Figure out your furniture layout to determine the number and position of the doors. The crown moulding doesn't necessarily have to match, it needs to coordinate.

I can't tell the quality of the paneling, but I would hesitate to paint it if it is high quality and has a nice finish.

Thanks -- We don't care much about the furniture layout -- just that the TV Will be above the fireplace and the sofa Will be in front of the TV-fireplace.

Yes, it is good quality paneling. If we hung more light-colored artwork on the walls, it could hide more of the dark paneling.

What a beautiful room. It looks sophisticated and comfortable. I love it.

I don't think painting part of the living room white is a good solution, though. To my thinking you either embrace the paneling and do a better job of bringing colors into the room through an area rug (leopard would be nice) , art (something modern and abstract to balance the classic good looks of the room), pattern (throw pillows in dense pattern like a Braquenie by Pierre Frey like this one [https://www.houzz.com/products/consigned-vintage-pierre-frey-floral-pillow-prvw-vr~49235228[(https://www.houzz.com/products/consigned-vintage-pierre-frey-floral-pillow-prvw-vr~49235228)) and lighting; or you scrap the brown altogether and repaint.

I don't think there is an in between solution. The bookshelves are built in, I can't picture them staying brown, surrounded by white as though they were book cases standing out from the wall. I think having a dark, moody room off of the dining room is glamorous. You just need more contrast and pattern in the room to lighten it up and play the wood for its best advantage.

I don't have an opinion on the glass doors separating the two rooms. I imagine they could be done very well, but the converse is true too.

Then that determines where the door or doors go, if the sofa has to be in front of the fireplace. Then you will need room for floor lamps or end tables with lamps, So one set of French doors in the center sounds like that's off the table. That's where the sofa needs to go. If you want symmetry, that means doors to each side, and that means the furniture layout has to allow access to those doors or they don't have much point circulation-wise, although they could potentially lighten up the space a bit.

So, really you do care about the layout, right? The biggest piece of furniture has a set location, based on the TV and the fireplace, and the sofa can't really just sit there all by itself. You have the opportunity to get the doors in the right place for both furniture and for circulation, so think about Both. Believe me, many new houses are designed without a thought to where the furniture goes, and it's a mess.

What a shame to do anything to this lovely pre-war apt. Why on earth don't people who want open concept and modern just buy in a modern building? This is a wonderful library and should be left alone - no paint, no breaking through walls.

Thanks -- I agree "having a dark, moody room off of the dining room is glamorous". And soothing.

The kitchen and bathrooms will be mostly white/ light, as will the adjoining dining room. Plus, we will use the darker living room as the media room, and films look better in a dark room, of course.

But when I look at other renovations of pre-wars, it seems everyone is going white/ light. Am I missing something?

The doors complicate things. Can you have a paned glass sliding French door behind a sofa or does that look strange?

You don't really have the width to float the sofa in front of the doors and have them accessible for circulation. If you really need to improve circulation between the rooms perhaps a nicely detailed glass door or pair of doors at the far end of the room, something that still allows a good furniture layout.

Consider putting the TV in the bookcase area. Probably easier to modify, at a better viewing angle and not a big black rectangle over the mantle when it's off.

Personally I think people who are painting everything white are the ones missing something. I like white rooms but I don't think I would waste a pre-war that way.

It's easy to sell the light, bright open look. You label everything else old fashioned and granny and pouf a trend is born waiting for its turn at the abattoir (and mark my words, the handwriting is on the wall, minimalism's time has come). There are plenty of designers who do rooms in a traditional way that is contemporary and vibrant. Alexa Hampton in NYC comes to mind, Michael Smith, Miles Redd, Alessandra Branca, Suzanne Kassler. People do not hire these designers to make their houses look like upscale hotels. If you go against the trend and do a great job paying attention to the nuts and bolts that Pal has pointed out and adding a well thought out decorating scheme that reflects your sensibilities and experiences, then you will have a house that is quite smart looking.

Don't take any but the most general advice until you can take your own photos that aren't all distorted with a stretchy lens. The dining room has apparently already been messed up on one wall at least? See if that can be fixed before mangling another room.

That is a lovely dining room. I can understand your impulse to create a flow between these two rooms. My understanding is that any time you wish to connect two rooms like this there is a cost in space to both rooms in order to create the flow. Are you sure you have the space to do that? I would imagine the best solution would be pocket doors behind the sofa and then I would arrange for two smallish sofas perpendicular to the fireplace. Put two club chairs by the window creating another seating area.

I don't think the TV should go above the fireplace. Maybe you could put it on the bookshelves by the window. I know I am old fashioned about this, but TVs are not sociable in my book and living rooms are sociable areas, so the two do not mix well. Either I am watching something on a screen or I am speaking with someone. Toggling between the two shortchanges both. Please do not allow the TV to drive the placement of furniture. Decide on the best placement of furniture and then work the TV solution around that. (In my house TV is watched via laptop, though we do have a media room, which is used by our children for video games mostly. I know there are some who really appreciate a large screen, though.)

Is this a NYC Classic 8? If so, that dining room is huge and flow will never be a problem unless you regularly have cocktail parties for 150. Leave that gorgeous apt alone!

We're big film fans, so we do want the largest TV possible in the best location, which seems to be over the fireplace. We're also getting Sonos installed throughout the apartment.

So then the sofa needs to face the fireplace. But if your place is as big as anglo suggests, then you can still have the pocket doors behind the sofa with a console table perhaps and still have plenty of room. Would that work? Maybe you should post a rough drawing with dimensions? And I hope I did not offend you with my TV rant. I don't mean to sound prissy, but watching a film together is a sociable activity, versus keeping the news on or sports as background noise.

Yes, Anglophilia, it's a classic 7, not 8. Large LR and DR -- we only entertain 1-2x/ yr w 40+ people.

My heart is breaking over the thought of painting out that wood. The living room is beautiful as is. I don't see where adding doors [especially not sliders!] to this room will help at all. I agree with pal that furniture layout and how you use the rooms is critical and the first step before any alterations are made.

I'm also going to make a suggestion that may at first seem crazy, but think about it before making major changes as I think it would be the best solution: Would you consider swapping the LR and the DR? I think of a DR as a formal place where you really "put on the dog" and make it very dressy. They also tend to be cozier with candle light for fine dining. The fireplace makes a beautiful addition to that atmosphere. I've seen Library/DR combos work very well and be very attractive. In front of the window, you could put a couple of leather chairs with a small table and lamp in front as a reading nook...would be a lovely, quiet, away space. And doing double-duty like that, you'd get more use out of the room.

The LR, especially if used for TV viewing and movie watching and lounging can be more casual. By making the DR your LR/TV room, you will have lots of wall area to put in as large a TV as you want at the proper height -- not forced to fit over a tall fireplace. Do it with built-ins so you can add you surround sound speakers, etc. Also, if the current DR is closer to the kitchen, that makes it far more convenient for snacking and such while TV viewing. And you can make the new LR as light and bright as you want for your every day living.

And keep that beautiful paneling and cozy room intact. That'd be my suggestion.

I don't see where the dining room has been messed up (?). I have very little personal experience with being inside large intact NYC apartments but I do know that it is not unusual to have chases built out in the corners, structural beams and other things that affect the symmetry of the rooms, and that the outside window arrangement, which is often very regular, often results in windows that are placed in the corner, or groups of windows that are split between rooms, even in a relatively gracious apartment.

The other thing about pre-wars is that they will often have one or several large public rooms (depending upon the size of the apartment), mean little bathrooms, an extremely awkward kitchen and at least one bedroom that people in the Building a Home forum would turn their noses up at as a master closet.

So while I am against the wholesale gutting and ruining of existing architecture, the reality of it is that it's an apartment, not a museum for Manhattan Life 1950, and that people are going to change things to suit their livestyle. I am not a fan of the gigantic TV over the mantle (here I would probably build it into one of the book cases instead), and I would never have a media room. I'm just not that interested in immersion television. We can watch it on the relatively small screen of my computer most of the time. But if I wanted a media room, it wouldn't matter if I still lived in the house built in 1838...I'd have one.

I think the key is striking a balance and being respectful. This apartment could be ruined, sure, but I think it's going to take more than a TV, and an extra doorway to do it.

I am claustrophobic and dislike dark rooms and am usually yelling "Paint! Paint!" when someone posts a dark paneled room.

But your room is really lovely and well done and I just don't think painting the paneling or book cases will do it justice.

Have you considered painting the beams to match the ceiling? It won't be dramatic change but it could be enough change to make the room more comfortable for you. Adding lighter furniture, more light and a lighter rug combined with the open ceiling would lighten the room considerably. Edited to add, there might be build up on the paneling and a good cleaning might make it appear lighter.

What about swinging doors on either side of the couch to the dining room to add some light? It might be an easier way to preserve the paneling.

Your apartment is gorgeous!

What a gorgeous space. You're so lucky to be able to make it your own.

From what I've seen, the trend to painting everything white is on it's way out. In my experience, it looks great on TV or in magazines, but in real life, it often cheapens the look and makes everything seem insubstantial.

I don't understand how a central doorway would work to improve flow. Would there really be enough room for a walkway between sofa and doors? If you do doors at either end, wouldn't that bring in more light and allow better circulation for entertaining. Maybe the photo is so distorted, I'm not getting an accurate read on the room size. I also like the idea of leaving the wall in the centre so that you can have room for some sort of buffet for serving on the dining side.

This is a pic of my favourite dark panelled room. Albeit it is smaller than yours and it is painted, but demonstrates how lovely and chic a dark panelled room can be.

I agree with painting the beams. They are white in the dining room already.

I disagree with painting the beams in this case. There are two ways that I can think of to paint these beams in terms of starting and stopping points and both end up doing something odd to the ceiling and the remaining stained mouldings, and both chop the ceiling into pieces. A third way would involve painting the perimeter beams and mouldings as well, which creates no problem with starting or stopping, but it chops the top of the room off.

This is where I get on my soapbox for a minute again: First of all, people are really fickle. Less than 5 years ago, there would have been about a 80% to 20% ratio in favor of painting this room white, no matter how nice the paneling was, although maybe some people would have said "If it's really nice wood remove it so it can be recycled". It's still the same dark paneling it was 5 years ago...

Second: It's surprising how many people decorate by Reaction rather than Analysis.

Of course you like what you like (although it seems to be that lots of people like what other people tell them to like). But the reaction here is The room is Dark. Dark is bad. We aren't painting it all white this year, so what can we paint white to remove the bad part? The ceiling is white, paint the beams white. (But don't think first about what that really does.) And also the door. I'm not sold on the door. But if we saw this room with a door in it I don't think we would think that this was a room that had been FUBARed. I am jumping to a conclusion here but I am assuming someone who has the budget for a pre-war seven also has the budget to put a door in that fits in with the paneling.

Before

After one:

After two:

Because I have always wanted a dining room/library I think switching the two rooms is an amazing idea if it works with your lifestyle and the flow of the apartment. Dining rooms are a great place to go moody.

I must say when I googled classic seven apartments I saw some pretty beautiful high gloss painted paneling but personally I wouldn't go halfway with it--all or nothing.

It seems to me that a central opening with or without doors could work with the architecture.

Pal, if you have a minute, can you paint the crown as well? Just for my own curiosity if you don't mind. I was also playing with painting the beams. My attempt made the room look stumpy (for lack of a better word) but I was wondering if the photo angle was throwing things off.

I agree that people here often don't think about or know all the ramifications of their suggestions. But the advice is free and most of us are not professional. If a poster blindly jumps into a big project based on an internet post, that's a problem of their own creation.

Put me in the would-not-paint camp as one who would just deal with any darkness by investing in really good lighting (and hire a designer for just that purpose). I also think a door(s) can be done effectively if you put enough $ and thought into it. My question has to do with your commitment to the tv over the fireplace. Even with the couch backed up against the existing wall, won't you be craning your neck uncomfortably to look up at a big screen at that height? If you move the sofa forward to float it in front of a door, it will be an even bigger problem. Now, maybe this is my chronic cervical spine issues speaking, but that alone would make me rethink the tv/door configuration.

I have always heard that the most comfortable position for viewing television was across and slightly down, much like computer screens are now. But we've gotten used to the movie-screen appearance. Still, I like to sit far enough back that I am looking more parallel rather than Up. I would want to be able to recline back to watch TV set that high, personally.

I used a program called "Paint" that came on my computer. It is a poor version of Photoshop. If you have a PC you may have it. You can pull a color from the actual photo and then draw shapes with it. Usually pretty crude but it gives you an idea.

Double sided sofas are usually for massive rooms since they are often between 6-7 feet square. You may be better off trying the paired sofas but watching from the far sofa over the back of the other. or do lounge chairs that can swivel around for TV viewing or conversation.

Given the dimensions of the rooms would be another reason to swap the functions of the two rooms. Use the larger room for the more frequent function.

But when I look at other renovations of pre-wars, it seems everyone is going white/ light. Am I missing something?

Yep you're missing that too many people have HGTVitis and want to decorate with the latest trend. Trends that will be gone in 5-10 years. Trends where in 5-10 years, everyone will probably be spending oodles of money to put in the new latest and greatest; dark wood paneled rooms to look like prewar rooms.

So glad you decided not to paint it. Once it's painted, it's almost impossible to go back.

I like Annie's idea to switch it with the dining room. Is that doable?

Rita,

I love how you (and others) steered us away from painting the LR paneling white. Thank you!! I love the dark look -- it's glamorous, soothing, comfortable, better for viewing films.....

I'm thrilled to hear from you and others who believe minimalism is near its end!!

Thanks, Rita, for recommending the designers who are embracing the opposite of minimalism. I love how Alexa Hampton left her minimalist, white phase behind and now embraces a deeper, more decorative look like her late father's.

We're probably going to forego having doors added between the LR an DR. We don't have big parties -- 30-40 people once a year.

I'm another who is *thrilled* you decided not to paint such a beautiful room white! What comes to mind is Shabby Chic/Cottage style, and furniture with big Cabbage Roses. I'm sure that thought never entered your head, because you're a man, and possibly have never even heard of SC. However, envisioning the room white, that was my first thought.

KS, I am delighted I could contribute to the conversation in even the smallest way. You have a beautiful apartment. I wish you all the best with it.

Wow, gorgeous space. I would not paint anything white. I would do the floating wall, with sofa facing fireplace. I would add a bright large piece of artwork behind the sofa, with a white matte and background on painting. I would also try to add some artwork of a similar feel in the bookcases either inside on the shelf or hanging directly on the bookcase itself.

Also think about adding some white/light roman shades to your window and try to find a nice happy rug to tie everything together. You really don't need to do a whole lot, everything is gorgeous already.

Maybe in the dining room you hang some darker artwork on the walls so that you balance out the light and darks in the two rooms and give it a yin yang effect. Just a thought.

Amazing that not a single response suggested going white!

Seems we have an amazing, forward-thinking crowd here!

I'm completely sold on the deep, dark, moody look (illuminated with multiple light sources).

Glad you didn't paint it. :)

Well, not all wood paneling is created equal.

Beautiful place - glad you are not painting the wood.

To Sara Ho's comment and many other comments:

Love the idea of a large-format, bright, modern painting on the wall opposite the fireplace (to hide some of the excessive paneling).

We're thinking of abandoning the idea of any doors between the LR-DR. They would be closed most of the time anyway. The extra light would be the main pro, but noise from TV (when spouse watches) into DR (my workspace) is a big negative. We don't entertain often, so improved traffic flow that I mentioned initially is no longer a concern.

My hesitation with the floating wall is that it could look odd. Would be a big risk -- especially taking out the section of the wall near the foyer -- we'd have to create a pillar or another structure, which would look strange.

Re keeping v. tearing down walls..... The reason we chose this apartment is the fact that it HAS so many walls!! We initially looked at 50+ downtown lofts, which look gorgeous in pics -- but stepping foot inside, I couldn't see us living in one (too much noise, lack of private, quiet space, not enough closets, not cozy....).

So glad you are not painting. I just moved in to a house with very dark red walls. (which I will paint some day :) ) in the dining room. I hung a lot of artwork that has gold frames which reflect light and they all had large cream mats. I can not even explain how it lightened up the room. I actually don't even mind the walls too much now.!

What a difference!!!

This is how the LR looks now after the previous owners moved out. What a change!!!

G-o-r-g-e-o-u-s!!!! Congratulations. Now you can have fun and decorate. My one word of advice on finding art, is please do not rush. I have no doubt, that given your location, you will get to see a great deal of wonderful art and will be able to choose your favorite pieces at leisure.

What a fantastic space!

so glad u didn't paint it!!! it is gorgeous !!! that floor is so beautiful!! as other have suggested, just lighten it up with better lighting, artwork and furnishings.

You know when I was growing up we had a dining room with one door on one side of a wall. It was enough. I love having a dining room but I also love to entertain and I like to eat in the dining room and then "retire" to the sitting room, lol! Call me crazy! Traffic flow isn't much of a problem if the rooms are next to each other. I once had a house with a hallway between the kitchen and the living/dining room area. That was a traffic problem because the kitchen was tiny and if I had to go in there, I disappeared from sight and sound of my guests and had to leave them hanging. Got better when SO moved in and could stay with them while I got stuff from the kitchen. I would be more concerned about the flow between where the food gets cooked and the dining room than between a sitting/movie room and a dining room.

On the flip side, if you want to open it up, get someone good and have them save and re-use the wood that gets taken out in some creative way for the new doors. Can be done. Pocket doors rock.

I love wood, and such fine stuff as you have is becoming rare. That's why the trend is to paint, so no one knows the difference between fine stuff and cheap stuff. Painted, it all looks the same.