Built In Bookcase for the Beacon Hill School

You spoke and I listened! Thank you all for the input on the bookcase from my last post; you said that a big bookcase overwhelmed the space and blocked the stairs. Oh, my...this non-builder then had to build something a bit more custom to allow for display space and an entry area that worked with the architecture of the Beacon Hill rather than against it! Well, how did I do?

I'm planning on a combination of faux boix effects and paint to match the existing paneling and to cover all of the random wood types that I had to use. (I told you I'm not a builder!)
That fiddly bit of cut arches and flat topped post were meant to match the existing stairs. Lots of finish work to do!
View from the front door:
I can picture students stopping here to set down lunch pails and remove wraps before going to classes.
Thank you all for pushing me to stretch my skills! I'm so much happier with this version :)

The Room Next Door

I've shifted next door from the main classroom and moved to the foyer. For those of us who know and love the Beacon Hill, it has a wonderful turned staircase that I fell in love with as a child. It takes up quite a bit of space but adds a little architectural interest to the room. I added some more wainscoting for more interest too :)I'm using PA dutch style colors which I love but I've got a decision to make and I'd love your advice! If I place this bookcase or one scaled down a bit, it creates more of a cozy room feel, allows me to display books and objects and creates a nook behind it for students to hang jackets and lunchpails.
This picture below is without the bookcase. (Ignore the weird paint job on the doors!) I'm not even sure if I should leave the stairs wood or not? If I had the woodworking skills I would rebuild the stair railings... maybe in the future!
and again, with the bookcase below. I'm leaning towards the bookcase... what do you think?

Extreme Mini Makeover!

Oh, the colors of the 80's! My poor Beacon Hill was subjected to the teal and aqua color scheme that would be just right for an episode of Golden Girls but NOT for a classy lady like the Beacon Hill! In my 12 year old eyes though it was perfect :)

For those of you who like to know the backstory of how the Beacon Hill became mine, here are my former posts: Christmas and Here. It was quite a challenge finding just the right color for the exterior (chronicled here) but the interior was even more desperately in need of some serious makeover work!!

Ah, that's getting better! How did I get there? So glad that you asked!

A few layers of Gesso and a calming shade of "Hearth" by Martha Stewart tinted with a bit of white, and I was ready to begin adding some architectural details. The crown molding and baseboard is from Manchester Woodworks' Ebay store but I took a low tech and low budget way to add the wainscoting details.
The wider wood pieces are just strip wood from the craft store and the rounded edges for adding a sort of bullnose edge and to fill in the annoying gaps in the bay windows are made from...
Bamboo skewers from the grocery store! Fifty for $1... how's that for a deal? :)
And here it is painted, although still looking rather rough. I'm not sure if white is the best of if I should go with the deep shade of green on the baseboards for a more 1920's authentic look?? I'd love your input!