Very weird. Not sure what happened to my pictures.

I think the big buffet looks out of place.

Your room has many lovely features. I agree that all of those little photos create a cluttered look. The coffee table seems out of place in your room. It mimics the shape of the window seat too much, and seems inappropriate in front of a chair.

No offense taken. I appreciate the suggestion. The room just doesn't click for me. (not sure that makes sense) I'll mention, the room used to be our dining room. I converted it, did the built-ins and window seat, etc. myself.

I have plans to have the chair recovered. Should I continue or go with a different style chair? I appreciate the comment about the coffee table. Is there another shape you would recommend? That's exactly what I mean though. The room just doesn't click for me.

Yourself ??? Great job. I can’t even hang a painting, I’m ashamed to say, my handyman came to my home recently to hang four pieces of art. Now I feel like a real idiot!!!

he does a great job, once worked for an art gallery.

If it helps, I can't cook to save my life.

Right now it looks more like a photos and collectibles room than a library reading room. The buffet and tall display/china cabinet, tall wainscot and the light fixture tell me this may have been a dining room originally. I like the rug and would build the room around those colors if you're keeping it. Instead of the buffet, I'd want an actual library table. Any chairs for reading require a reading lamp as well. I would put the small photos in an album, or on a computer disc or jump drive, or have them loaded into one of those little computer screen frame devices that rotates them all the time. Find three adorable photos of kids or dogs, have them blown up and put on custom sized canvas to hang in three middle upper panels of the wainscot where the buffet is. You don't appear to have enough books for wall to wall books in the bookcases, so style them with 1/3 books, 1/3 large decor items and 1/3 open space. You might try 3 photos in each bookcase. Layer a large one behind a medium and a smaller one. Make sure they land on different shelves right and left. As mentioned before, avoid too many little items; what you decorate with should be large enough to be identified from across the room. Maybe it would be fun to start a collection of plates for the top plate rail. As for furniture, you could float a settee facing the window seat and use the coffee table 18" or less from both seating areas. I have to ask; is that a doorway or a mirror behind the wing chair, and is the bookcase blocking it?

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I think a side table for the chair, & I happen to like an ottoman for my chair, but that’s personal. Do you need the coffee table there?

i can’t cook either! Just had takeout lasagna from a great bistro near our home.

The room was a dining room, but I did the wainscoting when I converted the room. The buffet and corner cabinet are good pieces so I would prefer to find a way to incorporate them in the room, if at all possible. I'm keeping the rug. I can remove the pictures and can clean up the shelves. They currently hold books, games and craft supplies.

Lasagna sounds wonderful, especially today. It's cold and rainy in upstate NY. I had a lentil beet loaf sandwich from a local market. So good! It's my favorite! I don't need to keep the coffee table and I like an ottoman as well. The chair, along with the buffet and corner cabinet, are good pieces, plus the chair is super comfy, so I would like to keep them if it makes sense.

In my opinion, the buffet and wing chair are limiting this room. Seems like a good room for 3-4 chairs around a circular coffee table, which has turned into a very used area in our house. Whatever you do, you should remove many photos and also declutter the bookcases. If you do move the buffet, you’ll need new lighting since the lamps will have to find a new home. I think it’ll be lovely once you refresh this area.

Thank you Sam. What would you suggest if I kept the buffet but removed the wingback chair? Still too much?

If you left the buffet, and removed the wing chair and coffee table, you might be able to do 3 smaller scale chairs centered on the window seat with a smaller circular coffee table. Our 4 chairs around a circular coffee table has turned into a favorite conversation area with guests, and I think you could pull this off. Tape it out to see. If not, two chairs facing each other across a circular coffee table might give much the same usefulness, given your window seat.

I like this room a lot! I love the black lamp shades, but I don't think they're the best for a good read. I'm also wondering if there's room for another wing back chair. Can we see what is opposite the window seat?

Darra ... I live in sunny, warm So California, lasagna is good whatever, wherever, whenever, etc. , as is pizza ..... oh, thank God for Italian food.

Love the rug. Could you do two of the same chairs with a table or ottoman in between?

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A colour that is coming into fashion is mustard and I see it in your rug. You could add it with paint and pillows.

Thanks for the suggestions Dawn. Super helpful and certainly has me thinking.

I had considered mustard Tilly Tea Bag! I’m going to put it back on my list. Thank you!

Hi Manon, opposite the window seat is the entry to the kitchen. Kinda boring though I did just finish a complete remodel so I think it looks pretty nice!

following :-)

I, too, vote for three or four chairs with a round coffee table. It looks conflicted with the buffet and the cabinet full of china. I understand you want to keep them, but they aren’t giving you the cozy library you want. There must be another room for them where they will look at home. If you cannot give on that, at least have two matching chairs, a round coffee table or ottoman, and two floor reading lamps. P. S. My previous home had a library with a wing chair, a rocking chair, a cozy chair, and a window seat and my antique desk. This house has a library with two red leather chairs, a wing chair, and two rocking chairs (DH and BIL have back issues). One of the nicest compliments was from my niece who noted that every place you would want to sit to read had a good lamp. Oh, if you like to play games, maybe you can find a sweet round antique table (36” diameter) of dining height (30”) instead of the coffee table.

I will suggest adding some downlights. Right now the room appears somewhat dark and the light from the two lamps is pretty jarring. That may be due to the photos but I'm thinking not.

Sounds like you're happy with the things in this room. Just add a reading lamp by the chair, change the shades on the lamps to white, clear out the clutter, style the shelves and paint the walls. I envision a library reading room as a relaxing spot, so I wouldn't feel relaxed in a mustard room. It is a minimal color in the rug, so I would prefer to go with the blue in it, which is more prominent. You could also reupholster the window seat and add new pillows for a bit of an upgrade.

You all never disappoint. Such great suggestions! I’m motivated to start cleaning out the clutter. I feel like I have a plan. Thank you!

You all never disappoint. Such great suggestions! I’m motivated to start cleaning out the clutter. I feel like I have a plan. Thank you!

Excited to see your new room. Please post photos! Enjoy the process of decluttering and decorating.

I think you have gotten some good advice. I have a couple of things that I see....try to put the china cabinet flat against the wall, instead of cross cornered. Be sure and change the lamp shades to white....and clean out under the buffet also. What is the dark thing under the shelf at the end of your buffet? A trunk? That could probably go also. Will be a comfy room after you get it all decluttered.

erinsean - I think she said that was a corner cabinet; unable to stand flat against a wall.