It has the same schoolhouse clock that was in the living room (paneled and full of books) at the old house. As a child, I'd go in there and read when the house was cool and quiet to be by myself, listening to the tick and chime of that clock. The clock is extra special as DH and his father rescued it from being tossed in the garbage. They spent many hours rebuilding the innards together to get it working again.

The room is full of family heirlooms and memories, from the clock to the pastel of DH's grandfather over the fireplace who purchased the property back in the 1930s, to the stained glass lamp shade made by my Dad, to the model boat made by my grandfather to the piecrust table made by DH's grandfather, to the chairs and clocks from DH's grandmother, to other furniture pieces from DH's childhood home in NYC, as well as the books my FIL bought over the years.

Oh gosh, what a beautiful room! I love all the warm wood. And those green side chairs flanking the fireplace are great!!

But perhaps one of the best things I like about the room is lying on the sofa and looking through to the dining room, the window and view the beyond. It's one of my favorite interior views in the house.

Annie, I’ve always loved this room ... and think of your sofa with built-ins around it whenever a question about doing that is posed on HD. Everything is so beautiful and cozy! I admire your taste and choices — the wood tones, the fabrics, the gorgeous traditional decor.

I’m obsessed with vintage caned chairs, and how wonderful about the clock! What a treasure.

This is so clearly a much loved room, and it shows. :)

ETA: Didn’t see your dining room picture when I posted — so gorgeous!

I've told this story so often, so forgive me if you're tired of the re-run, but for those who haven't, this is a picture of the room that was an inspiration for the library that I came across in a magazine.

(I'd still like to add the brass fender!)

When I was working on the design though, I thought filling that whole wall with bookcases would be too dark. On business, I happened to be in the University Club in DC when I saw they stopped their bookcases short and added artwork above, so that's where the inspiration came from for two different heights on the bookcases. It also helped bring a formal symmetry around the fireplace though the room isn't square.

Better shot of the bookcase surrounding the sofa that jinx mentioned. We built in marble slides that match the fireplace surround. They pull out from the bookcase ledge to act as durable surface in place of end tables for sofa-sitters to put their drinks.

Just stunning. I remember your description of doing the painting on the pillars. May I ask where are the two elegant birds you bought years ago? I have a friend who has an antique one that he treasures

So cozy and inviting. And of course the view to the dining room with its exquisite ceiling.

Trailrunner, perhaps the birds flew south for the winter. ;)

I’ve always love your library, and especially the sofa surrounded by the bookcases. So well-planned and executed, as are the views.

Oh, that's a fabulous room, Annie! Really well done.

trailrunner, thanks for remembering my cranes. I just posted an old picture before they were there. They are still happily enjoying the view. This shot from xmas last year.

I love them!!!!

Those birds are so unusual, Annie, what a find! The whole room is lovely and traditional in the best sense, and that vista from the sofa into the dining room is beautiful and shows the extraordinary thought that went into planning your spaces.

OMG Annie my dad had those exact same chairs in his office when I was a child growing up. I always wondered what happened to them. Probably sold in a long ago house or garage sale when I was in college or living in another part of the country.

Also, I had a beloved clock just like that. It was electric, and then I replaced it with a battery powered motor, and then it got knocked off the wall and irreparably damaged. I really miss it.

I also have that same wooden plant stand, but it got badly warped from some water.

Love the way you have decorated the french doors in your dining room! I have something similar and do have some wreaths over the doors in winter, but no where near as beautiful as yours . . . and those cranes!

lpink, the chairs are one of my first purchases as a newlywed. We had no furniture for our house at all so after a year of living on borrowed pieces, we vacationed in NC and ordered MBR, LR and DR furniture all at once, including those chairs. That was 1979 and they are still so 70s to me, but I think they fit the room nicely.

The "plant stand" is actually a pie crust table that was made by DH's grandfather who was a cabinet maker.

The DR doesn't have french doors as the ground drops off toward the back of the house and the patio is one story below. Those are casement windows.

Just lovely, and even more so in person! ; )

I just like how you left them without drapes or blinds. The only problem I have with my door windows is then at night it's a big dark black blob. But I posted on here for suggestions and the wreath idea emerged . . . My doors might as well be windows for how rarely they get opened in the winter. Although I do unfortunately have a tendency to burn things and they are adjacent to the kitchen so they do get opened on the odd occasion.

When my mother lived here the blinds were almost always closed. One of my big changes was to keep them always open. Has made a big difference in the feel of the house, with at least some more natural light entering. We also eat in there a lot, unlike my parents who only dined in there on special occasions and used the table for "projects" at other times of the year. We shifted our "project" table into the family room so that we can "eat classy" in the dining room . . .

I love that all the spaces are warm but not dark or oppressive. Warm and bright is a hard combo to pull off.

I want to come to your house and look at everything one by one. Am I allowed to touch? (I won't pick up - just touch)

Such beautiful traditional pieces. Love it all.

A fire, books, a comfy chair (or couch with pull-out tray for my brandy). What more could one ask!

I have always loved this room!

blfenton, you are most welcome to come and touch whatever you'd like! Rooms are for living!

I LOVE the sofa nook between the built-ins! I didn’t realize you had that...it is on my list of things I am planning to do here in my study. I fell in love with a study Phoebe Howard did in the (I believe) 2013 Southern Living Idea House. I was smitten.

Your library is a classic!

I always have loved these rooms as well. They're unforgettable. The deep purple nook, that great window treatment, the cranes..I love the wooden ship...all the books, and lighting, and art..it is a paradise, the library. I'd easily stay there for hours..