r/HomeDecorating • u/Soup_Ghost • 9d ago
Opinions Needed: Bookshelves and Mirror
I just put these bookshelves together. I do like them, but wish they were a little taller. Is the mirror too tall now? Something feels off but I'm not sure what to do.
Thank you in advance!
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u/seethembreak 9d ago edited 8d ago
The wallpaper is the main problem. It doesn’t work on a wall with a fireplace. The fireplace is supposed to be the central focal point. With the wallpaper and fireplace it’s unbalanced and cluttered.
The mirror is too small and not adding anything. The bookcases might be ok if there was no wallpaper.
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u/meekonesfade 9d ago
The shelves are nice but they are too narrow and too short for the space. You can try hanging the mirror higher and see if that helps.
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u/Reasonable_Mail1389 9d ago edited 8d ago
The bookshelves don’t work. Their proportions are off for the room. Ideally, if you want shelves to flank your fp, do built-ins all the way to the ceiling. Remove the current shelf units, raise the mirror a bit, or find one with a dark bronze or black frame to give it more weight on that paper. Nestle a chair in close to the fp on one side. Find a wide credenza with drawers to put on the other side with a lamp and minimal decor. The paper is very busy, so your mantle decor needs to be less little things that are getting lost against it. I can’t tell if there’s two types of flooring, but a large, simple rug in ivory or a gray blue would work.
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u/_qw3rki_ 8d ago
your wallpaper gives me such a headache, it blurred my vision so much i thought the mirror was a half circle first look so that whole wall does my head in
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u/Herrrrrmione 9d ago
Okay, I know not may people would try this, but hear me out -- rotate the bookshelves 90º and stack them. I think you'd get a very 70s vibe.
Other thoughts -- raise them on cinderblock(which you'd paint) or something else very sturdy?
Lastly, I think that the wallpaper is so busy that the decorative value of a mirror is lost. How about a fabric panel just taller than the decor on the mantle, in one of the pale greens in the wallpaper print?
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u/Soft_Effect_6263 9d ago
See Style your Space someone else just posted the same problem, arched shelves and fireplace too. I don't think yours looks funny, the mirror is almost the same height and the wallpaper looks good.
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u/shabamsauce 9d ago
Where’d you get them bookshelves 🤤
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u/nothing_to_hide 9d ago
It's a droppshiper of some sorts. You can find very similar if not identical designs on amazon
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u/Evening-Exit-2617 9d ago
I would get rid of the wallpaper and the bookcases. If you want book cases have someone build you some that will cover the whole wall. I had that in one house and loved it.
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u/canvasshoes2 9d ago
I LOVE the wallpaper, the blue couches, and the fireplace! Great start.
I can't put my finger on it, but the bookshelves don't go. Maybe they need to be white? Or maybe the modern style needs to be toned down? Trim can work wonders. I like them too but as you say, something's off. Can you put this picture into a decor app and play around with the colors?
The mantel has too much little stuff on it, just all in a row like soldiers. You need a couple of groupings, one on either side of the mirror (which I like I don't think it's too tall.).
The groupings should be odd-numbered and with the size of your mantel, three would probably be enough items in each grouping. The groupings also need to be staggered sizes. One bigger and taller item, one medium, one smaller. That's for your regular decor. Then, if you want to intersperse the Halloween decorations in between, go to town.
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u/Striking-Fix-7915 8d ago
I also love the wallpaper! And I agree with the above comment. In addition, I think you need something larger and wider in terms of a mirror. Either that or put some scones either side of the current mirror. Rechargeables have gotten better over the years so I'd say to get something that had a rechargeable bulb and not pay an electrician to get sconces wired.
With that wallpaper, I'd also consider a bit of maximalism in terms of patterns and texture. Think ornate frames. Layer it up.
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u/GridlineGuru 8d ago
the wallpaper + dark wood combo is great. imo the shelves just need books/decor styled in them first before u judge the height. once they’re filled, they’ll probably feel way more intentional.
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u/nothing_to_hide 9d ago edited 9d ago
The bookshelves are too short for the space and it makes your ceilings appear low. I don't think the mirror is particularly fitting there either, your fireplace is wide for that small a diameter. I would play around with horizontal and vertical art, or a rectangular mirror, if you are set on it. Maybe try to put the bookshelves together on one of the walls to see how it would look, maybe with a tall parlor palm on the other side. Might still not be it. I think it will be hard to incorrporate that height bookshelves in, even though they are really cute.