Please clarify. You wrote ..."room is unused." Is the room just for display, to walk through, or do you want to start using it?

It’s just for display as we have a family room.

Thanks for info. You can use the Ikea planners to configure Ikea Billy bookcases to fit on a wall space. Look at options with glass and solid doors. That will give you an idea about the lowest cost option. Custom bookcases as built-ins will run several times the cost of Billy bookcases. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/billy-bookcases-58288/

A wide linear electric fireplace with a tv on top could attract people to use the space if you decide to use the room for more than display.

I would keep the window but remove the venetian blinds because they are not normally for display. I would remove the valances because they distract from the room. I would move the display case out from in front of the window.

Please forgive me if I missed anything from the first post, but I'm curious where the built-in idea came from. Is it because it's a look you love, because you want a fireplce (and will use it), or because you want the storage?

Personally I love cozy built-in storage and a fireplace, but for a room you don't use it seems like a big investment. You could be using a really unique console or cabinet with a large, fabulous piece of art above to add character to the room. I would also edit the amount of items displayed, and I think you could try a different layout as well.

If you have your reasons that make a built-in and fireplace worth the investment to you and you absolutely want to add it, the only wall that makes sense to me is the wall the sofa is currently facing. I would never remove a nice large window; you need the natural light. The oposite wall sounds like it will alway be the path for traffic to flow through to the French doors.

You might consider just moving the furniture you have around in the room to match the layout proposed and see the results of an effort that costs nothing.

Just so you know, professional designers and those who comment on Design Dilemmas address the whole space, not just one item like a built-in cabinet or a fireplace "just for show." That's why you're getting much more comprehensive advice. This looks like a too-busy space. Many pieces should be subtracted and no more added until you do that.

Beverly and chloebud and others have given you great advice..Here's an article on something called "negative space." It makes the case that eyes need to rest as someone experiences a room. You have too much to look at so it detracts from every piece. Be more selective. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-power-of-negative-space-in-interior-design-stsetivw-vs~97343035

Here are my suggestions which overlap with Beverly and others.

--Keep the second window for maximum light. Remove the valences and add two ceiling-to-floor panels on each side. Then you won't need to put those bitty pieces on the flanking walls.

Greenland Dream Catcher Panel Window Curtains, Set of 2 · More Info

Follow Beverly's layout showing the sofa against the right wall and the two upholstered chairs facing the window. If you must keep the rocking chairs, then face them towards the repositioned sofa against the wall. Unless you have lots of company, you don't need so many chairs and little tables. Keep coffee table fairly clear and about 18" from sofa and chairs.

--Relocate or rehome the big cabinet in front of the window.

--Remove all art work then be selective about what goes back up. Hang the two large art works over the repositioned sofa with nothing else on that wall.

--If you must have some of those small wall pieces, arrange them in a pleasing way on a single gallery wall across from the sofa. If you need storage, get a widel low piece abd arrange your small art around it. Here's how to lay out a gallery wall.

x https://www.houzz.com/magazine/an-insiders-guide-to-creating-the-perfect-gallery-wall-stsetivw-vs~54627547

Not suggesting this console ,just this idea across from repositioned sofa, minus the TV since you don't want that.

Pearl District Condo · More Info

--Take all the stuff off surfaces, most especially the entry table (and above it.--sconces, decor items, little art.) Ditch forever vases of dried flowers and such. They just collect dust. Then t put back a few favorite items and rotate the others from time to time.

Remember: less is more.

I can’t figure out how to reply to specific posts, please be patient with me. This is our forever home and have been here for 2 1/2 years. For context I grew up in PA in very old farmhouse. I love antiques, folk art, and a farmhouse style. Most of the antiques you see in my photos were my great grandparents and some just recently aquired from uncle who passed last year. Lots of memories and would like to keep in the room. I love built-ins with a fireplace and it’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I also love french doors. I will be painting but not sure of color yet, thinking beige. We have a great room where we have the tv and a wood burning fireplace so this room is only used very occasionally. I do plan on moving the ceiling fan. We live in SoCal so removing it completely is not an option. The french doors, when used, will open into the screened in patio. I’m open to a pocket door if that is better suited as we also have pocket doors in the room. I want the built-ins for numerous reasons; storage, displaying, and cozying up to fireplace with hubby sometimes. It will be an electric fireplace as there is no gas on our street. It’s a 70’s tract home in a senior community and not the old house I dream of but trying to make the most of what I have and taylor it to our wants if possible. Hope this helps.

"It’s just for display as we have a family room."

The very things you treasure, that are sentimental, have been reduced to looking more like a garage sale. You don't use the room, because there IS no television, which 97% of all people do watch, and the other 3 % are flat out liars!? Is this near a kitchen we are not seeing? Show the family room too.

Would I sit in this room? No. I'd RUN. The visual of accessories, stuff with no reason to be there......would make me so nervous I would have to flee and I am no minimalist.

I don't think I'd invest 10/15 k in built in and fire and another who KNOWS what in header,/french doors and addressing the patio area behind to get a look meant for a different home entirely!!

There are great ready made tall book case units you can butt together for a wall of, books , photos, small collectibles and art too small for a wall.

Ballard designs down below ( four finishes )......You could fill the wall opposite the sofa in Bev's arrangement of furniture

Not everything you treasure need be in the SAME room. Take the spinning wheel to a guest bedroom, get the bookcase to the RIGHT of the right slider and against the wall. Pull the Windsor chair in as a little accent to the seating group ( Bev's arrangement)

Take everything hanging around on the floor AWAY. Tiny little boxes on tiny little table, dried flowers, the valances, whatever is piled willy nilly in corners and clear off the coffee table.....and sorry, no matter how sentimental, that coffee table needs to be larger.

I probably sound harsh and I do apologize for that, but the room ISN'T YET inviting. It needs serious pruning.

I understand it isn't your dream house, but you can't successfully force that old farm feel into this house. Adapt to the home you have : ) in SOCAL. which hardly needs a "fire".........

I am different then any of the other responses as I understand you living in a 70's home but you have a farmhouse in your head. Get rid of the window so you have more wall space for those things you love. Hate the dated style of it anyways with the patio door next to it as it looks like an apartment. Then I think it will give you more options for that nice fireplace and furniture arrangements.

I’ve agreed with many if the responses from the designers. Your valued treasures should be gathered together, then decide which rooms would benefit by their addition - farmhouse food, kitchen items are great in the kitchen, bedrooms would welcome some calming pastoral scenes, etc. Before you start engage with a designer who can objectively assist you with your items. This also provides an opportunity to decide who you would like to pass these treasures to - - ask to see if those people are truly interested in those designated pieces or something else. Take photos, record who gets what at the appropriate time and put info with your Will or Estate Plan.

I have fond memories of going antiquing with my husband’s favorite aunt in PA, whose style was very similar to yours. She had lots of collections, especially of old tin food containers. The thing that drove us crazy is that she would mix modern, reissued versions with vintage pieces. It completely spoiled the charm of the vintage tins.

As Jan Moyer said in her uniquely blunt way, no one wants to sit in that room because it feels like a house museum. It doesn’t feel relaxing because there’s too much for the eye to take in.

My parents downsized 7 years ago and we did the same 4 years ago. It’s a tough process and forces one to make discerning choices between what we truly love and what we hold on to out of a sense of obligation to the memory of other people. Who are no longer here.

Your game is one of subtraction, not addition. Adding a fireplace just so you can have built-ins will lead you to fill up those built-ins with more things. That is precisely the wrong direction for you.

Challenge yourself to pretend that you are downsizing and keep nothing that is not beautiful and functional, preferably both. Your uncle and great-grandparents would not want you to feel burdened by their things.

Start by taking down the valance. Then remove the decor items from the floor and table. As you clear space, you will see each item more clearly and can make good decisions about what to keep and what to re-home. Creating space will breathe life into the room and make it a place people will want to gather.

There's a line form a movie......." Go to the mattress"

You take it ALL away.......FIRST. You empty.

To this.....two views below, and the walls cleaned up too

Now.......

could you add the rocker or Windsor chair by the sofa or in the window? Probably!

The console moved to the long wall and 90 % of the stuff on it and under it? EDIT!!! Most is "stuff" not treasure!

The bookcase moved to the right and if not enough wall? You find another home in another room, or the foyer or or or ! It is ill placed and forcing you to keep blinds down.

Versus this.........scroll back and forth;;;; or look side by side

Second view

side by side again

At the risk of offending you, you either want a home, or a dusty crusty antique museum. A museum defined in a GOOD needs the word "curated". ...it is not as you have now.

I took it to the bare bones. because once you relocate larger case pieces and edit and re position and hang art? You realize you can have YOUR museum, but much curated , If you want butted book cases where the console is? Great! You do not yet have them.

But spinning wheels, and very small doo dads either find another home or nobody really enjoys this room. Not even you. And a fire will not change that, nor will french doors.

Basically .....It's "granny died and it now it looks this way" Or"its my beloved Gram died, and I love her folk art and these pastoral scenes and some of her treasures.

TRUTH? NOT ALL OF IT IS TREASURE. : )

Like everyone else, I think you should start with editing. Remove the valances and all fake flowers/plants from the room. I see candlesticks in at least five places. If you must keep them all, put them in a grouping. Same with the horses-maybe put them on your entry table-remove the fake flowers from there too. Not sure what is in the cabinet but maybe edit that and put some of the smaller things in there. Get rid of anything that is not one of your antiques. No one is going to sit in the chairs along the wall-could they go in another room? IMO I would start by making the room more open and inviting, rather than adding more pieces.

I would not remove the window. You don't want to have lights on during the day instead of natural light.

I haven't watched tv in over 30 years. Just sayin'.

You're in a minority.........: ) A very tiny minority!

You're obviously in the phase where you enjoy all the memento pieces in the space so pay no mind to those who don't appreciate the same. You'll downsize when ready. You could add the fireplace on the wall where the two striped chairs are. Put the chairs where the sofa is and move the sofa to the window wall along with the sofa table behind it. A nice lamp on the sofa table. I think these changes would open up the room better.

Remove the valances and add a soft drape on the window. When budget allows change up the ceiling fan and the rug for something that suits the space better. The room color looks cozy.

Since you don't want a TV in the room, you first need to define just what you want to DO in the room. Is it a sitting room to read in and/or socialize with guests? A music room? Craft room? Exercise room? Form follows function, and the function has yet to be stated, except that it is for "display." If it's for display you don't need any seating at all.

I'm not going to reiterate what everyone said about decluttering. And I'm going to guess that you want it to be a sitting room. I'd remove the sofa and replace it with 2 more club chairs. Four club chairs around an ottoman is way more conducive to conversation, and it takes away the large piece plunked in the middle of the room. And just what type of fireplace do you want? I'm sure a wood-burning FP is not allowed in Socal.

One way

Another

Another

Another

Start here

Bring back the rug

Bring in the this coffee table

Slide the Right Side stripe chair a little closer to the couch, the left as well and angle. You INVITING folks in - they have plenty of room to do that

Get rid of the doily and flowers if you keep the side table between the chairs. If folks can reach the coffee table, eliminate the table between the chairs

Bring back the Windsor chair , put it at the window near sofa and what ARE you hiding behind that blind?!!

Take some clutter off the console and put the folk art tighter together, take the smalls out of the middle and lower them both. Get rid of the candle sticks and add a lamp!!

Put a lamp on the table at the end of the couch, and lose the dried flowers - and LOWER the art

Do that and come back : )

You're on your way to a ROOM!!

I know you didn’t recommend the console table by window but will it work? I love gel stain if that helps. It’s just an Amazon table. I bought a piece of art in PA last week for over the sofa. The one there is temp just to get an idea. The other side of that window are pictures for hubby’s man cave. That’s a whole other nightmare/project. Also I have about 20k I was going to use for the built-ins which I may still do???? Would you recommend bigger arm chairs and different coffee table?

I don’t like the table in front of the window. Personally, I would put the arm chairs across from the sofa with the coffee table in the middle and nothing in front of the window. Is there a reason that you don’t open the blinds and let more light in?

WOW what a difference! 👍 Since you've tried so many things, did you try one of the chairs in front of the window so the two chairs are facing each other?

Looks better to me without furniture in front of the window. The heavy-looking piece added to the left of the door also did something not good to the balance.

I like the layout of sofa against the wall and two armchairs facing it. Some more less-is-more thoughts. Corral the things you love against the wall the sofa will be facing. Put the rug back. Keep the tableaux of the little desk and light in that corner. Display a family book, diary, cookbook open on it for someone to browse. Very sweet and in keeping with your desire for keeping the antiques.

--That said, remove the Amazon table entirely. No sentimental value with an Amazon table.

--Anchor upholstered pieces on the rug. Bring in the ladderback rocker into the conversational grouping.

--Move the display cabinet to the left of the far wall. Have a wood worker build you a long, wide open bookshelf, same height as the cabinet. This will be for family books you've saved: old cookbooks, old children's books that have been in the family. Save the top shelf for display.

Make a gallery wall above the bookshelf/cabinet. Frame old birth certificates, wedding photos, drawings, a painting made from a photo of the farmhouse, art that came from the farmhouse. Something like this olny the bookshelves should be the height of the display cabinet.

Keep all your pieces on that wall--no stray pieces hanging elsewhere except for the large art work you have over the sofa.

If you have a family quilt, consider hanging it in front of the window. If not, just leave the window the way it is with the rocker in front of it.

Fun to watch this transformation. Looks so much better after the decluttering. I also vote for chairs across from sofa. I think their current location seems too close to the dining room chairs? Would be useful to see a pic of dining room.

Revision and picture of dining room clutter. I am really really struggling with that big void by sliding glass door. How about tall plant?

Can you please draw the "museum": ) space and show where the kitchen island, openings are? Some of what is bothering you, is about SCALE and proportion.

I assume the 15 ' wall is the console wall, do the rest and PLEASE let us see what you are hiding behind the blind and the shutters?

A tall plant would look good there. If you can find one that you like that’s easy to look after… or you could get one on a plant stand which would create height. Philodendrons trail nicely and are easy to look after. And their light requirements are pretty flexible. There’s a wide variety of different leaf patterns. I like them because they don’t shed. And they’re pretty forgiving in terms of watering.

I like the chairs facing the sofa. Maybe rotate the rug 90 degrees with this arrangement.

The kitchen/family room. All family room furniture in here is being replaced.

The overflow enclosed man-cave.

Wow, you have lots of stuff. Too much for this house maybe? Seems you need to remove everything from family room and man-cave and start fresh. Similar to what you did in the living room.

Get a dumpster for every single dried up doo dad floral in that house! I do think you will fill it and the decades? of keeping everything you own are destroying all that could be lovely to live in!

"Old things, sentimental things" doesn't always mean great things, right size things............but you are making your home look old, feel old and as if inhabited by the aged who simply no longer notices. I don't think you want that. You may be a granny, don't need to advertise, right? Stay younger in home and heart. Massive de clutter still in progress, a work in progress: )

Take heart; if you want it, you can do it!

This is 100% NO below, but now we finally KNOW. Not to mention? One of you is going to fall in here and end in an emergency room. Truth? You need more help than can realistically be provided on Houzz. Get an organizer, a local designer. Both? Look for the ruthless attribute!!! Kind , but ruthless.

Christina, you were so quick to declutter and rearrange your living room. I bet you could do the same with these two other rooms. Make a decision about what you really love and want to keep - then trash or donate the rest. Things need to go away as time goes on. Can’t keep everything without being overwhelmed and a bit depressed living with too much stuff. Feels good to get rid of things. Out of sight, out of mind. Go for it and post pictures after!

@lisalane ... love your statement "Things need to go away as time goes on". I'm not a hoarder by any means, I do not like clutter and tend to be more of a minamalist. But I still need to remember this, thanks for the inspiration! 😊

Is it possible that the de-cluttering of the first room led to more clutter in the other rooms? where did all the stuff go?

I don't think so Diana..........more a case of overload, everywhere?

I'm all for "gardening"........but a massive amount belongs outdoors or dedicate the man cave to GARDENING and a couple chairs.

Plants can become clutter as much as any other "collection". Prune to the healthiest, and the rest back to nature and compost.

"Home and Garden" has a limit.

There's more going on here than meets our eyes....? Get a couple pro's. I might add.....is that a TV hanging in a window??

You're probably right, Jan. I am no minimalist, but I hate clutter. I can't work, cook, read, entertain, or do anything else in a cluttered environment. Clearing it out clears out your head too.

The OP did a great job in the other room, so I'm sure she can turn her efforts to these rooms too.

Maybe you should hire a professional organizer? There are always "use what you have" designers who might help.

You have come to the moment you really need. Someone on your site - best? Get two. An organizer who will help you think through/keep the ME ........and give you back useful and comfortable along with it.

Christina, sorry you feel the need to sign off but understandable when you feel beat up. If you can work on the furniture arrangement for each room after clearing out the art and accessories, then you get the fun of bringing back in the things you love and figuring out the best placement for fully enjoying those keepsakes. Certain pieces of furniture or art may be better in different rooms than the ones where you currently have them. Looks like the man-cave could be a fun man-cave/sunroom with your plants and lighter furniture. Anyway, do what you need to do. Totally get the need to end up with a space that is ‘you’. Love the fact you were so proactive with trying new arrangements.

You did a great job of clearing out the living room. Pick out which furniture arrangement you like best and then you can add your "must haves" back in to get "you." I agree it's a little bare at the moment and not what you are used to, but now you can decide what you really want in there and what isn't necessary to make you happy.

@Christina Solorio was following along watching vultures go after you. Girl I’ve seen it for years on here and on another thread recently. If you want real help this isn’t the place from what I’ve seen. Good for you for standing up to it and finding someone local not associated with this type of behavior. It’s getting worse on here.

Gee, Christina, I hope you don't feel beat up from the responses here. I don't think anyone was trying to make you feel bad, I think they were only trying to help. I wish you good luck in getting your home to feel comfortable and "you."