What Spanish said. 😊

Jterri -- i loved that wall too!. Because the room is narrow, and the floor is dark, nd the ceiling is low, I think that'd be risky.

Today is busy but wanted to thank every; be back later!

PS talk of the moon reminds me. We were sitting in the octagon the other day and I looked up, and the full moon was framed in one of the cupola windows. UBercool.

Late to the party, as usual, but wanted to echo those that feel the leather chairs by the fireplace look great! IMO the ladder backs would not have the weight to balance against the the heavy, gorgeous fp. Slipper chairs at head andfoot if comfortable as they do a beautiful job breaking up the verticals as stated above, and add softness. Stunning room. Is there room for a ladderback against the wall next to each side table? Can't tell if it would be too busy, a pic from the photo table's viewpoint would help. (hope I didn't miss it).

Love that moon view. I don’t think I said it before but I love the room overall and what you have done with adding the rug. It doesn’t need to get too busy iykwim.

Bumble, with the low ceiling, a chandy would crowd things. IMHO it would also block the view more than anything else does, because the firsts few feet of the windows is a boxwood hedge anyway. Oh and strongly leaning toward stuff I can take with me.

Jinx, you hit on it. I prefer the armchair 's height. I will do 2 arm chairs at the ends of the table. I hear some of you about over busy-ness with the photo table and flanking chairs, but for the size of the room there is not much going on and I think its my best option. Plus DH pointed out that we frequently need 10 chairs, so they need to stay in the room.

I tried all sort of combos of armchairs, leather chairs and slipper chairs by the fpl. The leather ones work best IMHO. The stager really felt i needed visual weight in that part of the room. One thing though, I think the fpl corner is too dark. Started imagining a free standing decorative fire screen, maybe w a painted landscape. I feel like I have seen something like this, but all I could find new was Scully and Scully stuff.

ebay:

I prefer your current doors with some bling on them. It looks nice. I know we talked at length about what could go over the fireplace and I think there would be an opportunity for some more bling there if you could bring yourself to switch it up again.

To me the visual weight in that corner comes from the stone fireplace. Not sure why the Stager feels you need more with two brown leather chairs.

I may have misspoken. The gist was there was too much empty floor space given the size of the room vs. the items in it.

I totally agree with you/Jinx regarding the upholstered chairs.. but then i rarely like such a big difference between head chairs/table chairs. Mostly I like the patterned fabric at the windows and flanking the photo table-- and love the chartreuse pillows!!

I also love the leopards at the fireplace-- I wouldn't have said, "hey, Mtn, what you need are two large leopards!!" but i really dig them.

Me neither, Funky. I was totally thinking colonial landscape. But I love the leopards. No wonder. $395 each.

https://www.scullyandscully.com/home-decor/home-decor-accessories/fire-screens/trompe-loeil-leopard-firescreen.axd

Not to mention, leopards are apropos of exactly nothing in my home. Am I implying the leopard ate the cow whose fake hide is on the floor? I got a whole drama going on.

Oh my goodness! You really need those leopards! They are absolutely marvelous in your room. Heck, I want them and am thinking how I could redo the library to make them work!

mtn, are you taking reservations for October? :-)

Such a great room!

The leopards are fun. I would just start with adding pillows on your leather chairs to lighten them up, if you feel the area is too dark. It’s pretty perfect as is.

I love the touches of green!

I can't break up with the leopards. I tried.. but I just love what they do for the room. They add whimsy without being cutesy. They are unexpected but look like they belong.

I am gonna have to sleep on (with?) the leopards. I can't explain why I like them either, maybe it is the color. Or maybe it is my love for British Colonial, under which, to me, animal prints are neutrals.

Kitch --- yes, pillows, the bane of my existence. Ever since I spent $825 on one (yes, you read that right) I have been really cheap about pillows. Trying to dollar cost average.

There are a few painted fire screens on eBay.

Love the leopards. After seeing the firescreen pics, a few suggestions. Remove the small box table next to fireplace - it's too similar to the matching long tables with metal bases. Replace with a small round stool by each chair on this side. This will soften existing hard lines and lessen, while softening, the leather chairs while providing a spot to place a book or drink.

The small cabinet to left of FP needs to be lowered a bit. It is floating up there by itself. Doesn't feel part of the FP or the chair area. Place a small trailing houseplant on top.

I either read it here or elsewhere that you love the small painting on the mantel, but I think it is crying out for a larger piece. Not huge and not centered. I like it offset. You know I love orchids, but try placing them in the room at eye level for enjoyment and replace them with one or three finials of various heights. I am on my cell so I cannot scroll up without loosing my post, but I'm wondering if the small painting could be hung on wall with the cabinet.

https://www.arhaus.com/furniture/living-room-furniture/end-tables/driftwood-stool/

Something organic like these two suggestions brings the outdoors in and a nice texture against the leather.

https://www.serenaandlily.com/avondale-martini-table/brass/383376.html?color=Brass#start=1

I mean the second table even LOOKS leopardy!!!

Allison, I really like those stools, esp the Serena and Lily. Just don't want to buy something that won't have broad utility --- maybe I can find a garden stool i like, that can also be used outdoors.

I see what you mean about the cabinet --- it is at eye level and lines up w the mantle. Maybe is needs something under it. Too narrow for a plant on top. I've owned it 10 year sand just recently hung it up.

I went round and round on the mantle, was really thinking plates, but a long thread here convinced me to go w the painting. Balancing it with finials is rough because the timber mantle is uneven so anything one puts there is uneven. I really like the orchid against the stone, and have others at eye level. One issue my DH pointed out that makes the FPL conundrum even worse ... in very humid or rainy weather, the fpl stone sweats.

I have to measure the leopards; if the existing screen is too visible behind them it would ruin the look. Plus they may violate my "broad utility" rule dictated by our short horizon here. Then again, sometimes you just have to buy something because you love it.

KSWL, I dont see the last screen you posted when I search ebay? SO pretty.

Have you tried switching the leather chairs? Moving the larger of the two by the lighter wall, glass door may feel more balanced.

This screen is avail nearby:

ETA, I moved the chairs (yes, Arapaho, I think that's better). Also got rid of the little square table. Ignore the throw and pillows for now, just what I had in inventor that could lighten the chairs. Need to readjust the rug now.

Maybe lowering the little box on the wall so the bottom is not even with the mantel. That floral screen is very pretty and picks up on the "lime" color (as it reads on my screen) that you have going with the orchid and pillow. That color alone brightens things up. You could also replace the box with the mantel painting, but then here we go again with the mantel !!

I thought, when hanging things, 1)eye level and 2) line some part of it it up with something nearby. Maybe lower it so the bottom of the glass part lines up with the mantle?

PS thx all for the patience with minutiae

Its painted wood, $395 marked down to $225, supposedly from the 30s and within driving distance so could prob get a deal with cash and no shipping. It works IMHO but its not love.

Could also fold back the doors and put an actual plant there .... that is less "old lady ish"

OMG I love that screen! It is perfection!

Just saw your question:

I tried to copy the listing URL but for some reason it isn’t copying.

I agree, that screen is perfect for your fireplace! The green pillows look terrific with the chairs and screen, maybe use the green pillows from the dinning and replace them with leopard ones, they would be great with the check.

Now I want a wooden fire screen. The leopards are gorgeous. They would be perfect in my home, but I don't think dh would share my enthusiasm. Your room has such great bones and textures that so many different fire screens would look great. You can't go wrong with the leopards, but given your expanse of windows and beautiful landscaping, I might be tempted to use this one:

I want all of these

ETA: I'm doing it again. I'm looking at your home and thinking about mine. So unhelpful. Looking again at your picture, these flowers are probably too delicate for the stone wall. Ignore me. :)

Oh Jojoco, love that site. I was trying to find S&S source and could not. I love the birdcage one!

PS I ordered more Spode Woodland plates today for an upcoming dinner.

Mtn, the birdcage is my favorite too. ❤️

You have a lovely dining room and the windows are sort of art in itself with framing your beautiful property. If staging for selling I would remove the photo table and not do a fireplace screen, but if for your enjoyment then keep them and add a screen. The only thing that stood out to me with the photo table is that it is a much heavier looking piece than anything else in the room with maybe the exception of the leather chairs. BTW I love the leather chairs and the "hide" rug by the fireplace. So I would for staging purposes not use the photo table and also because without it the seating area on that side feels less cramped. Which for selling you want it to appear spacious, but for your own enjoyment if the table makes you smile then keep it until you actually list the house.

ETA: I don't have much to say on slipcovers or not. I think either is fine. One looks a little more polished and the other a bit more casual.

Boy, am I late for dinner here! Can I just say, I love the elephants and horses screen. Didn’t you go to India, or were planning to? My screen images aren’t too clear, I think they are Indian elephants? Anyway, it reminds me of your travels, and is also in the style of colonial American primitive art and needlework.

I really suck at explaining myself. I should have added the vision in my head when posting my above suggestion for the buffet table wall. So, here it goes...to me the obvious thing to do is play up the room by furthering the vibe already started. In my mind the vibe is a sort of partial Euro magical al fresco dining room or the “feeling of”. Either do that by my above suggestion of almost purposefully enhancing the outside wall look , thus further forcing the eye to the outdoors through the windows, or, do an outdoor foliage mural on the buffet table wall with a few fine tendrils flowing onto the ceiling . I think you are missing a big opportunity of a “wow” factor for realty’ photos. The other little do dad’s don’t matter as much.

Since hand painted murals are very pricey , you could do mural wallpaper and then hire an artist to paint some whimsy tendrils into the ceiling a bit from the mural on that side.

Thank you , Lyfia. For selling, def no photos and whether or not we leave the table will be up to the realtor/stager.

Bpath, I liked the elephants too. I was even thinking I could paint their little saddles that same chartreuse I have in the room. But TBH I think the most natural fit for the spot is the "old lady" floral. The colors seems to work very well, and the size works better than the leopards (ahh, the leopards, sigh). The seller is 25 min from me and I need to see what she'll take for it. If it's as low as I expect its a no risk transaction really.

Jterri,

I love murals (Pal turned me on to https://www.susanharter.com/murals/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-aGCBhCwARIsAHDl5x8y0MamS6w_Yon9FJmylheJS-xV9DxB1wqkRA2RQ3_DJ2xoW4_G2UEaAq49EALw_wcB, which I really should have used on the chimney breast in my MBR but then I fell in love with a serpent mirror).

In our first house, in my son's nursery, I had a local artist do a mural of our historic downtown, above a sofa I had in his nursery. We attached a a narrow shelf in front of the mural, where we had little antique cars (matchbox size). She also painted clouds and a few planes on the ceiling.

Anyway, murals are not only non-portable and expensive, i think they are also quite taste specific and IMHO don't work well on broken up walls. Hard to to tell, but opposite the wall of windows, is a wall that has a set of doors, i'm guessing 8' wide to the kitchen. On either side of this are large interior windows. The result is oddly shaped open space for a mural. The other 3 walls really have no space at all.

I do agree we have been too timed to do the room justice, but it is a quirky one!

@rubyclaire first mentioned the Susan Harter wall murals on your MBR thread in 2016. That's where I first heard of them and ended up designing four different powder rooms (houses we did not end up buying) with them, until we moved here and actually got to use.

fb marketplace- CT- asking $195

another asking $30

Arapaho, I found those, too, and the top one is also very close to me. I didn't like it as much in the mock-up. Also did you notice the seller called it granny style! : (

Allison,. I bought the Serena and Lily table. I looked at others but it is distinctive, and taller and thinner than most. I think it could be used in the future nearly anywhere. Thx!

Rubyclaire, can I hire you? I seem to like everything you do.

PS I got the Old Lady dark floral screen for $100 local pick up. We will see how it looks; heck a nice bouquet easily costs that. This one:

Looking forward to seeing the S&L table.

I prefer your current screen. The others are a little “old lady ish”, sorry! I’d rather see a plant and keep the focus above the mantle.

oops, disregard, I was typing at the same time. 😊

I hope you like it!

Yeah, i totally get that Kitch, no worries. That was why I didn't spend a lot. I do not love it in and of itself, but I think it might look good in that spot.

I love the Leopards but the design on the doors would be visible behind them so I think it would ruin the look. In the pic, they are also flanked by brass andirons which also adds to the look. Plus of course they are $800 for a set of cardboard cutouts and I've no idea where to use them in the future.

Not to mention, I can just imagine a stager/realtor walking in the room and saying "well, let's put away the goofy leopards first," can't you?

Two comments:

(1) I have recently seen a deGournay or may a Gracie wall paper removed from the wall. Of course, I cannot find it now. There was a muslin layer between the all and the wallpaper

(2) I saw the worst abomination of a Susan Harter mural. It was a grisaille, IIRC. Someone put it up and then covered it with mirrors. I saved the picture but in a fit of cleaning deleted it.

ETA:

The screen in your mock up looks the best !! So glad you got it.

@bbstx Gracie Studio video, removing wall covering.

That was it!! Did you post it before? Sometimes my mind is a sieve!

In my particular case, a mural would be awful because I have very little wall space. One wall is all external windows, one wall is mostly internal window, and the other two walls are mostly french doors. You need a nice large uninterrupted expanse, or a jewel box effect in a smaller space.

@bbstx I have not posted before, but knew about the process.

Mtn said: You need a nice large uninterrupted expanse, or a jewel box effect in a smaller space.

I think most everyone agrees with that. My suggestion was to treat it like an outside wall. If not a free hand mural do a combo .

Here is a nice example: this is the Le Coucou restaurant in SoHo. Credit: designers Roman and William .

Anyhoo, not your thing 😊, no worries.

OMG that is so gorgeous Jterri, just wow. I truly don't have the right wall space for it. They have a nice symmetrical backdrop for the bar (my empty wall space is not symmetrical). and they have the large wall on the left.

Not to mention, that is one of the most artful murals I have ever seen! Good luck finding that. Brings to mind the famous Howard Chandler Christy murals in NYC's (former) Cafe des Artistes.