I love your room! Offhand I can't even think of any furniture you should move because it's already so beautiful. Here is the part I hesitate to say, but I hope you will take this comment in the spirit in which it is meant. When I put my hand over the carpet on the wall your room looks so much better to me. I do think it detracts from the really special aura this room has. (My husband disagrees with me, by the way.) Incidentally, I wonder if a table in front of the settee would be a good idea for putting down a drink or a book, and also for decorative purposes. That would also decrease the large open area in the middle of the room. You have so many lovely pieces to work with in this room.

Pianos are hard to decorate around. Just to toss some ideas out........Have you considered putting the settee in the recessed window area? Maybe put the chest by the piano corner where the sette is now? Flank it with the two chairs. Put the tall hutch straight against the wall where the chest is now. Does this give you any ideas?

You need something heavy to balance the room on the other side of the piano. Maybe put the two upholstered chairs there with one of the little tables between them?

Im thinking same thing about rug on the wall,you are getting alot of patterns in one room,stair runner,different chairs curtaind 2 rugs.Dont ya love antiques?

How about the oak chest under the hanging rug? The settee is too unsubstantial to anchor the rug.

Nice pieces. I agree with Andee. The piana/oak chest area is too heavy and the rest of the room is not. I would move the chest under the rug and place the pair of chairs on either side.

Center the piano on the current wall.

Take the half circle table out of the room. It doesn't belong.

Do you have a hallway somewhere the china cabinet could go in? A large bathroom? Kitchen eating area?

Do you walk through this room through the french doors into the next room? Or would it be okay to not have a straight path over the rug from foyer to next room?

I will save the rest of my thoughts until after I hear the answers.

Have you tried putting the piano under the hanging rug? I think a dark, solid piece would help to balance the pattern in the rug. Maybe move the settee to the window alcove with one chair to the side or place it where the piano sits now.

Thanks for the ideas! I will be moving furniture around this weekend and will try these out. ItÂs hard to get an idea of the scale of the room from the pictures: The cathedral ceiling, that is highest at the west end, doesnÂt come across in the picture. The hanging rug on the wall (hung way high) is the only thing weÂve found that enters into that vertical space. It works well for that.

I know IÂve got a lot of patterns going on: when I can reupholster at least the blocky chair I will go for a solid. IÂm also thinking about changing the drapes for a solid; IÂm thinking of a really simple draped swag; for the 2 paired windows, something hung asymmetrically (not sure how to describe this), with the high end towards the center, "framing" the wall carpet. The current drapes are hung way high above the actual window frame too; again to enter into all that vertical space. Making new ones is a lot to bite off right now; I have other some incomplete rooms to finish remodeling first. Maybe for something like I have in mind I can find something ready made?

ThereÂs no other room where the china cabinet could go. The chairs and the tables are all "too light", so this and the heavy oak chest should be good to balance them, in some way or other.

The settee looks great in the box bay but for the fading issue. When I put the plants in there, that provides a shelter, but then it is no longer "in" the bay but a foot or more out of it.

I do walk through this room through the french doors into the next room. But I used to steer around a coffee table, so I donÂt need to go in a straight line. IÂm up for a new one (or new CL one) if I could decide what style.

I agree with others in that I would remove the rug from the wall. I had a home with that type ceiling and ended up teaching myself to quilt so that I had something to fill the space. Quilts can be much more delicate looking and IMO the rug is not in keeping with your furnishings. You may be able to make a gallery area there with art that would work better than the rug. I also think that the oak chest fights with the wall color, which is probably why some have suggested that it be moved. It is too close now (in proximity) to the piano - both are bulky pieces and weigh down that side of the room. You have a lot of large pieces trying to fit with delicate seating. It is hard to balance the room given that. I think you might need to edit out some pieces.
Diane

You have a lovely home and lovely furniture! How did the DR turn out?

I would say the piano would have to stay where it is (if you don't have space in another room) since outside walls tend to put them out of tune due to temp. fluctuations.

If you don't need the hall tree right there in the foyer/LR are then I'd move it to where the settee is now, it being the tallest piece, but take the rug off the wall. Then you could put the china cabinet there. If you need the hall tree where it is, then put the china cabinet where the settee is, or where the oak chest is. It doesn't fit in the corner where it is now.

Can the settee and maybe one side table go where you walk into the room? Then you can put your chair and the other table in the corner where the oak chest is now. If you don't have another spot for the oak chest I'll take it LOL. Sorry, gotta go - kids want a snack!

I would remove the floor rug -- as it competes too strongly with the rug on the wall.

Next -- I would place the piano under the hanging rug -- and now this is you MUSIC ROOM (name a room to claim it! LOL!!)

Then place the tall china cabinet in the far corner (where the piano and the short cabinet now sit) Place it on the wall with the doors. Remove the hanging lamps and far-too-modern artworks.

Move the short cabinet in the bay window -- and add one of the Tiffany-style lamps.

Place the settee where the paino now sits -- and then "float" the two chairs on each end of it. This will simply take a bit of time -- remember angles and inches count so keep shifting things around! LOL!

Place the taller chair where you reading chair now sits --- and move the reading chair to the corner where the tall china cabinet used to sit.

THEN -- step back -- and look again. Then place the oval table on the right-hand side of the settee (in its new position) and the other table by your reading chair. If possible add a standing lamp (look for a bridge-style standing lamp) by your reading chair.

Welcome to your new Music Room.

For artworks -- frame and hang old Victorian music sheets! Perfect for your style and your Music Room.

Jan

I like teacats suggestions of removing the floor rug and moving the piano under the wall rug. The two items are more in scale with one another. Your settee is overwhelmed by the large rug above it.

I love the room as it is and can imagine the box bay filled with plants, like a victorian front parlor, but its so cozy.

Wondering if the rug can be moved at an angle to one end of the room or the other, then instead of thinking of a room, think of two seperate room arrangements, like one music room and then a parlor room. The piano back can be finished and become an option as a divider, if that helps stimulate ideas. Please forgive me, I have an adversion to piano players with their backs to the room, lots more fun for player and singers to face the party and see everyone. Just my thing.

How I would LOVE to have your "problem!" lol. Wow. What a treasure in furniture!

What I do agree with is the rug on the wall needs to be taken down.

Just out of curiosity, how tall is the hall tree? What a unique piece of furniture!

Just took a look again at your wonderful room. I would love to see a photo of your stair carpet. It looks gorgeous, have we seen it before?

Thanks for the help!

The hall mirror is 9 feet tall. It came from my great grandparents house (who died before WW I) and was stashed gathering layers of coal dust in my grandparents attic for 80 years, until that house was sold 20 years ago. I got it because I was the only family member who had a ceiling tall enough for it and knew how to restore it (plus my Dad talked other family members into it!). The delicate looking settee and chairs are from the same great grandparents. I never met them nor my grandparents from my DadÂs family, so having their pieces makes me feel connected to my heritage. It was a large family so I feel very lucky to have what I do. 2 other chairs and a table are from my MomÂs family.

I just learned how to post pictures this week so my stair runner has not been "featured" before. But thanks for your kind words! We replaced the wall to wall on the stairs a few years ago. We hoped the wood underneath would be decent enough to varnish but it was not. So we opted to paint with oil based and chose a wool runner that would go with all the current Persian carpets, all the rest of which are handmade wool or silk. This was just ordered from a regular carpet store and installed by them. I still want to glaze (or something) the banisters and spindles, as the builder used 1 coat of cheesy minwax on them in a dead color I donÂt like. But thatÂs a lot of surface area to cover and I donÂt know that IÂll ever get to it.

I got halfway through moving furniture today before I got sidetracked. I went to the basement to get this beautiful large antique looking mirror I bought a few years ago and saved for this room when it was "ready". I wanted to see which wall it would look best on before I got too far ahead. When I unpacked it to show my husband I found the brass had corroded in spots like it was diseased. I wanted to clean it up right away so I could have his help to hang it: itÂs too heavy for one person to handle. I have this strong copper and brass cleaner that up to this point has always worked. But 6 hours later I was still cleaning it! So much for getting this room put to rights today. My feet are killing me from standing up cleaning that thing all day.

Why is it that every project snowballs into something unforeseen??? Why canÂt I get anything DONE???

Linnea...I think the solution here is to let go of all that old stuff and buy new!

I'll be there with a truck tomorrow to take it off your hands LOL (I think I adore almost every piece)

I have to second the music room. The beautiful suite isn't really "comfortable" and in a music room...you're not suppposed to slouch...I think making them and the "music" a feature is an excellent idea. I love your old reading chair...let's be frank...I covet it LOL It needs a place of honor as well.

I would move the tall cabinet to the end of the room where the dresser is now. It is too large for the corner where it is sitting. Obviously take down all the art and the two hanging lamps. I would think about putting those in the bow.

Take the dresser and put that in front of the rug on the wall. Take the settee and put that in front of the bow window (not in the window - have the back line up with the front edge of the opening. This will allow your plants to have a home in the window, but allow the settee to define the seating area. Use the floor lamp by the settee. Consider taking that demilune console and putting that in the bow window as a base for some smaller plants, with more floor plants in front of it. It doesn't really fit the decor of the room, and using it for plants will give it a purpose and take the focus away from it.

Take the two wooden chairs and put them on either side of the dresser on the rug wall. Add a nice lamp on that dresser, perhaps a plant or a small grouping of books.

Honestly, I don't see feel the rug on the floor works well in the space, especially with your wall color and drapery. Could it find a home somewhere else?

Keep the chair that is by the piano, but have it face the dresser, rather than away from the piano. Where is your piano bench/stool, by the way?

Keep the upholstered chair in the back corner, and put the oval end table beside it. The tables are really too tall for your seating, but I understand wanting to keep them. Use the square one to the right end of the settee, once you put it in the bow window area, about where the large cabinet is now.

I read that you have a brass mirror to add. The only wall space that seems feasible in the new plan would be over the chair in the back corner.

Rehang the art once you have re-arranged, and think about ways to group some of the small accessories to give more of a cohesive feel to the items.

I am sure your ancestors would be pleased that you place so much emotional value on their belongings. Enjoy your 'new' space when you get it set - and be sure to show us the end result!

Tall cabinet to buffet location. Settee to bay window. Two tables with lamps moved sideways in front of windows. Two open-back chairs to face settee at angles. (new, smaller rug under to define area?) Two upholstered chairs to area by hanging rug, half-round table between. I don't see where the buffet cabinet fits. Piano seems fine where it is.
Casey

I haven't read everyones suggestions so my apologies if any of these ideas has already been mentioned. Keeping your constraints in mind (don't move the rug or pier mirror):
1. Place the china closet on the wall in front of the wall hanging carpet.
2. Center the red floor carpet on the china closet.
3. Slide the piano down more towards the corner
4. Move the chest/server to the bay.

Now that the big pieces are placed you can create seating areas. I would put one seating area in the center of the room, with the settee facing the french doors and the two wood frame chairs sitting opposite with a table between. Keep the chairs and settee close enough to ensure good traffic flow around the chairs and the piano. If this setup impedes traffic, rotate the seating about 45 degrees with the chairs facing more towards the staircase.

I would create a reading area by putting one of the upholstered chairs and a table and lamp in the corner where the china closet is currently located.

I like the idea of having an upholstered chair in the corner near the piano like you have now, but I don't know if there will be room for that. You have some wonderful furniture in this room and you're lucky to have the space to show it all off!

You've gotten so many great suggestions I couldn't do better. The two rugs together bothered me right off (though I like each one alone), and your poor little settee looks overwhelmed. I'd think of putting the settee in the entry (if applicable) and putting a full sized sofa in your music room. If you move that piano I hope you have some gorillas to help; you can seriously and permantly hurt yourself trying to move a piano.

I just mainly wanted to chime in to say you have some very lovely pieces. Lucky you!