First, do you plan on replacing any of the furniture, adding rugs, etc., or are you interested in rearranging what you currently have? Love the coffee table and old bench in the dining room. :)

OK, somebody more knowledgeable than I is gonna have to give you the suggestions you're looking for, but I just wanted to say that you have some beautiful pieces, and I love that beamed ceiling! Great space!

We do not plan on replacing any of the furniture or adding rugs. What I am looking for is help with The stuff on the mantle, barrister bookcase, etc. You know the stuff you set out. Also need help with the windows in the dining area. Thanks for the complements on the furniture. The first old piece we got was the washstand, given to us by a frined. She has it sitting in a barn! Then I found the coffee table to match the washstand at an antique shop...the brown marble on both pieces match. Then we just started adding pieces one by one as we stumbled across them. The desk in the short L part was given to us by a former neighbor....it has been painted several times. She liked chrome and glass, so she gave it to us. We stripped it and refinished it. It has some neat cubby holes inside it. Looking forward to more suggestions/ comments.

You have a great house and wonderful furniture, but you have way too much "stuff". You can't really appreciate the furniture with everything on top. I highly recommend that you take the advice of someone on the previous post and take everything out. Leave all the furniture. It all seams to work where it is. Then start adding one piece at a time. You'll be surprised at how many things don't come back in. I did this to my kitchen when we remodelled and more than half of the items went straight to a garage sale.
I think the mirror in the dining room is too big, maybe hang it vertically or switch it with the painting on the fireplace. I like the lamp and plant in DR.
Also group your family photos all in one place, preferably with similar frames (all black, silver, wood,etc).
Get rid of prints on the walls that aren't special to you.
On top of the curio cabinet, remove the clock/bottles and put a simple silver bowl (or something similar) in the middle. I don't think you need anything else.
The plant on top of the bookcase isn't really doing anything for me. Either scoot the bookcase over a tad so it's centered with the lamps (possible hang art/mirror in the middle) or put the lamps on the fireplace at the sides of art. On top of the bookcase, group your brass items together on one side. You can put the clock from curio on the other side. Declutter. I like the simple valances.

I have started taking the books out of the barrister bookcase and will redo the interior of that. As far as having "too much stuff", almost every piece has a special meaning to me and my husband. I have a friend that has almost "no stuff" and her condo tells nothing about her and is about as warm and inviting as a hotel room. The clock on the china hutch was my mother's and she received it for her first Mother's Day from my father after I was born...so it came to me. That will definitely stay. The oil lamps with the clock....well we use them when the electricity goes out. We know where they are and they are easy to move through the house....finding our way in the dark....LOL. I really do appreciate all the suggestions...PLEASE keep them coming.

I cleared out almost half of the stuff from the barrister Bookcase and here is the new picture.
{{!gwi}}

marciagaye, looks like you had fun rearranging your bookcase! Much better and shows off your interesting collections.

I'm wondering if that electric cord on the bottom shelf could be hidden somehow?

On the middle shelf, you might consider moving those interesting candlesticks on top of the bookcase, since they look unlikely to be lit in their current location and could be featured more if they were out.

I also wonder if you have some taller items to fill the shelves, like your china cabinet.

Speaking of the china cabinet, is there room for it on the dining room wall where the registers and air freshener device are? Seems like the plates belong in the DR and would complement the buffet.

Then maybe move the bookcase over where china cabinet was with some artwork over it (the child's portrait?).

Keep up the good work!

Skywatcher....Thanks, I had not noticed that...I will definitely hide that cord on the bottom shelf. If I move the China Cabinet over the wall you suggested.....I would be running the risk of someone scooting out their chair and hitting it. The bowed glass is original, antique and would be very expensive to replace. I had checked into that once and about had a stroke when I was told the cost. If I move the candlesticks to the top of the barrister...would that be too much stuff? I was told by an earlier poster that I had way too much stuff. I might have some taller items in other rooms...I will have to "cruise the house" LOL....Please keep the ideas coming!!! I love them all.

Marcia, sorry if I offended you or if I used the wrong word. You don't like the word stuff. I never said to get rid of anything that has meaning. I just meant that you did have alot of "insert your word here" all spread out and that they would look better if they were filtered some and then grouped instead of spread out. I also mentioned some rearranging of the mirror, lamps and clock. You did a great job on the bookcase. I would still recommend removing the plant; possibly replacing it with the candles like skywatcher mentioned or the clock you love.
Have fun with your decorating, that's all that is important.

Why are you covering the furniture? Take the covers off and live a little :) Or, at least, get some fitted covers that don't look like bedsheets.

My MIL kept the plastic on her lamps for 30 years. I asked her over and over if she was waiting for the president to come to dinner. She finally took the plastic off. :)

All of your pieces are beautiful! However, I can pinpoint some things that can't have that much "meaning" - the tower CD stand, for instance. I'd get rid of that and store the CD's in a drawer or on a shelf somewhere. And that basket thingie next to it. I'd put the air filter thing somewhere a little less conspicuous. Use one of your baskets to contain the cat's toys, brushes, etc. Maybe find another place for the phone.

I'd be inclined to move the mirror. With the reflection of the the room, your samovar is lost. I'd also reconsider the tall orchid on that same piece. Maybe you could find a landscape from the "old country" that ties in with the samovar that is smaller than the mirror and a smaller number of items on that surface. That samovar should stand out! I'm jealous, I want one!! You just might be able to figure out what the "ru" in my username stands for ;)

mlraff53: No offense taken. Hubby and I are thinking about hanging the mirror the other way. It was hung that way because that was how it was strung on the back when we got it from the antique mall. I measured it yesterday and there is a difference of 6 inches....so rewiring the back and hanging it the other way might work. I did scoot the barrister over so it is now centered...at one time it was, but when I clean I swing it out to get the cat toys and "dust bunnies". I will keep an eye on it when I move it back into place. I did move the family photos and will think about where they would look the best, grouped to gether. I did get another similiar frame...the curved glass...so will try to work with the 3 similiar frames.

Snookums....You are right....the CD tower will go. The furniture is covered because the cats are not declawed and I don't want them "Happy pawing " on the upholstery when we are brushing them or petting them. They do that and I just don't want them to ruin the fabric. Also both cats shed and it is much easier to cover and shake/wash the covers. The blue chairs...they really are recliners and it is impossible to find fitted covers for wingback chairs that are recliners. If someone knows where to find them...let me know. I have looked. I will move the cat stuff into a basket and get rids of the box. They only play with a few things out of there.

Rucnmom: Thanks for the kind words about the Samovar. I had it restored 3 years ago when I inherited it. Most people don't know what it is !!! I think I will keep the mirror when it is, nut hang it the otherway. I like having the reflection of the rest of the room. Any suggestions on where else I could showcase it?

Please keep the suggestions coming.....I do enjoy reading them...going to look at the changes and doing it and thinking.

You all are great!