Could you "split the difference" -- and turn the current dining room (really pretty BTW!!) into the home office?

IF (just a thought) you leave the bookshelves in the NEW dining-library -- perhaps you could paint them black to work better with your dining set? OR would you move the bookshelves into the new "home office" with the desk?

Just some thoughts -- hope you don't mind!

Jan

Would you move the crystal chandelier to the larger new dining room? I think the small old dining room would be a nice sitting room with some chairs, a loveseat, lighting.

How large is your dining table and how many chairs do you have? I think the new larger room could become a fabulkous dining room.

In this house I am renting I am using what was probably supposed to be a family room as my dining room. It's great to be able to use my table with both leaves and the 8 chairs along with my serving table and buffet.

Jan -
Thanks for your quick response!

Yes, I could put the desk, etc. into the current dining room. The size of the room would probably be fine for that. I've honestly never thought about that.

Those bookcases are built-ins, so they would probably have to stay in the bigger room. My "real" dining room set has no black at all (the color can be seen on the buffet, pictured under the flat screen tv), so maybe I shouldn't paint the bookcases. Don't get me wrong, my daughter kids me all the time about how many things I have painted black around here ... shes jokingly hums the Rolling Stones "Paint It Black" when she visits! So, I'm certainly more than willing to consider that!

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it.

Deb

I'd also simply switch rooms as 3dgrad suggested, but I'd also move the bookcase into the former DR and really use the new "study" as tv/library. 10 X 14 is likely enough space to make a cozy space to use most of your existing library/media furnishings.

In the "new" DR perhaps the DF buffet will work on the wall where the bookcase was. All that's necessary is reattaching the shelving unit in the old DR and patching the holes in the old library. You can even then paper or paint that area as an accent wall set off by the corinthian columns. Add a wood floor to match your existing elsewhere. Install your lovely chandelier, and, voila, you have the DR of your dreams.

Adding cans in the old DR is not hard. Just be sure your installer uses IC remodeler cans and not new construction ones.

Of course, you can always leave the shelving in the new DR if you prefer.

Hi, threedgrad -

Oh, the chandelier. I should have mentioned that in my original post. It's a great size in it's current location; much too small for the larger room.

I'm not certain how long my dining room table is, but I remember my Mom putting the leaves in and seating 12 at it for holiday dinners when I was a kid. I only have 8 chairs though.

Using the smaller area as a sitting room is a neat idea. And it would allow me to do a little shopping. I'm always up for that! haha

Thanks for your thoughts.

Debbie

Hi, abundantblessings!

I sense you have quite a bit of experience in construction and/or remodeling!

The bookcase in the larger room isn't really a shelving unit. My DH built it "one stick at a time" and it's recessed into the wall, not in front of it. (Hope that makes sense.) That doesn't mean it can't be moved; it'll just be a bit more labor-intensive to do it.

I agree, adding cans presents no problem at all.

Thanks a bunch for your ideas.

Debbie

Debbie, your chandelier may not be too small based on how it appears appears, particularly since the columns provide a visual break in the expanse, but you may have to lengthen the chain and cord since the room is recessed.

abundantblessings -

The chandelier is approx. 26"W x 28"H. The area from the corinthian columns to the bookcase is 15' x 5.5'; the area from the columns to the tv is 15' x 15.5'. The ceiling height is approx. 10'.

Are you picturing the chandelier centered in the larger area, or am I totally missing the point? (It wouldn't be the first time. haha)

Deb

Ah! If the bookcases are built-ins -- then perhaps they could re-stained to a much deeper color -- to work with tha gorgeous color of the buffet? OR -- and this is JUST a thought -- how about painting them classic white to match the moldings and the columns?

And the chandelier would look really lovely in the bigger room too! OR -- if your table is very long -- how about two smaller chandeliers that would "cover" the table?

Then -- in the "new" home office -- perhaps a ceiling fan could replace the chandelier -- along with suitable desk lighting -- and perhaps a nice reading chair (and standing lamp and table) in the corner?

Hi Deb,

This is the 2nd time my message has been rejected to you. Hope this isn't redundant.

Yes, I was thinking the chandelier would be centered in the 15 % 15.5 space. Even if you leave the bookcase in place, that should accommodate the DR furniture. BTW, the built-in is beautiful. Kudos to your husband! We're in the market now for a unit for our MB if he needs a new project::-) The buffet would then fit on the tv wall?

teacats -
I think restaining the bookcases darker would meet with less resistance from DH than painting all that oak. I think, long term, I'd be just as happy with them in a dark stain, anyway.

Do you think it looks OK to have the white baseboard/crown and wood bookshelves? Do you think I ought to find a way to faux finish those big (fiberglass) columns to look like dark stained wood? Or maybe it's time I just ripped out those dang columns.

Those big columns and the header they're supporting used to be a wall/door into a screened porch. It was easier to leave that header than to risk a bad patch job on our "knockdown" finished ceiling.

I guess I should mention, restaining or painting the bookcases may open up a new can of worms. They match the 20-year-old kitchen cabinets! You gals are going to help me get a whole new place ... how cool is that!

Deb
{{!gwi}}

DH did do a good job on the bookcases and several other projects. I'm afraid his work schedule is pretty well booked with my "honey do's". I just never seem to run out of projects for him to do! (It's my way of keeping him active and healthy! haha)

Lovely kitchen. You can see the effect of wood with white trim in your kitchen. It will look fine in the DR also. As far as staining the DR bookcase, ok, but it may not be worth it since the grain will not match the mahogany finish. It will still be fine since it coordinates with the tone of your floor, assuming you add the wood flooring in your new DR.

We once had a DR we converted from a den which was similarly proportioned to your media room. We placed two wonderful upholstered chairs (matching ones in our LR) in the extra space which would be comparable to your library area. This worked out perfectly for us when we had large sit-downs as we could set a game table by them along with 2 folding chairs. Many times we place another game table and four chairs a few feet away and could then easily accommodate 18 for dinner in the room. Other times, the comfy chairs provided a perfect retreat for reading.

If you remove the columns you still have the bugaboo of the ceiling repair. I definitely wouldn't remove the header since then you'd have to add a steel header and would wind up having to refinish the entire ceiling. The corinthian caps match the bookcase detail. Unless the white matching your trim really bothers you, I think they're fine as is.

Deb,
Your house looks beautiful!! Your kit cabs look to be very well made & certainly not 20 years old. Very nice.

I like the idea of an office in the current DR. Since it is close to the kit - it would get used alot!! We all use our home offices alot.

Then where the bookcases(great job, DH) & the header space is....what about a beautiful settee in front of the shelves - hang some of your artwork on the shelves, too. Then since your table will seat 12 - get 2 chairs to flank the settee that could pull in as addition DR chairs. They wouldn't have to match your existing chairs - could be head & hostess chairs.

Best to you.
Smiles:)

abaundantblessings - The bookcases don't really bother me the way they are now. They are stained with a custom mix (red oak/cherry) that quiets a lot of the orange tones. The large grain pattern that causes many to steer away from oak is primarily limited to the inside back wall of the bookcases, and is not nearly as "in your face" when a camera's flash bulb isn't on it. The photo is somewhat deceiving.

But when someone suggests painting or restaining the bookcases, I have to consider that maybe I am "too close to the situation". I think my best bet is to invite a few of my close, honest girlfriends over to look at them IRL.

How you furnished your converted den would work very well for us. It sounds perfect to me, in fact! Thanks for all your help!

johnatemp - Thanks so much for your kind remarks. You have reminded me that I did post one additional time to this forum, when someone asked if anyone had experience with/knowledge about Schmidt Cabinets. Other than the hood that DH built last year to go over my new range, those are all 20-year-old Schmidts in the picture. They've held up well.

The seating configuration you describe would be great. I have a pair of wings and a pair of Martha Washingtons elsewhere in the house; either pair would probably work as head and hostess chairs.

Thanks for your input!

To all of you - I can't thank you enough for taking the time to help me sort through some of this. I haven't heard any of you say that you thought I was crazy for wanting to convert the larger area to a library/dining room. Yay!

However, I haven't heard any of you say that you would convert the smaller room into a butler's pantry, which is the way I was leaning given it's location between the kitchen and the "new" dining room. But that's probably good news, too. It sure saves a lot of time/$ on building/buying cabinetry to outfit a pantry!

All the best -
Debbie

Deb,
I just wanted to tell you that your home is beautiful, elegant and very tastefully done. You have had some wonderful suggestions already and I don't really have much to add however I did want to tell you that the bunny butt in the 4th picture is my favorite item that you have :-) Hard to beat a Corgi in cuteness, intelligence and personality but especially shedding. haha Give your cutie a hug from me.

Lisette

Hi, Lisette!
Thanks so much for your nice comments re. my home. Guess what? My bunny butt, Bailey, is MY favorite item off all, too! Shedding and all. Honestly, have you ever seen anything like that shedding????? Yikes!

Bailey sends a puppy kiss your way.

Have a great day!

Deb

{{!gwi}}

I have no comments on the dining room ideas, but I just wanted to say that although I may be hopelessly out of style, I *adore* the oak bookcases (and I love the oak kitchen, too). I think they are absolutely beautiful as is.

Your home looks wonderful to me.

Carrie

Thanks, Carrie. You are sweet to say that.

Debbie

Deb, one question that I haven't heard yet is, is your library-media room the main gathering/ tv watching in your home? It's a really lovely room (actually every room you've shown us is lovely). I'm so impressed with the gorgeous bookcases your DH built.

I see that you have steps down to this room, which would mean that you'd be carrying platters and bowls of food, plates, glasses, etc, down those steps for every meal that you serve in there, as your new dining room. It's only two steps, but you need to seriously think about whether this would become a real irritant after a while, let alone a possible tripping danger. Unfortunately, having the steps would make it near to impossible to move the wall between the present dining room and library, to give you more space in the dining room. That would have been ideal . . . if it was possible.
More questions and thoughts:
~do you have a family room or living room that you can move the tv into comfortably?
~ what do you and your DH actually need the most, a home office or a butler's pantry?
~ With both rooms having wide doorways that open into it, instead of actual doors that you can close off, will you be happy seeing a desk and other office things in full view from your kitchen (which is lovely, BTW)? Friends and family will be passing through it getting from your kitchen to the new dining room.
~ If you turn it into a butler's pantry, are you willing to set it up nicely enough so as not to detract from your kitchen or your new dining room?
~ another idea to consider is to just incorporate the present dining room into the kitchen with, perhaps, built-in cabs to house your nice serving pieces, china and crystal in glass-fronted cabs with closed cabs below for storing what ever you need. You could set up a seating area on that side, too, and/or a secretary desk and chair that you can close up when company arrives for a meal.
Personally, I think that turning your present dining room into a sitting room, would be a wasted space, that probably wouldn't be used all that much. But, that's JMHO.

Anyhoo, just some other things to think about.
Lynn

Hi, Lynn - Thanks for your kind words. We have another tv mounted above a fireplace in our lower level family room, the small tv shown in the kitchen pic, and the wall-mounted tv in the media room. We use the media room tv most, probably since it's near the main floor kitchen (i.e., snacks).

There is another family room that is open to the kitchen. Right now there is no tv in there, but the area above the fireplace is wired for one. I believe that's the only place the media room's tv could be moved.

Your point about the 2 steps into the room is valid ... there's a good reason I wasn't named Grace! haha I haven't fallen up or down those steps that I can remember, but I've never been carrying a tray of food, either.

Our home office requirements are simple; we must have a desk, chair, computer and printer somewhere in our home. Period. I do have concerns about visitors seeing a messy desk; DH and I would have some bad habits to break if the home office were to be relocated into the small room.

As far as a butler's pantry goes, I have everyday dishes in the kitchen, some china in the buffet, and some stemware in a wetbar near the kitchen. The "overflow" china, glasses, serving pieces, etc. are in boxes in a storage room (Unfortunately, downstairs.). I think a place to store all those things together on the main floor would be a big improvement. If I outfitted that little room as a butler's pantry, yes, I would do my best to make it look like something one would see in a magazine ... base cabinets, glass front wall cabinets, the works. Well, at least until the $ ran out.

You're right about a sitting room, I think. With a media room, a family room off the kitchen, and one downstairs ... just how many places does a gal need to be able to sit?????

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I sure appreciate it.

Have a great day!

Debbie

Hi Debbie:

Fellow "lurker" here! Ironically it's your post that brings me out of the woodwork. I love your dog, but more on topic, I love the rug he/she is standing on. Can you tell what brand and whether you're happy with it?

PS. I love, love, love the kitchen island!

Debbie,

Bailey is beautiful, what a darling face! She reminds me so much of my last litter

Lisette

Hi Japper -

It feels good to come out of hiding once in a while, doesn't it?
That rug is an 5' x 8' that I bought at Lowe's. It's nice and thick, is holding up well (after 4-5 years), and gets lots of comments from guests. I've been unsuccessful in locating it on their website, but I've found things in the store that aren't shown online several times, so you might want to pay them a visit.

Here is the info from the label, in case you want to see if they still have it. By the way, I'm not sure how much it cost (I have 3 entries in Quicken for rug purchases from Lowes) ... but I'm sure it wasn't very expensive.

Deb

{{!gwi}}

Lisette,
Awwww. I'm getting teary-eyed just looking at your pic. They are darling!

You aren't anywhere close to mid-Missouri, are you? I may want to get a little buddy for Bailey someday.

Deb

Deb,

Nope, south GA. and I'm not breeding them anymore but I tell ya I sure do miss having puppies around... Now I'm getting teary eyed...

Well -- if you are concerned about guests seeing the office (or desk) right away -- is there room in the "new" home office (LOL!) to add a decorative screen to an open corner?

Perhaps a pretty screen with a chair sitting inside it with a standing lamp? Or add a tall tree or two to create a bit of a screen?

Here is a link that might be useful: room screens

Hi, teacats -
I'm laughing, too! This "new" and "old" and "big" and "little" is getting confusing for my poor ole' brain!

If, by the "new" home office you mean the "little" (i.e., current) dining room ... a floor screen/chair/lamp would fit on either side of the window in the 1st photo, but that wouldn't hide a thing. Those are the only two corners in that room. At the opposite end of the room are no corners, just the 3' wide straight walkway between the kitchen and the larger room. Oh, but depending on how I orient the desk, I could hide it by putting a screen right in front of it (closer to the walkway). Now that's an interesting thought... and probably what you mean.

My next step is to doublecheck that all the ideas that have been tossed around today will even fit, and then try some/all of them. I'll need my DH to provide a little muscle to move this furniture around - I'll have to do quite a bit of sweet talking to make that happen! LOL

My, there are some pretty screens in that link. Thanks!
Debbie

Well, with nicely designed cabinetry you could make a nice butler's pantry with a desk armoire to use as an office and still have a space for a small seating area in your soon to be former dining area.