My clients had a small room across the foyer from their dining room we had just finished. While I was flattered that by this time I had enough of their confidence, they said just decorate it and make it look good. I suggested they let me think about the room and get back to them with ideas. 

To my way of thinking every room should have a purpose. I came back to them with four suggestions. A music room, a library, a dressy intimate dining area, or a room to serve all three purposes. We settled on the fourth. Essentially it is a library that can serve the other purposes.

On the right is the rough sketch I provided for what I hoped the back wall of out library would look like.

The clients had seen a black and gold neoclassic room set in my studio. The husband had particularly liked it, so we decided to do that theme in the library.

The first thing that came to mind for seating in this small room was a pair of swan arm settees. When I contacted the company I had gotten them from before I learned that they had discontinued them. I then remembered I had used them for a bachelor client's living room. He had since married and had told me his wife didn't like them. He still had them in the navy and red stripe we had ordered them in. I bought them back redid the gold leaf trim striped them and recovered them in the black and gold stripe.

We selected Fabrics and wallpaper for the room.
I then sketched three original window treatment designs. Two had round cornices the shape of the window tops and one had a square top with the shape of the window cut out of the bottom. 

The square top one was chosen by my clients.

We decided to upholster the cornice in black velvet with inserts of a black and gold trellis like pattern that the wife was especially fond of. Black silk was selected for the swag and jabots

and tie back panels. Black gold tassel fringe and rope trim was used as well.

While I worked constructing cornices, drapes and recovering settees, my client worked with my sketch and a cabinet maker to get the back wall finished.>br>

A beautiful neoclassic pair of sconce lights were ordered from Decorative Crafts. My client and I went to a bookstore on Third Street, Midtown Harrisburg and found good buys on several old books.
An internet search produced necessary neoclassic art prints.

The large and heavy porcelain bowl with bronze ormolu makes a bold statement under the framed print in the center of the wall. The shelves were arranged with books and various mementos and accessories new and old. It is a room I and my clients are proud of.

Tie backs echo the insert in the cornice boards

I hope you enjoyed sharing this experience with me. 

Bill Gantt