I like that idea, too. Would make the shelves much more accessible, and disrupt the furniture placement the least. From the pics, it looks like the space isn't being utilized much, so with a couple of comfy chairs, an ottoman, and a floor lamp, or a round table and a few chairs, and you'll have a great little alcove.

I think so too. I'd rather subtract depth from the length of the room where there's open space rather than the width.

Could you draw a floor plan?

First, I like the homework area on the left side (with armoire and kids' desks) and the play area on the other. Nice to have that extra desk there, too. What are the two rectangles above the toy storage area?

The two seating areas looks great! The large one is so inviting and the little one (with your pictures) is very cozy :)

1. Shelves. With the picture window off center....I would choose the corner bookcases. That would give you lots of storage and then add a few more shelves, where you need them. Maybe a small one between the toy area and little desk? Oh, and that little hutch (?) is charming!

1. Color. Wall color...I like the background of the top/right, with creamy white (warm) trim. I love that fabric and it looks like it will work with your sofas, too.

1. Windows. If you have enough of that fabric, I'd use it for the windows. If not, find one you love and (again, if it were me) think about drapes for the windows. Simple ones on rings and easy to slide on the rod. Same with the slider.

A different fabric might make me change my wall color....but probably very similar.

Finally....where are the plants??? LOL You need some 'jungle' for the toy area :)

Thank you for your input nosoccer, k9arlene, dee, and mayflowers. I can tell you that this is the 4th location where we've tried placing the armoire, and that 3 of those spots were in this room (It has wheels, thankfully!) :-) I'm not sure where else to put it! Although it fits where the kids' play shelves are, it was disastrous having them playing in front of the desk. Poor DH could hardly get to his desk when they were playing; it was like trying to step through landmines.

(Hummmm.....)

Here is the floor plan. The room is 15.5' x 25'. My guess is that there is less room behind the green sofa that's out in the room than it appears in the photos.

*There is 57" between the desks behind the couch and the back wall that the armoire is against.

I left the shelves as an L so that you could "see" how much space they take up from a bird's eye view. If we didn't do shelves there, would we just hang artwork on that wall to help balance the weight of the armoire on the other side of the window?

*There is a heater under the window next to the armoire that must stay. All furniture must remain a minimum of 9" away from it.

The couches are not totally accurate in their sizes, but are the closest as I could come using a freebie program. : ) In reality, the arms of the green ones do not cross like they appear to in this plan.

If the shelves go on either side of the picture window, should some space be left for drapes along the edges of the window? I was also wondering if the shelves on either side of the picture window would make the room feel even more "long" and "narrow" like mayflowers said.

I see the heater there now so bookcases might not look so good flanking them. You also have to keep the armoire in the room, correct? If you put the bookcases on both sides of the picture window, would you leave the area under the window open so the sofa can be pushed to the wall? Do you have any photos of an arrangement like that? It seems they all have window seats, cabinets, or additional bookshelves under the window.

I see you've made room for drapes on the picture window, but I'd use a shade instead. I would make that entire wall the "calm wall" and let the books provide color and pattern. There's so much opportunity in the room to add textiles that I'd want to limit the pattern palette. Seven different fabrics on numerous pillows feels like a bit much when you also have several windows and a slider to cover, plus sofas, chairs, ottomans, and a table skirt.

Put the bookcases on the picture window wall from corner to window on each side.Consider drawers for toys on the bottom if needed. Get the soft closing glides and kids should be able to use easily and the look would be neater than baskets. If you move the sofa over some it looks like it would fit in the area in front of the window. Use tables in front of sofa. For lighting you could install sconce as done in the first picture that Deeinohio posted. Another option, if there is room, pull the sofa out from window and put a sofa table with lamps behind. I also would do some kind of blind or roman shade, rather than a drape.

Yeah, I don't really want to highlight the heater, LOL. I'd make it "dissappear" if I could! :-) It does a great job keeping this room toasty in the winter, so (I guess) it earns its keep.

The armoire works really well for our office stuff, so yes, I'd like it to stay. It's a pretty piece of furniture, too, which might not fully show in the photos.

I'd just put the bookshelves on either side of the couch. I don't see the sense in putting shelves behind the couch, since the couch would pretty much have to be mushed up against them.

Here are pictures I've been able to find:

(No couch, but no window seat,, either. Drapes included. Not lovin' the rounded shelf edges near the window.)

Palm House · More Info

Shelves that turn a corner:

Crisp Architects · More Info

Hmm, I was going to try to remove this next one, but it won't leave.

Formal Living Room Built-ins · More Info

Indian Field · More Info

These shelves make me feel claustrophobic for some reason:

Building on k9arlene's idea, how about built-in desks with bookshelves above flanking the back window? Seems like your family would make good use of them, and you could eliminate the table behind the sofa for more wiggle room. Add wiring in key places for lighting and laptop use and a spot to charge devices. I had built-ins just like these in family room in a former home, and they were very useful. And I just had a corner desk built into our new family room redo -- butcher block tops and lots of cabinets. It's great.

Also, are you sure it's bookshelves that you want instead of cabinets? With cabinets, you can hide clutter and store school & computer
supplies. Bookshelves look good only if you have lots of books and
artfully arranged things -- not so useful for rooms that are filled with
the clutter of a normal real-world family.

Here are some more pics of shelves around windows. I wasn't sure how many I could put in the last post.

I know, I know these aren't shelves, but this room is too cute to not post. ; )

Keeping the picture window and shelves as the "calm wall" is an interesting idea I hadn't thought of, Mayflowers. I also wasn't fully considering how much pattern the book spines will bring to the room in relation to drapes. That's going to take some careful consideration! Thanks for bringing that up. It sounds like I've got my work ahead of me pulling this palette together. Some of the fabrics will be for pillow backs, so that should help calm things back down a bit.

Ooh, I like the idea of doing drawers with soft close for the toys, lizbeth gardener. That just might be the ticket! : )

Once the plywood is gone, I'll be able to slide the sofa in front of the window over a smidge more. (The drywall back there got used up last night in our bathroom remodel-whooo!!) It's a bit of a balancing act to slide the couch farther left, since we need to maintain the walkway between the corner of the desks and the corner of the armoire. I like things centered and symmetrical, so this arrangement, and the off center windows, are challenging my "sensibilities", LOL.

I might be able to pull the couch as much as 12" out from the window, not sure if that's enough room for lamps back there or not. The other big question is how to get the blinds up and down each day? It's quite a reach to get to the thingy that controls the movement of the vertical blinds now. I don't think I could reach another 12" deeper; I wasn't blessed with the "monkey arms" my husband has. :-) Too bad he can't be home to open and close the shades all day for us!

laughablemoments, just saw the picture of my LR -- don't mind you posting it at all! Those shelves are free standing oak units that we bought at an unfinished furniture store years ago. We attached pin-up swing arm lamps to the sides ($40 each at Lowes). We are a family of readers and enjoy this spot to curl up with a book.

I just wanted to be sure you weren't considering something like Dee's second photo where the sofa is floating in front of full wall bookcases. Not in your narrow room! I like the looks of awm's but they aren't built in, right? Are you willing to add crown molding to get the built-in look?

I like the corner bookcases and think they'd make a nice reading nook, but I think you'd need to put them on the other side of the window too.

The other big question is how to get the blinds up and down each day?

Remote controlled blinds.

Oh, it is soooo helpful to get all of your feedback!!!! Let me just say that your drawing looks utterly amazing, awm03. It makes the shelves and desks over there very tempting. (Do you think those shelves would hold our armoire? just kidding.) We tried the armoire on the wall where the little white bookshelf is, and it fit...sort of, but it feels better next to the window. If anyone wants to see it parked there for an evaluation, I can move it and take a picture. (Thanks for the wheels, honey.)

awm, thank you for the description of your shelves. What a great solution for a family of readers. I love how the lamps look on yours. If you have a picture from farther back, that would be terrific. I also love your description of real life family living. Our lives are full of those things at this stage.

Now I understand what you're getting at about the couch floating in nosoccermom's picture (thanks, btw, nosoccermom!) Yeah, we can't float our couch out in the middle like that. It's a good sized room, but she ain't that big!

Crown molding makes this girl very happy. Yes, definitely yes.

If we did, let's see, U shaped storage around the perimeter, would you stop it at the slider, or before the window, or? Would a U be overkill???

How much $$ are remote control blinds and how easily do they break/need repair?

Narrow shelf or console table behind the sofa? I personally like it when it's e bit below the back of the sofa, but either goes.

I like the pictures of those wrap around shelves! :)

"I also wasn't fully considering how much pattern the book spines will bring to the room in relation to drapes." Book spines are very busy.

Here are the shelves from a different angle

That's one reason I like the L-shaped shelves. The book patterns are contained on one side of the picture window. Since the window is not centered, it might be a great look!

Also, then we can have some 'jungle' on the other side. Wink at Laughable :)

awm03 some peeps turn all the books w/spines at back so you just see the off white pages...

Thanks for more pics, nosoccermom. I like the second one with the drapes. : ) We'll need to pull the couches out and see how it feels. Have to check for whether or not the walkway from the doorway feels squishy with them pulled out or not. That's the major traffic area, so I'd like it to feel open, especially since we have large groups over around once a month.

Thanks for sharing another shot of your very pretty room, awm03. Love your view and that sunlight streaming in. : )

Yes, book spines are busy. I gave away a set of bookcases that we outgrew, so those books are in boxes right now. It was a love-hate relationship when they were out. I love having the books available for our family, but the business of all that visual "noise" made me a bit batty. If I had my druthers, our books would be in a library room of their own. The perk is this is where we do read, so at least it should be relatively easy to keep things orderly.

Hmmm, interesting thought about shelves on only one side of the room, Lavender. The L was what I was thinking when I came up with this furniture arrangement, but then I wasn't sure if it would throw the rest of the room off balance. The picture window is almost centered, but not quite. The window over the heater is almost centered. Oy!

I get the picture window one being off center because it gives a view from the rest of the house out the back window. It's skated over enough so that it's across from the doorway. But the other one? Haven't a clue why it's like that! The only thing I can come up with is that they were working around particular furniture. They guy who built this addition lives next door. Maybe someday I'll get the chance to ask him how they planned the room.

Would some philodendrons on a shelf be enough jungle, Lavender? : )

If we only did the L, maybe artwork or a photo display could go to the right of the window? Would that give it a sense of balance then?

The thought of turning our books around makes me giggle, Maine Susan. : ) I don't know how we'd find anything that way. :-) I've seen people wrap books in plain paper, which I sort of like, except we'd be now til past Christmas trying to wrap them all!

Oops, I forgot to add a picture of a rough cut and paste of our room with shelves and blinds. It feels naked to me without a valance above the window. Maybe my eyes need to adjust.

This morning I measured approximately how much shelving our books would take. It's a bit rough, but I came up with approx. 83 linear feet of shelving. 83 ft!

If we did just the L of shelving between the window with the heater and the picture window, the books would totally fill that section (plus a little more...), based on about 7 shelves from floor to ceiling, each being a total of about 11' long (4' on the short leg of the L and 7' on the long leg--we lose 2' at the crossover in the corner). 7 shelves should leave room for base and crown molding, I think.

OK, here's my opinion, and my opinion only: Yes, books have spine, and yes, they have different colors. That's the nature of books. However, IMO, books are for reading first, and decoration, second.

So, no turning them around, no covering them all with white book covers, no lining them up by color. If that's too busy, so be it, or decorate everything else in a neutral.

Another couple of thoughts.

1. What about doing a closet where the play shelves are? (I know the doors fit, LOL.) Here's a 3D sketch (LL, the "jungle's" for you. ; ))

Top view:

Orrrrr, maybe a window seat where the kitchen set is now, butted up to shelves:

I was going through my pins and saw the gazillions of window seats I've saved. Maybe this is the spot for one?

The 3D version is wonky. I don't like the rendering of the shelves, the program won't let me lower the window over the seat to the right height, and I can't make the window seat look built in. Free programs have their challenges, I tell ya! :-)

nosoccermom, can I give you an emphatic "Amen!" ? : ) Those are encouraging words.

I wish those programs could add the people and have them move around the room too! I think the closet looks good for a smaller family, but it's permanent. Is this your lifetime home?

I was wondering how it would look to wrap the bookcases around both corners. I'm bothered by the left bookcase crowding the small window so I was thinking about 2' of bookcases on both side walls. I like the look of these narrow corner cases.

Michigan project · More Info

Old Village Remodel · More Info

Notice how in this photo of yours that the bookcase stops short of the fireplace. I was thinking you could stop short of the left window instead of crowding the bookcase right up to it.

Still, those 3d programs look really useful, laughable_m. It's great that you are planning the details with them. You get a better sense of traffic flow and use of space and bumping against other room elements.

How many family members are using this space? Do you need all that seating?

Yes, the Homestyler program is still extremely useful, even in its limitations. (I once had an old version of 3D Home Architect that allowed you to paste in people and a dog. My kids loved that part, mayflowers!)

We have 9 family members using this space. It's not unusual for us to have a minimum of 2 visitors, About once a month, when we host our church group at our house, we will have 15 or 20 or more people out at once. Yep, we'll use the seating and then some. : )

That's an interesting idea to wrap just a wee bit around the corners. Thanks for pointing out the little wrap by the fireplace. It looks like its edge is equidistant from the from the fireplace as the fireplace to the window on the other side.

I drew up a rough idea with Paint (because I'm obsessed and want to solve this) with shelves on each side of the picture window. Included is the window seat, drawers, and the shelves wrap on the left side around the corner.

Must. go. be. responsible. now. Wish me luck turning this part of my brain off!

My suggestion would be to look at the IKEA Billy bookcases since I think budget is a concern and you could do the project in sections. I plan to use them to create a mini library and add molding for a built in look. I took card board and cut to the foot prints and laid them on the floor to see how it would feel in the area I am using. One standard tall bookcase will hold about 17.5 feet of books. There are a variety of sizes so you can make something fairly custom looking on a budget. You might also consider moving some of the books to the children rooms

Hmmm...don't think this will accommodate 9 + company. But maybe it can be tweaked. At least it organizes the work area into one end of the room.

This one! Not only for the jungle (LOL) but it just feels cozy and yet, still spacious. I like that combination...not too cluttered, but still lots of storage.

And as for books, the titles on the spines add character :)

ETA: Bookshelves on each side is balanced and traditional, while the corner bookcases are more 'cottage-like' to me. I always find rooms more interesting, if they're NOT too traditional and balanced. Just a little more whimsical....

I think Billy bookcases are a great solution for those with an Ikea nearby, Kippy. (No Ikea nearby us, though.) Fortunately, DH is very handy and can build what we need. He's asked me for a plan so that he can build it.

We have some books in the kids' rooms right now, but it would be better to have them all in one location, I think. Example: Where does this book go? In the living room! Simplify. : ) Right now it's: Whose book is this and where does it go? Or...Where is that book? and then running throughout the house checking 5 different locations. BTDT, don't wanna do it no more, LOL.

Those are some interesting ideas, awm03. Thanks for drawing and sharing them. Because we host big groups that are all sharing/talking together, an all inclusive plan will meet our particular needs better.

You and I were posting simultaneously, LL. You described what I'm trying desperately to capture: ...it just feels cozy and yet, still spacious. I like that combination...not too cluttered, but still lots of storage.

Trying to decide between traditional and cottage style is a tough one for me. It's like standing in line for ice cream trying to decide between vanilla or chocolate soft serve. I want the twist, LOL!

Mayflowers, could you elaborate on what you meant by the closet being good for a small family? I'm not clear in my understanding. This would be a storage closet for toys, games, school stuff, maybe the vacuum (hooray!) Can I just say I haven't had a good place for the vac. in years! I ended up putting it in the basement when we showed our last house. Otherwise it lived in a corner, gag. The closet could also store cushions for the someday deck furniture outside the slider. This is not our main entrance, so no coats, shoes, etc. land here.

As to this being a long term house? I'm hopeful! We've bought, fixed up, and sold houses a number of times, so, no guarantees, though. (And is anyone really in their forever home? Not this side of heaven. ; ))

Does a closet seem different in permanence than built-in shelves?

Here's a front view of the closet version, if this helps any:

I'd go with floor-to-ceiling shelves on both sides because it's less massive, and I guess, because I like symmetry and books. Of course, it depends on what kind of storage you really need.

I know your family size from previous posts so taking a chunk out of the room for a closet means people get displaced. But if you need closet storage, consider that plan.

I was thinking about this today.

Since you have a serious need for storing a LOT of items for a lot of people, I would run your built in from where the brown cabinet is your picture below the fabrics, all of the big window wall but with a niche for your couch and then all the way to the wall beyond it. I would do doors for all of the lower parts so the most eye catching (bright kids clutter/toys/etc) are behind the doors. I would consider doing the doors as sliding by pass panels so you don't have to leave space for doors to open behind furniture. I would make the lower section deeper so the top makes for a good place for all those guests to set something down or for you to use as well. I would also take it to the ceiling and use crown molding to dress it up.

I don't think there is going to be any typical room layout that is going to fit your personal needs, so I would think as to how you need to use the space. Since it looks like those wall panels are not painted yet, I would run out and buy a roll of low tack painters tape and lay out all of those shelves and cabinets right on the wall and come out on the floor to lay out that part as well and see how it feels to live in. Since you would be adding all that built in storage, you should move the extra storage units you have now to other rooms to get some of the space back and allow the built in bookcases to recede visually I would give the windows room for coverings to be opened and not block to retain as much of the light and sunny feel as you can.

Too bad no ikea by you. I have to drive a few hours too, but since I will have already done 2 other built ins, saving time and money by using their Billy bookcases is the way to go for me. Lucky your hubby has so much free time to build!

Whehlp, this is where things get...interesting. I so much appreciate all of your lovely comments, drawings, photos, and sharing. Thank you.

Last night I pulled up this thread to show DH some of the pictures. And? He didn't like them. Any of them. He saw clutter. He wants the room to feel neat and peaceful, and even lots of neatly arranged bookshelves didn't give the feel he is looking for. To be honest, I've got the exact same concerns. We had big chunky bookshelves that we gave away gladly because they also didn't feel peaceful and no longer held everything. When we removed them from our home, we sighed relief at their absence. I miss their storage, but not their looks (Form and Function, when will you two stop fighting and peacefully coexist???)

So where is all this cr*p going??!! I plan to evaluate our son's room for book storage today. There are shelves in there already; I'm going to see if there's a creative way to get more in there. Some can go up in our attic master suite when we work on that this winter, Lord willing.

We've talked of putting a room under this family/living room, since the ground slopes away as our house is built on a hillside. It could have beautiful windows all along the west side. All of the books and family supplies could go down there. Maybe the kids could even do their schoolwork there. Here are our two youngest daughters doing their senior work, as I envision it when it's finally done:

LOL!

Kindles?

That's too bad but I can't say I blame him for wanting an uncluttered space.

Could you pull the burgundy couch onto the rug and do shelves on the short wall? The shelves would be out of the sight line of most of the room and be less obtrusive. If the burgundy sofa needs to move towards the slider to leave a walkway between it and the green sofa, the chair and ottoman could go where the rocker is.

Oh too bad. I think there's nothing cozier than a book-lined room and comfy chairs to curl up in. The books damper the noise too. That's relaxing for me. Do you have a separate living room that DH can use as a calming retreat?

Laughable_m, just wondering what the door by the red sofa connects to. Could that be moved for better traffic flow?

Ha, awm! I was thinking the same thing. I deleted the suggestion because I didn't want to throw too much at her at once.

I was thinking that it could "square off" the living room proper by moving the door a few feet closer to the armoire. I see a floor change through the door opening though.

Could you draw it? I love your mock-ups. I always agree with your exteriors.

Based upon what you've said so far, and your DH's comments, it seems the most logical thing would be to add two closed storage areas to the left hand wall with the single window. It may work better to take a little of the length of the room, rather than the width. I'd put a narrow closet on the left side of the window (vacuum, larger items), and cabinets with doors and shelving to the right of the window (school supplies, games, books).

Then you'd have defined areas for school and storage on the left side of the room, seating in the center, and play area on the right. I think the seating arrangement you have works best for your family.

For your movie nights, you could put a pull-down screen over the sliding doors, and you would only have to turn the two chairs for everyone to have a good view.

I think with the amount of furniture, people, and activity in this room, you may want to focus on simplifying--- simple window coverings, one or two fabrics for pillows, lampshades all the same color/style, closed storage, painted pieces all the same color, maybe a pale gold for the paint color?

What type of flooring are you thinking of?

One concern about shelves (and I have the same issue with mom moving in) is that you want to be able to ACCESS the shelves. I don't want to move a chair to reach a book. Or try to get behind an end table with a lamp on it.

I like your idea of having the bookshelves in the kids' rooms and the downstairs room! What about some low shelves (under wainscoting height) that would just be in the back corner? Handy for a bit of storage by the desk area, but not towering above the sofas?

Then you'd have a nice area for pictures above it and maybe a few plants or display (but not cluttered!) on top of the shelves. This might be a great space for baskets for office/study things, etc.

Cozy, but spacious. I think that should be a design style! LOL It's my favorite look and it's usually a fine line between too 'staged' and not completely 'lived in' if you know what I mean. Everything has a place to go (and be put away) but a few items are left out to give the room a bit of style.

I think that line between cluttered and personable is one that moves for everyone, but when you can't appreciate the individual items....I usually start putting things away :)

Oh mayflowers, you're so sweet to say that! Thank you.

I'll try a mock-up with a moved door later this evening. It may not be feasible for laughablemoments, but we'll play with the idea just for grins. I've discovered that if you stay in a house long enough, sometimes those crazy ideas actually become reality.

Oh, you all are just too sweet to stick with me on this and keep trying to find a workable solution. Many, many thank yous! : )

The doorway to the hall has a wall oven on one side (newly installed kitchen) and a bathroom on the other side. So, this layout will be staying around for quite some time. There is no other living room. I would like to put a sitting area in our attic master suite that DH and I can retreat to. Oh, we can hardly wait!! I'm so excited for him to start, or should I say, complete, that project.

The floors in our family room will be covered in some type of wood look flooring. Medium toned, not too light, not too dark.

I think I found a spot for most of the books. Valu had a great sale on 6' tall 2' wide Sauder bookcases today, $29 each. I plan to line our breakfast room with those and hope for the best. They're not high quality, I'm guessing a little below Ikea, but the little 2' x 3' units like that we own have held up quite well. They'll go up fast and they can be wiped down easily. I can post pics when we get them in place. And if that spot doesn't work, hey, they're modular. We can move them and all their 5,469,843 books, too! LOL

While out I bought something to cover the south window. If it works well, I'll have more info for my picture window covering decision. I can see the value in keeping those coverings simple.

DH also thought of putting a closet down by the window/heater. He thought that would be a good solution for storing stuff, too. I'm not sure yet whether we'll do a closet on both sides of the window or a closet on one side and the armoire on the other. Any opinions?

Maybe I'm throwing a crazy wrench into things here, so feel free to ignore this, but you might want to think about getting armoires instead of closets. My last home was very short on closet space and I got a small armoire at IKEA. The great thing about an armoire, is it is just like a closet but you can move it around as your life and needs change. Just a thought . . .

I have 4 of those kinds of bookshelves that are 20+ years old and still going strong. They do the trick! Having bookshelves in the breakfast area sounds good to me -- a fine place for a nice read.

I thought about a 2nd armoire too, I pinkmountain. I looked at another thrifted Hooker cab on Sat., but not exactly like the one we have. I don't think it would give us quite the same storage, but you're right in that it would be more versatile. I'm guessing that if I went that route, it would be good to have 2 pieces the same height. (That one wasn't.) The closet really is probably better in this case.

Wow, awm03, that's impressive your shelves have held up that long. Hopefully I can start putting shelves together today.

Well, my curtain idea was a bust. Back to square one on that one. I did pick up a paisley placemat to try out in the room for color and style. I might start a new thread for the throw pillow decision.

Again, I am grateful for all of your help! : )

IKEA used to have a nice selection of armoires but I don't think they carry a lot of them anymore. You can usually pick up one armoire rather easily and cheaply second hand, but two matching ones might be a challenge. I had a fabulous one but I left it behind at my house when I moved to save on moving costs. I tried to sell it but couldn't. The new owners said they would take it, they inherited the tiny closet in the master bedroom so might as well.

One thing FOR SURE, I am saving this thread for when I start moving into my new house. Decorating with books and bookshelves is going to be one of my eternal challenges. As the movers said to me three moves, (and hundreds of books) ago, "Lady, you have a LOT of boxes!!" 3/4 of mine are still in storage and I'm feeling a lot of pressure to get them out before the mice find them! Plus, I NEED them!! Today I am working on a kid's program and I need one of my books but who knows where it could be!

I still like the Hemnes, which is solid wood and comes in a bunch of colors.

Then there's Regissor and Liatorp