The "Fireplace Room" gets a new name...

Remember the "before" of this room?

Welcome to the Library!  I've started the first phase of transforming the "Fireplace Room" into something with new purpose-- and a new name!  This step was mostly about gathering all of the furnishings in one place.  I still have a lot of painting to do--walls, fireplace bricks, a couple of pieces of furniture-- but the shell is there. 

Here's a run-down of what is in there now.  The big bookshelf I scored at the Salvation Army-- I went back and primed it, and it got three more coats of chalkboard paint.  We have A LOT of books.  A lot.  I've pieced out our "pretty" books into some other places in the house, but this one is filled with all the books we love-pretty or not.  I've just started adding fun accessories-- little interesting bits collected on our travels, out thrifting, inherited from family.  I'm using the big open space in the middle as a bar area-- so fun for a nightcap in front of the fire this winter.

This cool chair-- a thrift store find many years ago, wearing that pristine green tweed when I found it.  A grand total of $25!  Unfortunately, my big Great Dane mix liked it a lot, too, and he ripped a hole in the seat cushion.  I've gotten some fabric to re-cover it for the time being-- it's wrapped around the cushion now.  More on that project to come!  I have some ideas for an accent pillow, too, but maybe one of these will go on sale and save me some work.

I used the green trellis fabric for the curtains-- it's upholstery-weight, and not the best for curtains, but we will see.  I spent $21 and 2 hours on them, so if I need to change them, so be it.  And there is my fake "Corrigan" chair off to the side.  I went with (gasp!) chalkboard paint-- after trying your suggestion of a chocolate brown (looked off in the room with all the black accents) and a sad, sad faux treatment in shades of gray.  I am never, ever, EVER doing a home upholstery job with leather again, is all I'm saying.  I'll be saving up to have this guy professionally recovered sometimes soon!

This has gotten pretty long-- I'll share more of the rest of the room this week.  The lighting in there is TERRIBLE-- almost no natural light gets in-- and it's making me nuts trying to get decent pictures.  Hopefully the sun will come out this week so I can get some better ones!