ok in the last picture i think the new grouping is nice on the right side but the table onh the left is a bit crowding..maybe remove it and put an inch or so between the love seat and the table pulling the love seat a tad to the left..to help balance..a small piece of art will finish the table grouping on the right near the table and lamp so the lamplight warms the art..a small square or round just a few inches above the top of the table with the plant just barely in front of the bottom right hand corner of the art...remove the bookcase in that room, it just doesnt go, everything else is ok.. back to the living room, the sofa doesn't properly balance being over by the window..it would be better facing the fireplace with the chairs on either side of the fireplace like you have them works well, however there are some balance changes that will work out well for you. first on the right side of the fireplace use the same chair and lamp and plant on pedestal, but take the art that is right of the sofa and put it on the wall right of the fireplace (not same wall, small wall by window) and put a table under it a few inches..put a small plant and some other art or something on that table..i think the round table is fine there, but any dark wooden table would work well too, or even that footstool would work as a table there well. the black shades work well with the chair and the black matted art..they tie into a theme..don't use white shaded lamps or anything too light in there..they won't balance. do a similar thing with the blue chair on the left of the fireplace..leave the chair and lamp and stool, but use a dark wooden table or something else there, not the light wood, and if you have a picture that goes with the dark matted one use it in a similar way as you do the other side..or you can use matched art from beside the fireplace stacked with bottom one a few inches above the table..not on the fireplace wall but the wall next to it.. a chest or coffee table will work well if you face the sofa toward the fireplace..but one of those other dressers or desks could be placed behind the sofa as a sofa table as well which would work nice so you don't see the back of the sofa..and the childrens chairs would be nice under the window with a small table or footstool between them.. these rooms do NOT call for the lighter wood, it just isn't needed with all the nice darker pieces that you have that go well together..that little dark desk would work well under the owl print..with something to tie them together, art or a lamp or something..

She thought the style was too boxy to pair with the drexel chair and that it didn't bring in enough of the french curves she knows I like. The more I think about the whole room, I think these are a better pairing for the rustic quasi-elegant look I am shooting for though. I wish I could see it in other fabrics/finishes.. I am having a hard time picturing it in something other than the striped cheetah (BTW Drexel Heritage has a great program to allow you to change the fabrics/finishes.. this is Hickory White though). I also wish I could sit in them.. they are not on the showroom floor. I do know that I want exposed wood on the fireplace chairs-- but other than that, I am all over the place still. More reason to wait on that decision. I am also thinking that I could use the Drexel chair elsewhere-- dining room or bedroom-- but the new CL chair will likely go to one of those spots (or my office).

Scooby-- I like how you think LOL. The difference IS a table! Or another chair! Or a bench and a weekend getaway! LOL lkplatow- hmm. I did not get your email-- and you didnt get mine. WHat's up with that? Maybe your spam filter? I did check mine though and there is nothing in it. I'll try one more time. Powermuffin and Laura (and all others from yesterday), thank you so much for your feedback. I am convinced it is a great chair for me-- now I just need to decide if it is the best of all she has to offer. I have seen more of her pieces now and love them all. She has also offered to do a custom piece for me. Decisions, Decisions!

Chjim, yes! I borrowed a bunch of books from the library in search of ones re: English cottage and country styles, and his was one that popped up in my search. I'd never heard of him until I read his book. It is just amazing. Ellendi and jlc believe it or not, removing the FP would not solve many issues. There still isn't much of a wall across from it. It's really the darn entryways that are the issue. Holly, I've measured and measured, and it just wouldn't help to narrow it to the point that would help the sofa and still provide access to get into the DR. I could possibly use Annie's portiere idea and put a curtain up on just one side, though . . .it might work. I am thinking of putting a portier up in the entryway doorway, at least, because while sitting on the sofa now, the view is of the front door . . .does not feel like a cozy thing to be staring at! Beverly, I am so thankful for your floor plan ideas. I'd thought of moving the bookcases on either side of the sofa, but thought I would be making that wall too heavy and emphasizing the narrowness of the room. But, I can see how it would help to break up the large expanse and also lessen the crowding of the piano. And, no, there is nowhere in the sunroom for the bookcases. The walls on the other side are the same as where the little tables are as you may have guessed, 2 walls are windows, and the third has built-ins that are too narrow for books. Jlc, thank you for your suggestions. I bought some poufs recently from Target (big sale!) but they are too big for the room. With the skirted furniture, wall-to-wall carpeting, etc. they were just too much. So, I will have to try some other ones that are smaller scale. (The new ones live in our TV area now.) Interesting idea about angling the bookcases-- I will have to try and see. I am sorry about your room. :( I hope you can get it to feel right. Have you posted it here and I missed it? Funky, yes, the bottom shelves are where we keep most of the books for the younger children, so the tables couldn't live there now, as you said. Olychick had a great idea to use a console table to solve the lighting problem. Furlow Gatewood also does something neat-- he puts these little paddle things on his bookcases to hold lamps. And you're right, it takes a lot of talent to pull off a room like his, which I clearly do not have! I have tried the club chair by the FP (we used to have two) and it was just too big . . .but I like the idea of the loveseat where the chair is, esp. if moving the bookcases works out. Hee, hee about the rustic charm of the fireplace! I wish it were rustic in the dreamy sort of way, but you're right, at least the bones are there. Olychick, that is a great idea, about using the console table. As you said, it would make the space seem more cohesive and solve the lamp problem. If the bookcases are 11" deep, do you think the table should match that depth? You are all very kind not to mention my elephants in the room, namely, my very overstuffed furniture which I did not buy for this house. But, while I said I can't replace them now (which is why you kind people didn't suggest it), I do think they, esp. the club chair, are a "big" problem. What do you think of this as my short-term and long-term plan (long-term because of $)? (1) Move the bookcases to either side of sofa. (2) Buy console table to go behind sofa, maybe the same depth as bookcases (11"). (3) Add a pair of lamps to table and artwork behind sofa. (4) Add some artwork to walls where bookcases currently are. (5) Replace sofa and chair with something that smaller scale. I'd say same size sofa, smaller chair (not as deep or wide), but both with low-profile arms like an English roll arm for sofa and maybe chair-- or a pair of slipper chairs instead. (6) Redo fireplace: paint and/or new mantel, surround. (7) Refinish h/w floors; still not sure about rugs (where they should go and which direction they should run). (8) And, of course, accessories in the form of pillows, art, etc. Thanks so much, everyone!