I'm not completely clear on the plan, here: do you want the room to look better, or be better? Looking better from the inside is easy: leave the windows, add shelving below to integrate with the bookcases, pad the tops for seating, fill the space between the seat and bottom of window with custom bolster pillows so the whole thing looks more 'on purpose'. But the windows really are too small and too far from the ceiling: an easy mistake to make, it's hard for those of us not involved in the building trade to visualize the actual size based on the numbers on a blueprint, especially since the actual glass area is so much smaller than the numbers. Lowering them would just look odd and new ones wouldn't add a huge amount to the project [with the caveat that 'huge amount' is very realitive]. So, if it isn't a budget breaker and you want to enjoy those [wonderful] veiws, some changes have to be made. I'd argue-- if you are opening the wall anyway-- that those windows are not only too small, they are in the wrong place. For maximum impact, they should flank the fireplace, and it's the bookcases that should occupy the less important real estate in the corners of the room. I'd use new windows as near the ceiling as possible, and bring the bottom down to the level of the hearth. I'd extend the heath under the windows for extra seating, and add a molding from the FP to the corners to integrate the windows, fp and bookcases into a single unified whole. That way, there would be something wonderful to look at from the main seating, even if the FP wasn't burning. Now here's a thought: leave the current windows, add new ones. It would actually be cheaper than removing the existing and trying to patch the resulting holes, since you'd be removing siding and interior finsihes, rather than trying to add new materail that matches the old. You could put the bookcases in front of the old windows if you really want them on this wall, or move them somewhere else...

Here's the sofa area with the picture lowered and area filled out. Showing the addition of a coffee table in two shapes. And also trying lighter mats on the pics to brighten things up. I love what you have going. It just needs to be completed and filled out some : ) The colors are just gorgeous and make for a wonderful and comforting setting to spend time. You might want to start another thread, as this one is bogged down with a lot of pics. Also, once the images become oversized and the text doesn't wrap anymore, a lot of people won't look anymore as it can't be read easily.

Wish I could delete this thread now: I think the bookcases will fit in our office just fine. It will be a bit crowded with a large desk, a sofa bed, and these bookcases, but I'd rather have that room crowded than our living room. If we go to sell the house, I'll probably get rid of the sofa bed before showing the house. The biggest issue is going to be MOVING them. I may call the store where we purchased them to see if their guys could do it rather than my husband and his handyman friend.

Actually Marcella, while I so appreciate your comments I think you’re not seeing accurate colors and that is throwing you. The sofa is cobalt blue and the pillows add a splash of color to lift the dark cobalt. The chairs are a very soft almost sea foam blue green and the footstool, while a bit large perhaps, came with the chairs and had the same greenish blue in the paisley. It also adds additional seating. As I said in my previous posts, we intend to swap the chairs for smaller yellow barrel chairs that swivel. The great thing about the painting is that it has so many colors in it that it allows for a very colorful palette throughout the room. Everyone who comes in raves about the use of color and the space feels very cheery in person. I was really only looking for feedback on the balance of the shelves and I think by bringing in a white or light stained oval table and new more colorful chairs we will be able to bring the color throughout the room to balance the colors from the shelves better. Also, the painting on the fireplace does not work behind the table - we need to allow space for people to sit close to the wall which is why we’ve had to hang the other painting a bit higher. We don’t want heads hitting it and it’s really too big for that space. The living area is very bright and cheery and the painting over the fireplace works - you’ll all just have to trust me on that one. The colors of the kitchen and living area are very compatible. We just to need brighten up the dining space a bit to pull it all together. I also put the large Italian vase with sunflowers on a small table next to the fireplace and can already see that putting the right objet d’art there will provide the balance I was looking for. I’m out of town but will post better photos of more of the space later in the week when I return.