out the furniture, that is in the room and adding a built-in or chaise by the window, adding bookcases and arm chairs.... or a nice desk. If budget is a problem; you can buy plain bookcases, then add decorative feet and crown molding to dress them up. You can get an arm chair and an ottoman instead of a built-in or chaise. You could use a small cafe table and chairs or a desk to add additional reading space or to function as a homework/home office work station.

So far, have added wing chair and corner cabinet. Will put books into corner cabinet for "library look."
Like it???

I have tiles on my fireplace mantel with images I would like to identify.
Can you identify either of these images???

Can you identify this image???

I do like the corner by the fireplace, though I find the wing chair upholstery a little busy with the rug. How about a plain throw on the chair to tone it down a bit? I assume you have hung brown paper on the wall to indicate placement of some art? I'd keep that pretty simple, too, I think. A woodcut or etching, or sepia-toned photo would like good, I think.

I guess I'm Johny come lately on this discussion, but I think the formal end looks great. You might try looking to how living areas were furnished when the house was build. Before tv most living rooms had a center table (much like a dining table) with chairs they could pull up and read aloud or do handiwork on the table while others read. Some version of that could be great, Pile books on the table you are reading or want to read. Make the chairs more comfortable than dining room chairs, sort of informal library feel. Bill

I think I may have found a site with more information about your tiles at the very end of the web page: urbainremainschicago.com

I meant urbainremainschicago.com

Sorry, everybody! Urbanremainschicago.com

Yes --search the site for majolica tiles. You'll see some like yours there.

ekmckay, so you are the one with the tile questions. I thought your username sounded familiar! I looked up J and JG Low last night and found their story interesting but really no mention of the tiles being Majolica. But on the Chicago website, those tiles seemed very similar. Which ever the correct story is, you have fantastic tiles around your fireplace. Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking? :))

Thanks for asking. We have lived on Capitol HIll, DC for almost 2 years and still working on our rowhouzz. This site has been very helpful, however. Thanks.

I checked urbanremainchicago.com and found majolica fireplace tiles similar to mine. Amusing.......I was guessing "Charles Darwin" for the tile with the beard and "Martin Luther" for the tile of the monk. Now I'm guessing that they are random images, not notable historical figures.

Capitol hill -- I was right - like my geo'twn rowhouse! I love it when I'm right. :-)

YIkes!!! Just across town!! Lovin' DC. Moved her to be near the grand baby. Will try to research my tiles at the library of congress. Maybe the librarians can add more info. Thanks again.

Beautiful tiles even if no historical value.

I believe that they have historical value!

Marylou, I believe you are correct about historical value. Those tiles are very interesting. Ekmckay, so nice that you live in Capitol Hill area. I lived outside Alexandria for roughly three years and went into D.C. often. Such history, so much to see and do. Good luck with your row house, and keep posting pics! :)

Try placing your soda or a new sofa on the the main wall as you walk in, with great art above, balanced with side tables and lamps, a nice Oushak rug. Coffee table with two chairs on either side of coffee table. If there is room float a ottoman to scale in from of the coffee table. In the bay window a nice game table and two chairs would be nice, you could read, play chess, backgammon, cards, read , have drinks or just talk. The window treatment is important as well as the paint color, art and accessories they will complete the look..good luck

I didn't read all the comments, I only looked at the first picture. It seems there is more going on in the space than the the first picture shows.

I like Kirsten Davidson suggestion w/rug and moving sofa out of cove. U r blocking view of out side. If u have funds, build a great window seat w/ pillows for a great space to curl up w/ a book, or wait for a good sale and get a comfy low back chair for the nook.

Thanks for all the great suggestions with furniture placement. As far as the fireplace tiles..............the general consensus is that the face with the beard is likely Charles Darwin. Still not certain about the face with the hat. Any other suggestions???

I totally love your room with the furniture you have and where it is. If it were mine, and it's not....but I was thinking some white or cream pillows and a coordinating furry rug.

Look what they had in the Canadian Style at Home magazine!
The article was called " A Victorian with global flair".

Yikes!! The similarity to mine is uncanny! The proportions of the room are very similar to mine. The fire place on the outside wall separates the two portions of the double parlor. I don't have the built in bookcases and I have mirror over my mantle. Thanks for sending!! I love the couch in the window alcove.

I like this photo.

Check out Small space interior: Narrow row house - www.styleathome.com

I've decides on my furniture placement. Will post pics later.
Now I'm trying to choose colors. How about gold/yellow damask sofa with "jewel tone/peacock color" throw pillows to compliment stained glass windows above.
Also any suggestion for area rugs.

Pic of seating area.

looks nice. Choosing a color from the stained glass sounds like a good idea. Look up some color combos on houzz will help as well. Good luck. Cannot wait to see your results

found a navy sheraton sofa that fits in the narrow wall space and navy wing chair.
Any suggestions for area rugs. Oriental?? textured navy??

more pics of above

Can the larger picture currently behind the chair go over the couch and that one switch and go by the chair? Try to not have the art the same height as the corner piece. Love that you found these pieces for this room!

Your floors are sooooo pretty and I hate to think of them being hidden with too much of a rug. While I normally have a fit over rugs not fitting in a space, there is something about the rug that is there right now that just seems ok to me.

I think I'm finished. Do you like it?

I like. Almost done. One tiny thing...

Makes a huge difference, doesn't it.

And pull the table forward so someone sitting on the sofa doesn't have to reach behind them to have an apple.