Those of you that know me are familiar with my old rambler of a house.
It was built in 1916.
We bought it in 1997 and moved in six months later.
The house didn't come with a library.
In fact there weren't even any book shelves at all.
Nadda. Not a one.
Apparently they weren't familiar with Cicero's tagline "A room without books is like a body without a soul."
So we added our own book shelves but this set didn't come about until about five years ago when we did our kitchen remodel.
When we bought our home this space was the dining room.
The 90's
Sorry about the grainy picture. It is copied from the list sheet circa 1997.
The windows look so pretty here but this room is on the front of the house and with all of the joggers and dog walkers passing by we felt like we were in a fish bowl.
As for the chandelier, unfortunately for us they took it with them.
The one they took wasn't the original though.
That light fixture had been gas and was later converted to electricity.
Another previous homeowner and friend of mine has the original one.
Here a an old photo of the room, the fixture and my chandelier robber.
She doesn't look like a thief does she.
The 60's
Maybe someday she will let me buy it back.
I find it interesting that those windows at the end of the house were covered in sheers.
I suppose that was the fashion but it is kind of a shame.
Here is another photo taken by the next owners in the 1970's
Actually it is two photos taped together.
The 70's
Maybe it's just me but I like to see how furniture and decorating styles have changed over the decades.
The door in the left hand corner was a swing door that went into the kitchen and just out of the frame to the near left was a second set of stairs, servant stairs that led to their rooms.
Really? Servants rooms?
The house isn't that big but apparently it was big enough.
There is even an old button in the floor of this room to buzz the kitchen help.
I have pushed and pushed that button but nothing ever happens.
So sad.
Maybe it's been disconnected. :)
I guess the help went the way of telephone operators, milkmen and doctors that made house calls.
No, don't even think about it.
I am definitely not living THAT life.
After we moved in to the house we added our own chandelier and window treatments and the room looked like this.
I'm not sure why I did that rag tag garland under the windows. Sometimes I think because I have something I need to use it.
I'm learning to edit. :)
Well about five years ago we decided we were ready to jump into that black hole known as a kitchen remodel.
The original kitchen was quite small and there weren't a lot of options for bumping out walls.
In the end we moved the dining room to the other side of the kitchen.
We took down the chandelier and what had been a room with no real purpose became our new dining room. You can read about this room by clicking here.
Because of our limited expansion options we stole about three feet from the old dining room and wrapped the new kitchen around it.
Sadly that meant losing these windows.
This smaller space would become our library.
I like libraries to have a more traditional feel and because this room is off of the foyer I kept it a bit more formal.
It has been an awkward space to furnish.
With the radiator, the bookcases and a large entry that shows signs of since -moved french doors there isn't much play room.
I had a large leather sofa, chair and ottoman that I thought I would move right in here.
Hmmmmm. I forgot to measure.
The sofa had such a slope to it's back that when I placed it against the wall it looked like it was in the middle of the room.
It was just too big for this space.
But after a kitchen redo that was "stupid money" over budget I didn't want to buy any more furniture.
So I made do
and that is what I'm still doing.
I used the leather chair and ottoman and pulled in a leopard print one also.
I had a chest along the left wall but again it made the room look too narrow.
Not Working.
I think this lighter lowboy works better.
The picture is something my dad bought me quite a while ago. For that reason alone it is priceless to me.
For me the devil is in the details.
Like the quote at the top of the bookcase, the two toned painted woodwork or the lighting.
I wanted sconces not an overhead fixture here.
I've had these Fredrick Cooper lamps for years. They still work for me.
Because the left wall was was torn out, moved and rebuilt we had to reconstruct the wood panels and the Lincrusta so it would match the rest of the room.
I think the valence may be a bit to frilly for this room so like the living room, I am thinking of taking it down and storing it in the attic. I think I'd like to see the window bare again. I don't think the fish bowl thing will bother me so much since those chairs are tucked over to the side.
I'd also like to see a bigger rug and a new shade for the floor lamp.
It just drives home the message that style is ever evolving and this room will be no exception. I wonder what different looks it will wear over the next ninety four years?
xoxo,
P
Along with Met Monday I will partying for the first time with Romantic Home and Along for the Ride and visiting and linking at up at Remodelahoic I can always count on some great decorating remodeling inspiration there. I hope you will visit there too.
