Switching living and dining room

[kitty]

TL;DR: help me furnish the sides of the fireplace in a formal living room turned transitional dining room

We are planning to swap our "formal" LR and DR in order to accommodate more dining room seating. Old DR will eventually become an office/reading area. Since the LR is long and narrow, we are planning to put a bench against the bay window to give a banquette feel rather than centering the table. I made a mood board with my inspiration picture in the upper left and ideas for lighting and chairs and a bench (we already own the table from the bottom of the mood board). You'll notice there is no rug because I think I will need a weird size:(. Probably going to do 3 chairs on the long side.

Layout to scale:

Across from the table we have a large stone fireplace that is not centered on its wall (and not centered with the window which is annoying). On the left we have 48" which comes to the edge of the hearth (but not the edge of the stone on the wall) and 62.5" on the right (same issue with flagstone hearth). I have no idea what to do for storage/serving furniture for this setup and the only pictures I can find online have very refined fireplaces and/or a wall at the head of the table to put a server on. We have large cased openings that lead to old DR and foyer so next to the fireplace is the only area for something functional for serving. I'd love to reface the fireplace someday because I'm not a big fan but that is not in the budget right now. I tried to take a photo of the full wall but I couldn't get it all in even pressed up against the window so there are a few more inches on each size but you get the idea.

I think the best thing aesthetically would be bookcases meant to evoke the look of built ins (real built ins also not in budget and I couldn't get anything flush with vertical edges of FP without getting into hearth demo). But most of the semi affordable/modular options I can find are divided, which means no long expanse to use for serving food. And I do have china - some of which I wouldn't mind displaying in a non-granny way - and do I want it on open shelving collecting dirt and dust?

If I put a sideboard on one side and a taller piece with glass doors on the other, would that look really odd? And what color would look good there?

If I go with something to match the table top like www.birchlane.com/kitchen-dining/pdp/jeremiah-lighted-china-cabinet-b000220822.html?piid=  or

www.potterybarn.com/products/livingston-glass-cabinet-bookcase/ and try to find a similar short piece for the other side, would I end up with an overbearing wall of brownness? There isn't as much white furniture out there these days on Birch Lane/Wayfair/Joss & Main because it isn't trendy I guess. I found this www.birchlane.com/kitchen-dining/pdp/shipton-china-cabinet-bcmh1685.html which I assume will come back in stock someday but I'm concerned it will be too white to work with the table and chairs.

Will it make a difference if I put a taller piece on the shorter side or the longer side?

Another option would be putting a low sideboard on each side but would that call more attention to the fact that it is not centered?

I think a sideboard on one side and something completely different on the other like an accent chair on the other could work but I am hoping to get some extra storage space out of this for random stuff that is outgrowing the kitchen like cookie cutters and cake tools and if I do a single sideboard my current china and random glass stuff would probably completely fill it.

[Susie]

I do think it might look odd to use a sideboard on one side of the fireplace and something taller on the other.  I'd rather see something shorter on both sides, maybe with a mirror above each to reflect the light from the window?  That wouldn't help you display china, but would be useful for serving.  Or you could do two taller pieces.  

The other question I have is what you are doing about lighting.  If you're swapping an LR/DR, I'm guessing you now lack a light over the table?  That would be a real detriment to the dining room feel of what's becoming the dining room.  

[kitty]

Susie, there is no overheard lighting now but we are planning to add. I was thinking two lantern pendants over the table as shown on the mood board. I'd also have a lamp on the sideboard.

If I went short on both sides, would you try to find something that comes in both sizes so it would match (like a sideboard that comes in both a 48" and a 60") aside from the length or try to find two that are different yet complement each other? The latter might be a stretch for my skillset lol.

[Susie]

I would probably do a matched pair, that are <48 in" and then on the side where you have more space, maybe some kind of plant to take up the extra space.  

I think if you go the bookcase route, and you don't do actual built ins that fill the full 48" on one side and 60" on the other, the asymmetry will be more obvious.  That's why I'm kind of leaning away from a pair of bookcases that approximate the look of built-ins.  I have a pair of such bookcases in my LR flanking a piano, and I think if they were asymmetrically positioned they would exaggerate it rather than smooth it over.



With the two pendant idea, are you going to have an electrician (or DIY if you're able) wire it?  Or are you going to need to swag?  I would not want to see swags twice, for two pendants.  I think it would look messy.  If you need to swag I'd prefer to see a single linear/rectangular chandelier instead of the pendants.

[kitty]

Jan 7, 2021 14:53:32 GMT -5 Susie said:

With the two pendant idea, are you going to have an electrician (or DIY if you're able) wire it?  Or are you going to need to swag?  I would not want to see swags twice, for two pendants.  I think it would look messy.  If you need to swag I'd prefer to see a single linear/rectangular chandelier instead of the pendants.

We will have an electrician do it so no swag. I was originally thinking one rectangular chandelier but there is an inconveniently placed A/C ceiling vent which would interfere with or be exactly butted up against something centered above the table. The vent will look a little odd with the pendants as well but it won't physically obstruct them and I'm not invested in perfection enough to start trying to move ductwork for this project.

[ssmjlm]

I would try and balance both sides with some sort of sideboard and then maybe do a mirror over one and shelves over the other. So the "weight" of each piece is equal.

[ssmjlm]

Not a DR, but similar setup of similar, but slightly different pieces on either side.

[aprilsails]

I’ve seen well priced sideboards (fairly basic) from custom builders in my area. It might be an option if you want them to fit the two different spaces.

I would then do open shelves and display flatware and crystal on one side and do a large scale painting or artwork on the other for balance. I would not have the open shelves fit the whole space, but rather leave at least 1’ on each side empty so it is no too visually heavy.

[orval]

If you want something that is matchy, you might be able to find two sideboards in different sizes, same style.

Like these (not necessarily your decor)-- one is 47 in and one is 30 in for example
www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/gracie-oaks-berning-4724-wide-sideboard-w003399417.html
www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/gracie-oaks-berneau-307-wide-sideboard-w003399479.html

[SusanBAnthony]

I think if you did "built in" bookshelves like susie's it would look way too much like a living room. I'd do the idea several folks had of short pieces and lighter shelves above one and art or mirror above the other.

I'd consider spending the money on custom ones that fit the space. Otherwise I just think it will never look right. I wouldn't want to spend the money on everything else in the room and have the sideboards look weird.

[kitty]

Jan 9, 2021 15:38:16 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

I think if you did "built in" bookshelves like susie's it would look way too much like a living room. I'd do the idea several folks had of short pieces and lighter shelves above one and art or mirror above the other.

I'd consider spending the money on custom ones that fit the space. Otherwise I just think it will never look right. I wouldn't want to spend the money on everything else in the room and have the sideboards look weird.

Aside from the money factor (which is the main hindrance) I’m also nervous about custom because if I end up not liking the look with one side longer than the other I’m stuck. I keep thinking that if I can find something that comes in two lengths off the shelf, I’d have the option to return the longer one if I decided I needed to make them symmetric. However I’m not having much luck finding that in the right size/style/color so that might end up being an impossible dream.

I was also thinking if I can find a sideboard <48 that had a mix of display (like glass doors) and hidden storage and put one on each side, that might be a way to show off a few pieces. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much out there that would satisfy those requirements either. It seems like every time I see one I like, it is so long that it would only fit on the longer side!

[penguingrrl]

I would do two entirely separate pieces. I think that symmetrical pieces would highlight the asymmetry of the space, and two sizes of the same piece would do the same. I would find pieces you like for each spot that are the same style so they coordinate and not have them match.

[statgirl]

I readily admit I have no style but these?

Walker Edison Modern Farmhouse Wood Buffet Sideboard Entryway Serving Storage Cabinet Doors Dining Room Console, 48 Inch, White www.amazon.com/dp/B081DP3B34/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_YEL-FbGF9ZMJH

Walker Edison Furniture Company Rustic Farmhouse Wood Buffet Storage Cabinet Living Room, 52 Inch, Antique White www.amazon.com/dp/B072HJBZ5V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_ZGL-FbPRG9GFB?psc=1


Or the accent table and tv table here:

Walker Edison Furniture Company Modern Farmhouse Sliding Barndoor Wood Stand for TV's up to 65" Flat Screen Cabinet Door Living Room Storage Entertainment Center, 28 Inches Tall, White www.amazon.com/dp/B07NDQLPTD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_qJL-FbV5WV8QH?psc=1

[nicolewi]

I would find two, coordinating pieces that work for the function you need. I have a semi-similar layout in a weird way. We have a big, long table with fireplace on one side. On the OTHER side, is a non-centered open arched doorway with wall on either side. My long-term plan is to do a buffet/sideboard type thing on one side of the doorway, and a taller china cabinet with glassed upper on the other side. I would really, really like to do the buffet-type piece as a built-in extension to the kitchen area, but that's a different story.

Right now, I just have a plastic party table and drawer units that we are using for school! It's lovely.

[kitty]

Thanks for all the great ideas!

I'm still a little overwhelmed by all the options so I decided to try Havenly for the first time because I'm so bad at envisioning how things will actually look in real life. Hoping the 3D model will give me some confidence before I make big $ decisions. Will report back!