Kim's Display Area

Christine,

Here is the fireplace. The fireplace was designed for a TV on the left, but it is problematic, since it is not centered with the furniture. Once our game room's done we may move the TV there though. Neither of us want the TV to be to the focal point of the living room.

- Kim

FYI- Kim is an old college roommate of mine. She and her husband live about 6 states away - but via my blog- I am going to give her some advice on her new home.... The picture at the top of the post is being framed- and will go above her fireplace.

So- with what you said, of course, we will leave the TV where it is for now. Your picture is beautiful- and will make a great focal point. I have a couple of suggestions.

1. Add hardware to the cabinets. Use a dark brown metal- similar shade as your leather.
2. Your picture is going to help give the area some depth- but we need more. I would paint the back of the bookcases an accent color. This will give you some much needed contrast. I see way too much of the same color.. walls, floor, cabinets... I know it is not the exact same- but too similar. Ideally- I would also line the backs with beadboard. This brings in not only a different color- but more textural variety as well. Your color pallet is still pretty much open- so you have some options here. Given what I see- go with dark brown.
3. Add picture lights to the top of the two bookcase banks.

Arrange your display areas. In a setting like you have here- these are display areas- not bookcases. That is not to say you cannot use books in them. But, in my opinion, a bookcase like you see below- is fabulous. It is in the quantity and diversity of books that you make the magic. It is like having a stand with 20 cupcakes, or a table filled with 500 cupcakes. Is that a weird analogy? Try to picture it though- the large quantity makes it amazing. You don't have enough bookcase storage here to get the magic with books. (I know Kimberly- and I know she loves books and is an avid reader... so I am treading lightly... :)

You can get some great woven baskets- and store books in them- but for this area- what I would do- is just use hardbacks- just the pretty books. Now- with that said- do you see the books on the upper left that are from a series? I would just use those books- OR I would remove those books and find another place for them. Do you see how they don't go with the others?

Check out the lights in this photo- that kind of light- or similar would work great. I like how the common theme of RED was used in these built-ins. Using a color theme helps things to come together.

I like the look above. A mixture of sculpture, vases, pictures. See how the back color is an accent color? Do you see how it is a darker color, and a lot of the accents are light? I also like how it is not over-cluttered. You mentioned that you wanted your room to have reds, golds and blues. Perhaps you could sort out all of your books that are reds, golds and blues.... or just the reds... If you don't think you are so great at this type of detail decorating- find an example you like- and simply copy it. Look at the examples in this post, read the advice in this post, look at the way the dark bookcase is displayed in this post. That gives me another thought- you could put a dark stained wood finish beadboard on the backs of the display areas.... (I like that idea!) And for sure look at this post.

So there you go- add some hardware- add some lighting, add some style. Get a great wall to turn into a vast bookcase somewhere else in your home- if you don't have one already.

Photos from Elle Decor.