What a great find!

I would face them to the desk area as you'll see them when you sit at the desk. In the living room area, it looks like the room is focused toward the TV so you wouldn't see them anyway....

You can't go "wrong" either way, they are BEAUTIFUL!

I have to say I am partial to facing the glass toward the door if that's the side you will see the most as it is so pretty - so long as the door swings the other way and you don't have rambunctious little kids barreling through the door on a daily basis lest they break the glass.

Slightly off-topic: WHere did you find these? I am in love! I have been searching online on and off for years to find something like this for my house. Did you use any search terms other than "colonnade"? Seems like not a lot of people know what that means. ;)

Are these bookcases going to be mostly decorative or functional?

If you will be using the shelves for books and other things that you use a lot, face the doors towards the room where you will be using the books. If the contents will be things you are using in the office, then face the doors towards the office, so that you don't have to walk around the bookcase to get stuff.

If the bookcases will mostly be housing ornamental things, then face the doors towards whichever room the things would look best in.

There's nothing wrong with having something pretty to look at while sitting in your home office.

What a beautiful house, and what a great salvage find!

I googled colonnades and came up with a bunch of historic photos. One I saw similar to yours had the panels toward the door and the shelves toward the room. Maybe others more versed in historical architecture can chime in.
Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: Colonnades

Here's the link to the old photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Original A & C Homes

Wow you guys are quick! I still need more votes!

When you come in the door the area that has the desk in it will be smaller than it is now. I plan to take 2' 6" off the side to relocate a bedroom closet and the coat closet. The coat closet door will open into the little study/entry room which will be 9'6" wide and 11" deep (so its small) We have books, we have collections and pretty things so the shelves will likely house a combination of books and decorative.

If we face the glass door side to the living room, it will be seen by people entering the front door (they will be a big feature of the house) and people coming into the living room from the rest of the house. Otherwise, the glass doors will be seen only from the desk if its faced that way. However, the glass doors a bit vulnerable so close to the front door and the door so I'll have to make sure there's a stop bumper on the floor.

The panels are attractive but have a more substantial look, like a paneled wall. They match the front door really well, which was completely unknown to me when I bought them as I had no picture of that side so a happy surprise! My son and husband found them at Bauer Brothers in Minneapolis and drive them in a uhaul truck to the Chicago area. I've been searching for a year for these and when they sent me a picture I negotiated a price with the owner one the phone. They are in great condition other than the door mullions and glass require repair, and they match the room very well. So happy!

Just don't know which way to face them. I want to see them, but wonder if the paneled side facing the desk will look wrong, and if I will regret that afterward. Or if I'll regret not seeing the pretty glass side when we enter the room....

Oh, here is a floor plan of how this end of the room is going to be. Previous picture in the roll shows how it had been 'remuddled' by past owners who wanted the living room to be larger.

Here is a link that might be useful: Floor plan

That helps a lot...I would definitely face them towards the desk because you won't see them at all when greeting desks as the door will be open and that one will be behind the door.

Annie, you would face the glass doors towards the desk, right? Yes, one colonnade is blocked when the door is open. The other will be five feet away from it.

Also, that couch is really big and need to be replaced in a year or two with a smaller arrangement. We might place furniture in a more open way vs. having that narrow foyer. I keep telling myself either way is fine, but its quite permanent once decided so must be selected only once. Arrgh!

All of the old houses I have seen with colonnades, including my parents' home built in 1910, the glass doors face the living room and the front door. Yes, when the front door is open, it blocks one, but unless you keep your front door open a lot, it's only blocked for a few minutes. And they never had a problem with the glass door breaking....even in a house with three kids and pets. The door stopper is placed below the glass doors and it is a solid metal stopper so it doesn't flex. The door would be damaged before the glass cabinet doors!

On the desk side, use the back paneled side of the colonnade to place small bookcses.

That's my vote!

I say face them toward the office, because:

1) It will save the delicate glass doors from being hit by the front door, kids' backpacks, etc.

2) You can store books on the office side.

I would say face them toward the living room because:

1) You never use the front door (always enter from a side door/back door) . . . if that is the case.

2) The "look" of the doors is missed otherwise.

3) If the office dimensions would require a piece of furniture to be so close to the doors that you couldn't see them/operate them.

So, I wasn't much help, was I?

I don't have a vote because I think either way will look great. I just wanted to say how beautiful they are.

I would face the panel side toward the living room. The one by the door will feel as though you created an entry and it will not be a risk for the doors to be broken. Honestly, since the doors are at the bottom, people coming in aren't going to be focused that way, anyway. They will be looking into the room into which they are entering, and to the left. You wouldn't see the one behind the open front door, and you likely wouldn't notice the one on the other side because you will see the whole piece from the side view, not the side facing into the living room.

I think the glass doors feel like they belong in the library space, and will be appreciated more in that room because there isn't as much going on, and the person sitting at the desk will see them every time they sit there.

While you are adding on the coat closet, please consider putting in a pocket door instead of the door that swings into the office space. It will give you some flexibility in the furniture placement if you don't have to allow for the swing of the door.

You have a lovely home. Please be sure and post pix when you are all done!

They are exactly like the built-ins that are in out old St. paul, MN home. The glass faces the living toom and the solid backs are visible in the adjoining room. I'd still position them that way if using the adjoining room as an office.

The glass doors in the built-ins in our current old home also face into the living room. We have a separate sideboard built-in in the adjoining dining room.

jcm01 - These were salvaged in Minnesota, we bought them in Minneapolis. Thats good to know! I'm really leaning towards putting the glass towards the living room.

I saw the name Bauer Bros....I know them well and that's why I mentioned St. paul! And we're now in greater Chicago as well! have you discovered Jan's Antiques on Racine?

I haven't been to Jan's Antiques. I'll have to check it out. I felt so left out having missed checking out Bauer Brothers as the guys were on a trip without me, how do the two places compare? They said I would have really liked checking out Bauer Brothers.

(okay, I just wrote "check it out" THREE TIMES! Just woke up from a nap after being overheated at the parade, and I am usually a non-napper so my brain is confused....) lol!

The glass doors should face the living room while the paneled sides should face the door.

I lived in a house where the glass faced the LR. On the other side was a sitting room which was only used for parties.

If there's absolutely no way the door can touch the glass, I'd face them towards the LR. They really add extra charm there.

Love your house!

Here is a picture of the colonnades awaiting installation. Had to take it standing on the coffee table in order to see beyond the couch. While we are waiting for the carpenter to have time, we'll repair the doors and buy some additional crown and window trim pieces.

I like the glass door side more, but once I saw them all together with the doorframe it seems to me they should really be facing towards the desk. However, my husband disagrees. I've decided to leave it to him in the end, since I'm taking 3 ft on the left of the room for closets which he did not want. I like both sides. Next pictures will be construction. Can't wait!

That looks just like my parents' house in St. Paul!

I guess the consensus is that it is more authentic to have them face the living room, but if you like them better facing the office, then do that.

FWIW though, I like it just the way they are facing the living room. Maybe just because I'm used to that. :)

Seeing your last picture, I like it this way because it breaks up the look of all the solid wood with the desk.
The desk is substantial and very close to the doorway, so visually,in this case, I think this is a good way to go.

I LOVE them. I would want the glass facing the living room because I would want to look at them all the time. ;)

And that adds nothing, since you've already decided, but I can't help chiming in when I see gorgeous bungalow features. :)

Thanks for loving them too!

We are so happy to have found these and trying to be patient waiting for them to be installed. But just having them sit there free-standing has greatly improved the look of the room as we'd imagined it would be.

We'll have the glass door facing the living room as shown. The desk is actually being used by our son most days as he is a historical preservationist working on our local theater restoration, writing articles documenting the history of the buildings in our town, etc. The colonnades have defined the office and he looks very dignified in this space. When the two closets are relocated to the left side of this room the area will also serve as the foyer area with a coat closet (the other closet will open to the adjacent bedroom)

They are wonderful and perfect in your house--- cannot wait to see them installed!

Thanks for all your input earlier, Here's a picture of the colonnades installed!

Doors are being repaired. We decided to have the bookcases face the study because after having them sit there for a long while no installed we realized it seemed right to turn them around.

They look beautiful. I like the books facing the study.

Absolutely gorgeous!