decoenthusiaste I think an armoire is more suited to a bedroom. A free-standing look works for me. Would a darker paint color in the niche help with the look? Can the hutch go in your foyer? Have you put lights in the cabinets with glass doors? Could be a stunning entry piece if you have room!

mpoulsom i like the armoire in the bedroom as well! :)

Creations Nadia Interior Design my choice would be # 2:)))

cjohnston Option 2- it's a lovely piece. I agree with your wife that not everything has to be built in. In fact, I think the combination of built-in and freestanding furniture will give your home a nice character and personality.

libradesigneye Either one could be great, so the wonderful answer is - there is no wrong answer. At Valentine's Day, you might well go with the answer that suits your honey. I have a few more questions to determine my advice.

Here's my query - is this area something that one encounters first thing upon entering the master suite / part of a hall that transitions one from public areas to private ? If so, I would vote for the hutch instead of the armoire, because it will feel like an entry sideboard to the master. It will provide an important lay down area and offer area to display art above to set the entire feel of the space.

Second question is in conjunction with location, what function is it to serve? Will one spouse be relegated to this or will it be used for both?

I believe your wife is correct that not everything must be built in, but if the purpose of the armoire is to hold more than coats / outerwear / purses / galoshes / wool scarves / gloves / etc. then it needs to be in a location where she can stand in front of it for 1/2 hour at a time getting her look together. If you are to use the storage in the space exclusively, then you should select the piece. My experience is that men typically are happier with drawers and shelves than hanging space, expecially when it comes with a surface for laydown. Get some leather covered boxes for the top if she doesn't like your clutter.

Great elements both - adding to the "built in feel" will enhance the expensive feel of your home.

lpmenache Armoire for sure.

sjkingston While I lean to #1 with a favorite piece of art because it won't overwhelm the space, two questions might point to the right answer for you. Where can the two pieces be used elsewhere in the home? The armoire is extremely large. If there is not a suitable place elsewhere but the smaller hutch can be used in other rooms, that might dictate your answer. The second is whether the smaller piece gives you enough storage. And if not, would you be happy with storing the larger items in another room and hauling things back and forth. From your initial write-up, the armoire seems like the best option especially if there isn't another good place to locate it elsewhere in the home.

karen paul interiors Since you are dealing with two pieces that will fit into the space, then you need to look to which one will function better for your needs....in that particular location.

cyclingthroughlife Thank you everyone for your responses and opinions. Thought provoking, and greatly appreciated and helpful - I guess we're so fearful of making a "mistake", we're not sure what to do. I think ultimately, it comes down to the question - do we want a built-in in that space or not? Since the armoire is quite large and nearly fills the space, maybe that question is not as important.

Replying to the questions posed to me:

@decoenthusiaste - currently the hallway and alcove walls are Benjamin Moore Brookline Beige (at 50% strength) so I think it will certainly help with giving it a sort of built in look. Regarding the use of the hutch in the entry foyer - love the idea and you're right - it would be stunning there. Unfortunately, it's too long and sticks out too far in the foyer (it juts into the entrance to the living room and the dining room).

@libradesigneye - I've attached a photo of the master hallway. The alcove is to the right just as you enter the master hallway. Across from the alcove is the walk in closet. Not sure how we would use the hutch vs the armoire. On the one hand, the armoire, with its extra large size, will provide additional storage for things we may not want to store in the closet, or if we run out of closet space (things like blankets, winter clothing, and god knows what else). The armoire can also store things like documents (tax records, etc.). That said, we don't specifically have anything that we know of that we will store in the armoire yet, the walk in closet is quite large, and we "vowed" after moving back in, to not accumulate as much stuff as we had before. I can also see the hutch as a place to set things down (keys, phones), a place to pay bills, etc. Honestly though, if we put the armoire in there, we'll find a way to use it. If we put the hutch there, we'll also find a way to use it.

@sjkingston - good questions. Other possible places for the armoire - other bedrooms - guest and kids and the family room. We try to keep the master bedroom furniture free since it is small (17 ft x 13 ft). The hutch could be used in the same rooms, although well suited in the bedrooms because it does have drawers (this will save us from buying one dresser). That said, it's such a nice piece that I hate to "hide" it in the bedrooms. The hutch can be used in the family room too, and it's low profile (relative to the armoire) won't overwhelm that room, so that's a possibility.

Thank you again!