apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Amber, take all of those shelves and cabinets and extra chairs and baskets and stools out of there and shove them in the hall temporarily and just breathe in how much better it feels. I just think there is WAY too much stuff in that room. Just because there is wallspace, you don't need to fill all of it. It's gonna screw up your chi until you lose or stash a lot of it somewhere else.

Just looking at these pictures gives me kind of a claustrophobic tightness in my chest - it makes me nervous.
It's true that all of your pieces are really gorgeous - but there's just too much. The three black armoires/cabinets, especially, are so large and dark and heavy that they are crushing the room.
I think you have one chair too many, at least - can you compromise with the desk chair and use it for both the desk and as extra seating, and lose the (admittedly lovely) wood-backed chair in the doorway?
If it were my place, I'd lose the largest chest and the metal shelves, and move the desk to the corner where the chest is currently.
Actually, I might, if the space allowed, put the tv in the chest (leaving it all where the TV is currently), and drop the tv stand. (you did mention the flat-screen - in this room it might still look inappropriate.)
You've got such an old-world vibe going that technology and the metal shelves are breaking the ambiance.
The map of Italy looks great on the wall, but the five pieces on the other wall looks unconnected and discordant. I'd either go with one large piece or nothing at all.
Overall, you've got amazing, beautiful pieces and a good eye for getting them to play nice together, you're just trying to do too much with one room. Some serious editing will make this cozy, curated, sophisticated, and inviting.

it doesn't look like your floorplan drawing shows all of the furniture you really have in there? i don't see the tv shelf or the third chair on the drawing. Would it work to swap the desk with the large armoire chest? Let the french door open/close instead of having it propped open all the time--that gives you the space from that corner... I didn't understand your comment about the window grate and the wicker screen. If you have to prop something open, couldn't you install some kind of hook or hardware to do that without taking up space in the room?

(This is Amber.) Thanks for the comments. To help clarify, I left out some of the furniture off the plan, since I wasn't planning to keep it all. This weekend I moved things around a bit more -- got rid of the file cabinet and put the Chinese chest under it. The arm chair in the first photo is also an overflow from the dining room and won't stay in the living room.

However, I need a home for the things on the metal shelves (which I hate). I'm not quite ready to part with my cookbook collection. Does anyone have any suggestions for a better piece?

About the screen -- we have window guards on our windows, but they don't close if you install an air conditioner (I would remove them if it wasn't a rental). I use the screen to cover up the metal gate that otherwise sticks out in the middle of the room. It won't open flush with the wall.

Here are some flickr photos of a slightly altered arrangement.

http://www.flickr.com/gp/14436193@N06/1Y4Gz8

Looking at your updated pictures, I think you solved your own problem.

However, I agree with polkadot that you should find another solution for the window grate than the screen. That corner would look better without it. Also, is there a particular reason that you want the French door open all the time?

If you have the space, I'd move the cookbooks to the kitchen - or at least the ones you use often. It's much handier if you need to refer to a recipe.

If you don't have kitchen space for them, I'd try stacking the books on the floor as a side table. In all honesty, that's not my favorite look, but I think it would work temporarily while you scout for smaller shelves that fit your decor better.

This is a tough room! It seems you never close the french doors? I would see if you can either take them off the hinges and hide them somewhere or see if you can reverse the hinges so they open into the next room - this shouldn't cost a lot and can easily be fixed back when you move (if you reverse the hinges, I doubt the landlord will even notice.) This will give you a lot more flexibility.

I would also find a better solution to the window grate than that screen. You want to almost disappear into the room, the screen just draws attention to it. I would try draping it with fabric that is the same color as your walls.

Based on the pics, it looks like you have a row of seating facing a row of cabinets, which seems awkward. Definitely get the chair out of the corner next to the settee and replace it with one of the chests; you can put a chair in the corner where the large chest is. I agree that the large chest is very big and very dark for this space, but of course you have to work with the pieces you have.

The chair next to the desk also seems a bit awkward; could you put it on the same wall as the french doors, near the other entranceway? People will need to walk by it there but since it is fairly small perhaps it won't be too much of a problem.

In terms of the things on the tall shelves, how often do you use them? You could hide a bunch of them behind that awkward open window grill, then put things that need to be more accessible in pretty boxes and slide them under the settee. Anyhoo, that's my $.02. . .

I just looked at your revised photos. A few suggestions...

I agree with Sprite about moving the cookbooks.

I also agree with Becky that the first thing you should do is remove all of the side chairs, stools, occasional tables, ottomans, etc. Let the room breath and then start to put stuff back. If you can live with it, add only a few things each day and when the room feels complete stop.

As for practical suggestions.
Put the cabinet you are using as a desk in between the windows. (I know that is where you had it before) I hate to say get something else, but you need some wall mounted shelving or cabinet, put it above the desk and get rid of the metal shelf. Also this is a side note, and I completely understand a need for storage in a small space, but I would use an open desk. 3 reasons: Its more comfortable and it takes up less visual space and you need that site line of empty floor space, last, your chair could then tuck under the desk.

Buy some pretty, but thin, storage boxes for under the sofa. I love the recycled paper ones from Pier 1 (they don't appear in the catalog, just the hamper version http://www.pier1.com/TopMenu/ExploreMerch/Catalog/CatalogUSMainland/tabid/194/Default.aspx
however Pier 1 has a lot of options for this sort of thing and they seem to vibe with your style.)

Hopefully use them to clear some stuff out of the armoire and then put the tv and electronics in to it instead of on top of it.
I would also move the entire unit to the wall that is behind the chair you are sitting in, in the revised photos, if it fits in the nook there, if not, I might consider switching the tv again to one of the cabinets that does fit in the nook.

This of course means that you don't really have room for both chairs, but unless you are entertaining often and in great numbers I would seriously consider getting rid of one of those chairs (even though they are both beautiful!!!) and just pulling in additional seating from the dining room when you need it.

As for the window with the air conditioner. I assume it is not a fire escape access point since the unit is there. I live in NY and in the past have asked landlords to remove these gates. If you have an apartment on a lower floor I can understand where that would be a security risk. If that is impossible is there any other window in the apartment that you could use for air conditioner. You would be surprised how powerful they are in a small space, and I'm sure you would be comfy if it were in an adjacent room.
If both of those options are a no go I would use a leaning mirror instead of the rattan, at least bounce some light into the room.

Speaking of mirrors, (I see a beautiful one in the hallway) I would see if you could add one large one, or even some interesting smaller ones in to the composition above the sofa. Bounce some light and space into the room.

Putting items in front of the doors makes the room automatically feel unplanned. I would pick the narrowest, smallest of your cabinets and put it behind the door on the other side of the door, even if it butts out into the opening.

Finally, I would get a darker rug. Closer in tone to the floor, again just to give you visual continuity across at least one plane of the room.

I hope this post is helpful and not too long, there were a lot of things going on in your room. Your things are beautiful though, you obviously have very good taste, and I'm sure with some tinkering you will be able to work it out.

This is probably a dumb suggestion, but could you move the cookbooks to the kitchen--on a counter or something, or put a shelf up somewhere? I know you probably have a small kitchen...I'm pretty obsessed with having my cookbooks in the kitchen. I have seen combo cookbook/pot racks before--could be an option?

You have some lovely antiques in here, though I didn't really notice them until I looked at your more recent photos.

Since I'm not a New Yorker, I don't really understand what's going on with the window grate and the reason for the screen, but I agree that doesn't enhance the room. It also seems to be taking up space you could better use with your furniture.

Would the armoire or the chest with the TV on top fit between your windows? That seems to be a better space for it than the corner.

I agree with other that before (re)arranging the furniture, you need to pare things down.

You seem to have a laptop... Do you really need a desk?Wouldn't the coffee table work? Or a kitchen/dining table (if you have one). If you really need a work surface, is the one you have a good fit (it looks like a cabinet to me and something that would make awkward seating for longer periods, but it's hard to tell)?

Many thanks to everyone for all the insightful comments. While I certainly can't implement all of your suggestions, you've certainly given me food for thought.