My husband built new bookcases and cabinets on either side of the fireplace and we got ride of the old entertainment center. All of the sound equipment went into the cabinets and the T.V. was moved downstairs (we hardly ever watch T.V. so we don't miss it in the living room anyway). This week's project is putting up all new crown molding in the living room and dining room - I'll post pictures when we're done with that part. It's shaping up nicely. BEFORE: AFTER:

Bookcases can be surprisingly narrow and still handle all but the fanciest of coffee table books. I have some along my hallway that are only 9 3/4" deep and they hold pretty big books with ease. That's more than enough for regular- sized hard covers, and adequate for many larger books, as well. Perhaps you could consider having some bookcases along the long wall opposite your windows. It would create nice balance with the windows and keep the shorter end from feeling overwhelmed with case pieces. OTOH, perhaps a matched pair of bookcases flanking the doorway would be a nice balance to the sideboard on the other end. If you did that, may I suggest you consider a larger piece of art on the thermostat wall (across from windows)? It could be a single large piece, or a multi-piece assemblage hung more closely together so that the pieces are subsumed to the collection as a whole, making a bigger impact. I love the color of your walls - very warm and exciting! L

Glad to hear your girls like fairy tale characters. The book was rather difficult with a jillion characters to keep track of but maybe someday they will tackle that also. As far as a pic of the room, it doesn't exist except in my mind. Right now it is filled to the ceiling almost with stuff moved out of our kitchen which has been demolished and any furniture now in the room such as a loveseat and coffee table,etc. will be given/donated away. I'm even not absolutely sure of the arrangement in my diagram but so far I'm tending in that direction. May have to close the wall a bit between living room and dining room because I think a little less openness there might add some coziness and also give me room to put a corner cabinet in the dining room that will kind of be hidden but still useful for storage which is what this house has least of. Obviously, I don't have this all together but I do best one step at a time so if I could make up my mind about the bookcases, I think it would help me move on to the next step of deciding the rest of the furniture/room. Even the fireplace is unfinished and covered with cement backer board ready for marble (which we haven't picked out yet) but I think the bookcases because they will be first thing one sees when they enter the room should be decided first. Thoughts? The house though small is quite nice even if I do say so myself - especially once we get the kitchen remodel finished. (Though we also have a big job ahead of us doing the hardwood floors plus other tasks by contractors - this is not diy). The house is 75 years old but as I continue on this journey of remodeling, it seems my tastes have definitely moved from vintage/eclectic to modern/eclectic. Hence the reason for my indecision. I think the builtin bookcases will definitely bring me back from my modern direction. And I've heard it mentioned here that some think builtin bookcases give a room character. We are very fortunate that our house has so much character that it is not a major concern to add more. Though guess it never hurts. (sorry I'm rambling, it is late , will stop here...)

Can you squeeze in 6 3/4"? If so you might look at the wider IKEA Benno DVD case. It is 15 3/4 x 6 3/4 x 41 3/4. I can't tell if it has a cut out for a baseboard or not (which might be a problem). You could turn it and run it across the end, so you would access the case from the side. Or, if you are very good at measurements, you could buy extra Billy shelves and shelf supports. Using two of the narrower cases, fit shelves (which you have cut to measure, 6 to 6 3/8") between them by drilling holes for the supports in the facing sides of the bookcases. Lock the top and bottom shelves to the cases on either side with angle irons or flat brace plates across the back. Go fancy (and more stable) by making a toe kick out of a pieces of extra shelving. Welcome to the society of kit bashers!