I don't like to see the dining table when you first walk in a house, so I like the placement of it in your second photo. I also like the new chandelier and the square table a lot better. It's good that the dining table appears closer to the kitchen as the flow makes sense. Good job - lovely home! What is the swan on the tray made out of?

Thanks Red. Not my home but I will tell her you like it!

The swan is made out of wood. I really like it. It's a lovely piece.

The house is so pretty I don't think it matters, but...I would put the table in the far back of the room next to the wall of windows.

I thought it was awkward having the dining room in the entry, so the middle makes more sense. However, I think having two seating areas flanking it looks strange. I thought she was going to stage that entry area with bookcases and a chair so that it had the feel of a library.

forhgtv-I tried but that did not happen. I could only do so much! I agree though. Would have been lovely.

Oakley- We had thought of that too but that area is the widest and largest space and would dwarf the table. Plus its the biggest for a living room.

Thanks for all of the ideas and suggestions!

Keep them coming!!!!

Forhgtv- Also, tell me with what you see in that area⦠what we might be able to do to arrange it as a reading nook? I could always find a bookcase or whatever you think on CL and paint it if it looks bad. Thoughts or suggestions and maybe we can redo some things in that area.

Any other suggestions?....:)

Aktillery, I agree with you that without bookshelves, it's tough to make it library-ish. It's a confounding space for sure. How does her Realtor suggest the space be used? There must be other examples of this floor plan in the community. Any good ideas to be had there? My only other thought was what another poster suggested which was to put a console table or a small chest there flanked by the two end dining chairs. It might seem a little like wasted space, but it wouldn't seem crowded which I think is a positive.

If it were my house, I'd probably put a pretty secretary there with display pieces in the upper cabinet.

You know hgtv...its funny bc she has that same thing on the other wall.

Here is a shot...

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With all the furniture you see here... Any thoughts on groupings? Tough one eh?

Thanks for your response!
Amy

This is a much better and clearer pic.

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Was the house originally designed that way or has it been remodeled? If original, how was it arranged when she bought it?

I'm not crazy about the sofa & chair by the front door. It looks like that should be an entry area. I agree with oakleyoak that the table should be at the very back by the windows, and the living area set back from the front door enough to give it the appearance of a foyer.

In the first photo, what is on the right - looks like a tiled cabinet with a wine fridge? I don't see it in the other photos.

She and her husband built the house and they built it to use it as a wide open plan as you see in the first photo... with the dining table right when you walk in. There is unfortunatley no way to put the table in the back as it is a huge room and more of a family room. Maybe if she had an enourmous table and chairs and and a buffet hutch etc... but she doesn't.

There used to be a bar there like you saw. They ripped it out.

Any ideas of what you would do with the front? It is a tough call.

It does look better this way - with the DR in the center, but having 6 chairs squeezed around the table only make the space appear small. I would leave the 4 matching chairs, 2 on either side. Is there room to put the slipper chairs on either side of the FP? Or in another area/room/floor? The table needs some breathing room.

I like the things near the front door.. until I saw the last picture. The ottoman and chair are too close to the front door (normal foyer area). I would remove the ottoman and either replace the one chair with one of the two slipper chairs or angle the chair more toward the sofa.

I think the swan is beautiful (I used to always want one) but looks out of place on the ottoman. If the ottoman stays, I would move the swan to the top of the cabinet (in front of stairs). Would it fit with vase/sticks? If not, I would replace corner lamp (closest to front door) with the vase/sticks. Theirs too many pairs, two, two, two everywhere you look.

She has a very pretty home, with many pretty pieces.

I would probably take that upholstered seating near the door out altogether and put the two oval back chairs on each side of the large mirrored chest there.

I would leave the Biedermeier chest by the steps by itself.

Store the rest somewhere and leave it open.

This is one of the problems with open plans. Too much undifferentiated space. People think its going to be great but its difficult to furnish for any practical purpose.

Those last pictures help a lot. I would definitely move the chest she has against the stair case to the opposite wall and flank it with the slipper chairs from the dining grouping. Take everything else out including those two round backed chairs. Now, you have an open entry with an unobstructed path into the room.

I know she will feel like that staircase wall is too empty, but I don't think people new to the space will feel that way.

Thanks everyone! I sent her all of your comments and she opened up the "foyer" which is really a huge reception entryway. Let me know any thoughts or suggestions you might have.

Thanks so much again!!!

{{!gwi}}

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This is her kitchen sink area... looks so lovely..

{{!gwi}}

I was hoping to see more pictures ,,, it's coming along!!

Any chance you can bring in a larger dining table? As far as placement, I like it in the middle or back, but not in the front. Also, if in the middle, curious about the orientation ,,, would have thought it would have been turned the other direction?! Have you seen open plans where they flank the dining table with long console tables? From the dining space they look like buffets, but then from the opposite side they function as console tables for the sitting areas ,,, decorate with tall accents to help with elevation between the open areas.

In the foyer area, I'd try a foyer table instead of the ottoman. I'll try to find a picture. I've seen several inspiration rooms with foyer tables in front of couches.

Where does that door (between the barstools and the mirrored table) lead?

MOve the dining set to the end of the room, down by the windows, where the seating area is now. It looks like an island in the middle of nowhere. Use the plain rug under the table.

I need to ask why she has so many dining chairs with such a small table?

Now you can use the entry and the middle of the space as one large seating area, and the foyer won't seem so pointless.

I would keep the mirrored chest in the entry, but put the two small upholstered chairs from the living room area on either side of it, keep the lamp, and the artwork (tho she may need to re-hang it.

I would try the tall cabinet and two extra chairs now by the stairs, down on the wall near what will be the dining area, where the little tables are lined up right now.

Try the bombe cabinet from the current LR area with the tall vase and twigs on the small wall by the staircase.

Let the two couches define the seating in the middle of the room. I would put the blue couch with its back to the dining area, given it is a relatively low back which gives an open sight line all the way through the space. I would put the leather couch with its back to the bar stools. Use the mirrored cocktail table and the rug that is currently under the dining room in that seating area.

She has beautiful furnishings~~it's a shame the footprint is so strange.

Opening what I would call a 'receiving' room aka, dining room, makes a great difference. I would like to see the little sofa opposite the Biedermeier chest on the opposite wall, next to the railing, and the small Bombay cabinet with the same two chairs on the wall where the sofa was~~guess i'm suggesting just the opposite of Les.

I think you're definitely getting there, but it still looks like a lot of bare space with the very small rug under the DR table. Does she have another rug that's bigger? Possibly covering more of the floor would detract from the 'bowling alley illusion.'

Thanks EVERYONE for the suggestions!

I think we may have a plan here. My friend has a very large 8-10 top round table. It will have a table cloth and have the eight chairs you see in the photos around it. That will stay where the current table is. She is adamant about not moving it to the back of the house.

She has a matching brown leather sofa she can bring in and use across from the one that is there. That will free up the two chairs currently on that wall.

We will put the two chairs in the front and move out the blue couch and mirrored tables and have the two chairs facing each other and a round table in the middle (a larger one but we will shorten it). We can add a lamp and some books and make it a nice little chat seating area. If there is room we can add a bookcase or one of her other pieces at the end of the wall before the door which goes out to the garage. Not sure on that yet.

I really think this will help make the entire space more cohesive and attractive.

I will post photos when we move everything :)

Thanks again everyone!!!
Amy