Decorating Question - Need something for this wall.

[cereal K]

Here's a panoramic of our family room (with the kitchen/eat-in-kitchen to my back). 



Our old couch used to be a bigger sectional, so we couldn't really put anything on the wall on the right. 

Now that the new couch has a smaller frame, I'm thinking I'd like to put something on that wall to store toys, books, etc. Probably with bins so it's hidden. (The pictures on the wall are most likely not staying, so that's all negotiable, too.)

I can't decide if I want a traditional bookcase - something tall maybe? Or something about waist-height like a sideboard or console. I know I want it to be something a little nicer than one of those cube storage things. 

I'm thinking I'd want something in the same wood tone as the other furniture in the room. 

Also, with an almost-5-year-old and an 8-month-old, I don't know if open shelves/baskets would be better than something with a glass/wood door...

Thoughts? Suggestions? 

[cereal K]

Oh - and here's a more straight-on photo of the wall.



The pack-n-play is short term, so it doesn't have to be factored in.

[AlpineSlide]

I would do something very tall, even to the ceiling with crown moulding. Like bookcases with doors on the bottom half.

the fireplace and tv are lower/similar in height, so you need something tall to offset.

[AlpineSlide]

And I'd paint the bookcase to match the fireplace mantle. So it will look like it was installed when the house was built.

something like a smaller version of this, although it looks like you have room to do the 3 sections. not sure if that would overpower the space though without seeing it/measurements.

you might have a kitchen cabinet maker build it. not sure about piecing it together from stock cabs at a box store?

[cereal K]

May 30, 2015 14:55:31 GMT -5 AlpineSlide said:

I would do something very tall, even to the ceiling with crown moulding. Like bookcases with doors on the bottom half.

the fireplace and tv are lower/similar in height, so you need something tall to offset.

May 30, 2015 14:56:32 GMT -5 AlpineSlide said:

And I'd paint the bookcase to match the fireplace mantle.

hmmm...i didn't think about making it look architectural/built-in. H has done crown before, so that wouldn't be a huge deal for him. 

should it take up the whole wall? or would two-three bookcases centered on the wall look okay?

[AlpineSlide]

May 30, 2015 14:59:21 GMT -5 cereal K said:

May 30, 2015 14:55:31 GMT -5 AlpineSlide said:

I would do something very tall, even to the ceiling with crown moulding. Like bookcases with doors on the bottom half.

the fireplace and tv are lower/similar in height, so you need something tall to offset.

May 30, 2015 14:56:32 GMT -5 AlpineSlide said:

And I'd paint the bookcase to match the fireplace mantle.

hmmm...i didn't think about making it look architectural/built-in. H has done crown before, so that wouldn't be a huge deal for him. 

should it take up the whole wall? or would two-three bookcases centered on the wall look okay?

i edited above.
i think the 3 would look fine. you don't want it to be too deep to swallow up floor space. like 15" deep base and 12" deep upper.

[AlpineSlide]

Just wanted to mention that it would be totally fine to just to one centered on the wall. the bigger one would obv be $$$$$.

[compassrose]

I love the built in idea. You can hack the ikea Billy or Hemnes shelves for that look, since your H can do moulding.

Centsationalgirl did it well:

[cereal K]

okay - i've taken some measurements and i think that two Billy bookcases from Ikea with the extenders to make them one shelf higher would fill the space nicely, centered on the wall.

so - white would be okay/good? even though all the furniture in the room is dark brown? and the cabinets in the kitchen (open concept) are also brown?

[shopgirl07]

Yes, white will go well. You don't want too much brown.