Here are photos of before I got the mirror

Here are photos of around the room. I switched out the mirror for an Ansel Adams just to show scale. But Ansel can't stay because he already has his place in our home elsewhere. I was dreaming of a mirror and a few different height glass bottles made the old fashioned blue glass color

oops here is Ansel.

One more architectural feature that bothers me...the front door. It is not original. I've thought of trying to find a vintage door or painting it black with lever door handle perhaps.

Try a mirror in a portrait orientation in the same scale above the mantle grouped with 2 more elements plus the glass. This is why that ansel works but isn't enough - it echo's orientation of hutch . . . Then a simple line art at 1/2 - 2/3 size square then something smaller - 3 elements. Layer these and add your blue art glass on top - Art - middle size line art with some black and some white - lots of white space. Then, a smaller black and white art photo - even more ansel in portrait orientation . . .

Not sure - think I'm seeing a collection in the built in. Since most of those are smaller scale things, you could add more glass shelves scaled to the smaller cups, then group them by color. The space between them is greater than what you are displaying. Take the one plate out and use it elsewhere - or frame it in a shadow box and hang it to the left of the hutch so it "goes" with the collection. More shelves would allow the line up to feel deliberate and also give you room to create some open space there on the shelves.

(love the hollywood trim at the fire - something to echo at crown and doorways if you add more trim). The armoire you have is great but a bit too close to the built in hutch - two similar elements next to each other . . . if you can slide it anywhere else in the room.

They sell doors with calavos - knotty alder http://www.nicksbuilding.com/Rustic_Exterior_Doors/SW70%2080.jpg

Thanks libradesigneye. The previous owners had a hutch moved over to the left of the entrance and the side table where the hutch is. (opposite of how I have it) But I didn't love that look either. It was confusing to decide who in the room was the focal point. The window, mantel, or hutch. I will post that photo tomorrow. We tried to put the hutch where the green chair is and the room looked out of balance. Maybe I could switch the piano and the hutch. But I like seeing the piano from the other living room. This room is a struggle for me. Brilliant observation on the hutch. The glass shelves are that old fashioned blue green glass. Can i still find that kind of glass? Up close it is really fun to look at all the pottery my kids have done and continue to do. I like their pottery. I have no where else to put it. This house has many built ins and huge windows but not many display places. It makes arranging furniture frustrating too. It is a love hate relationship.

I think the alder door would conflict with the formal living room? The original door didn't conflict. I'll send that photo later too.

Yes Darzy the photo you sent is in my idea book. It is a good one. But the book shelves are higher than the art. I have the hutch and the doorway into the next room flanking my fireplace that are lower than the mirror. My room has its own symmetry. I need to figure out how to make peace with it or alter it. I have thought of scrapping the little built in hutch altogether and building something more like the photo except I would have to wrap the built ins around the opening to the next room. I'd also like to book case in around the windows. I just don't know if it is the best allocation of time and resources. My idea book has lots of photos of built ins and mantels. You can see where I am trying to possibly get to but struggling to find the way.

Here are the photos of previous owner arrangement with Hutch in corner. And a photo of our house in the 1960's with original front door. Now that I see it again not sure I love that door either.

Here is our front now with current door. Plus the other living room the we call the Ranch room. It has its own little built in hutch also.

oops here is the hutch in the ranch. It is backed up to the formal hutch and a child could actually crawl from one room to the other if they opened the bottom doors of the hutches. Also that floral chair isn't permanent. Just there temporarily for a sick family member since it reclines. We are in process of sanding and choosing a stain for the wood work so please excuse that mess too.

Yes I know the mirror or art should be bigger in the Ranch Room but it will have to do for now. I have never found a better replacement.

You have a beautiful and authentic ranch home for NM - I think it is neat to keep the original wood and hutch details . . crave the window layout and muntins . . . I see how they signalled formal and informal. I'm guessing there is a television on the ranch side and that the formal room is used more for conversation, reading and music. Is there enough noise protection on the formal side? Do I see a door there in the historic photos? Before you take the black mirror from the living room back, you might try it in the ranch room - you can always crackle / leather the frame if the scale is right and that elevation is a little larger / different / better for a mirror since it reflects the outdoors. I can see one color story that incorporates your future wood tones could be used so that the rooms flow but maintain their individual character while you are immersed in the bigger projects.

For example, with the wood tone (I imagine a future caramel tone, but perhaps you are thinking nouveau barnwood gray) you might use something like a creamier dijon toned off-white / buff like an art matt for the walls in the entry and living room. The high texture fabrics work well there to set the formal feel - gray and dijon can be found in so many accents and fabric prints for pillows or benches now - you could have instant chic. You might test sw believable buff or the dark white in that direction sw antique white - http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6119-antique-white/ - a combination of whites can feel very formal and it allows the fireplace to stand out. I might paint the hutch exterior with the wall and take the interior to the deeper tone for some contrast, while letting the fireplace stay simply clear white. . .

That leaves you open to do anything with color in the ranch room - because using the gold tones from the wood is already represented, and the gray to black spectrum you've already represented with the upholstery and piano in the living room are in the hardware and come with all modern media.

Wow thanks Libra. I am going to have to look up what you said. I have a limited design vocabulary. I can tell you get what is going on. I am not married to any of the furniture or the white color of the formal room. All you see is yard sale finds to get by. In fact I REFUSE to buy real furniture until the windows are replaced. The couches we moved in with got eaten by the solar rays. Clear single pane glass produces greater than 100% UV. I put some film on the middle ranch window and use the shutters as needed throughout the day. I don't want to waste any more funds to put film on all the windows. They are not worth it. I'd rather save up for new windows. The house is accidentally solar passive. Which is great for warmth but horrible on furniture. Actually in the winter we naturally migrate to the Ranch Room because it makes us feel warm. In the Summer we migrate to the White room. Nothing planned it is just how it naturally happens. Actually the Ranch has more seating. The center buffet (not original) on the ranch window wall was removed and turned back into bench sitting plus a couch, two chairs, and a table and four chairs where everyone eats in the winter. I'd show you a photo but everyone is lounging around and would hate me. We have no TV.

Just to make this more complicated my kitchen next to the Ranch has grey tile black splash with a piping of off white that has strawberries with 50's green leaves. The cabinets used to be that color. The previous owner painted them white and grey. Not that great. The bathroom just passed the kitchen is also that amazing 50's green. When I consider that I migrate towards either a kitchen makeover or going whimsical with the decor. Transition is a major problem for me. When I checked out the original paint and wall paper buried under white paint it was all more unified.

Here is the green bathroom.

I would eliminate the built in bookcase to the left of the fireplace in the formal LR. Then I would add a darker color to the FP wall. There's just too much white. Maybe paint all 4 walls, but I'd start with the FP wall. On the window wall, you definitely need to add trim, and your idea of crown moulding in the room would help too. The right trim carpenter could do both in a short time.

Over the fireplace, I believe that a piece of art would be much better than a mirror. The art should be somewhat bigger than the Ansel Adams but with the same vertical orientation as the Ansel.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

If you prefer to keep the bookcase, then beef up the trim around it and add additional trim at the top. The trim could be similar to what you see around the doorway in the photo below.

Carolyn, I am leaning towards getting rid of the built in bookcase. But if I did beef it up wouldn't it still be strange since the opening into the next room still has the same height and width? I would have a higher bookcase, art over the mantel that would be taller still and then the opening to the next room lower all on the same wall. I am trying to talk logic to myself so I get rid of the cute little built in book case if that is what is holding everything back. It will be the second bookcase in the house for me to demolish or in this case cover. The first was a huge success but this is harder for some reason.

What would you think of my adding to the ceiling book cases like "A Moderm Gem" and or like the below photo where they wrap around the opening that leads to the next room. .... well I have photos of such in my idea book. I can't figure out how to attach them here : (

When you say trim out my window you agree it could be with bookshelves to the ceiling and topped with crown moulding ?

I was planning on plastering the walls with Variance a color very close to what you pictured.

Here are some better photos of the window wall and one photo from a magazine to show wrapping the book cases around the corner.

Blueskies, I love your idea of building bookcases around the window wall. If you have an Ikea near you, you might be able to use their Billy bookcase system and then have a carpenter trim it out. The Billy series has "height added" pieces which I always use as I love the look of tall bookcases. In the second photo below, the Billy bookcases were customized with crown moulding and base board added.

I think you're right about too many height changes in the room if you added trim to the top of the bookcase to the left of the FP.

I do think you could do some trim around it / around the doorway opening to the next room that were sort of based on the hollywood trim at the fireplace . . a bit deco / glamour / 40's / katherine hepburn ish . . .

hear you on the windows. new windows are a large expense and challenging when you have stucco / southwest style that clashes with white vinyl / econochoice. . . see if you can start to price bronze aluminum with the same profile but new thermal properties . . best value to kind of match style . . .

Green cabinets in kitchen could be grand . . that spearmint tile in the bathroom . . never going to be grand . . there are some terrific rustic looking tile now that will evoke the era far better than the actual . . but tackle in your priority order. Don't take spearmint elsewhere . . just make it cute by itself and let it be a relic . . Functional and clean is good - new fixtures good. Rest can wait. Add one print at window with the green and white and fun - like this http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=18&productID=5487&pStart=600&recNum=628 as a valance and buy towels in white too.
concentrate elsewhere . . .

you sort of need an inspiration fabric pair that works as a color palette inspiration for both rooms . . .

Oh, I love the bathroom tile!!! What a pretty color...I think it would be gorgeous with the colors of sea glass blue and soft green, maybe a white or taupe.