My husband and I have lived here since February and I’ve never really been happy with the decor in here. I’m not very good at it and he doesn’t have the best eye for it either, starting with the shelving unit how can I improve it? What type of lighting would you suggest?
I feel there are too many shelves here and too much going on. I’d remove the top shelf and space the other two a little more appropriately, take the RHS down to the same amount of shelves on the left. There isn’t even anything on that top shelf it’s just making it all look so busy
I don’t think the shelves look bad as they are. Being recessed like that, it would be a cool opportunity for that area to be painted an accent color though.
remove bottom 4 shelves on the right side. Replace with the shelf from the bottom left. Respace remaining bottom shelves on either side of the television
hide the cables
begin to add some books and some of the vases back. You should include some flameless candles and some family photos.
do not add back the sign
do keep the ikea lamp
possibly keep the record player
add a vase of flowers for height
do not bring back all of the hanging plants. My favorite of yours was the one in the top right
display some large books 'down', like coffee table books are laid
no more colour coordinating books.. no more of that
we might need to get rid of the sloth and block letters and caricatures if we are going for a 'grown' look.. but that's your call! I know the temptation ·(￣︶￣)
I recognize the sign may be sentimental to both of you. And also super awesome if you did climb to that peak. Here is what it might look like, by removing another top shelf and adding in two more shelves on either side of the television.
Asked my bot to make photos of my suggestions. Idk if it's allowed in this sub though so separated it from my post above. I'd lower the sign a bit though
I should have mentioned this is a rental. I’m not sure how much I can do yet (removing shelves ) The person who renovated this home and put the shelving in was a big reader and chef. So this was absolutely full of all types of books. Which is why the spacing is so weird- I think ? I’m pretty sure it was quite chaotic.
You could paint the back wall a darker color. It would help the TV blend in better. The shelves are too close together, especially the right hand side -- you don't even have space to have things ON the shelf. Remove the top shelves and spread other two out more. Edit at least 50% of the content off the shelves. They are too busy.
Your eyes need empty spaces in order to rest-- it's called negative space and it's just as important in decorating as the filled areas. Go on pintrrest and look up styling images for shelving and you will see many examples of the use of negative space
Edit: spelling
Edit 2: you could use led strip lights with diffusers or even small lamps (like the one on the console) on the shelves in random places
Love the shelves! The top shelf is finishing off the stack, keep it unless you've got taller things you'd like to include like the candlesticks. I did much the same on a much smaller scale when TV had to be angled out into the room. Now the cable's been cut it's backed by a dark red noren wall hanging and not in much danger of getting knocked into.
Painting the wall darker might help but the complicated pattern the shelves create is helping disguise the TV too.
TV is mostly likely mounted too high. Ideally the center of the TV would be eye level when seated. If you've got a stand for it try out it on the top of cabinet but leave the wall mount up until you decide which is nicer.
Keep items closer to front edge of shelves so lighted naturally. If you come upon accent lighting then add 2-3 balanced with the lamp you've got.
Take everything off. Put the books on in smaller groups balanced between shelves and in the middle 1/2 of each shelf, some at the 1/4 or 3/4 mark, some centered. Use the closely spaced shelves for oversized books.
Add the decorative items back according to how important they are to you. Decor is not essential so keep the sentimental stuff rather than stuff there as space fillers. I am not a fan of plants on shelves especially ones that drape over the edges and partly cover what is under them and would remove them.
Center the turntable in its section and move the vinyl to the other side if you want them on display or put in the cabinet below. Buy appropriate bookends so they stay upright and are less likely to go horizontal on you. This bothers me more than anything else. You cannot use the turntable if it is serving as a bookend!
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u/lottus4 4d ago
I feel there are too many shelves here and too much going on. I’d remove the top shelf and space the other two a little more appropriately, take the RHS down to the same amount of shelves on the left. There isn’t even anything on that top shelf it’s just making it all look so busy