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If this was yours...

My decorating style is pretty straight-forward. I like purposefully-placed items. I don't like a lot of knick-knacks (seriously, who wants to dust?) I like coordination, but not necessarily matching. I like painted furniture (like the black, re-purposed door that I purchased from Vintage Soiree...it is now a frame in my stairway).

I like bigger items that take up space, look nice, but don't look cluttered.

I don't like a bunch of stuff sitting around. 

Therefore, this huge built-in (in my living room) is giving me fits! Not only is the wood a finish that doesn't fit my style, but it has a ton of shelving that I can't decide what to put on it. It's not even full, and I already feel that it's too cluttered! 

So, if this was yours, what would you do? (FYI, I can't paint it...sad!)

Come on, give me your decorator love...Help a knick-knack hater out!


  1. What about some wicker or canvas baskets that would fill the space on the shelves. You could spray paint the wicker or just find the color of canvas one that you like. Then you could leave some spaces open for those purposeful items...I would just go to google images too to see if you can find pictures of built in shelving. You might get some decorating ideas there too. I would totally paint that if I could! I love painted wood. But I understand not being able to.

  2. Your frame looks awesome! Thanks for the shout out!

    I just saw some shelving (the new Country Living, maybe?) that was white and then she put all kinds of boxes/tool boxes on it, so that it was one similar thing. For me it's easiest and most pleasing to have one type of thing--I find it difficult to mix all kinds of things and come up with something that doesn't look clutter. I'm with you--simple is best.

    I would also paint it...so with you on the sadness. We had a ton of open shelving and I had Jeff build doors on it so that it could be used for storage rather than an area I had to decorate.

  3. Agree with Carisa!! Stinks about the painting, but if you found items that were similar to display on there that would help with the clutter look....I still have bare shelves here just because I can't decide what to put on them...and don't want just "stuff" on there.

    AND, I LOVE THE FRAME ABOVE YOUR STAIRS!!! Thanks for sharing!

    Also, I need to get you scheduled for your family pic :)SO let me know when you are thinking...my august and september are nuts...think about October and November.

  4. well dang. painting was the first thing that came to mind... :( i always think a tidy way to fill shelves is with books or vases... things that have clean lines, aren't over stimulating, etc. and i don't know if it will suit your style or not, but i've recently fallen in love with a blog called younghouselove.com. might be worth checking out! can't wait for before and after pics... :)

  5. I am definitely no expert on decorating but we have similar oak built in shelving and we filled it with books. I just wish all the books were old antique looking books, instead we have old antique books and paperbacks kind of mixed in together. It looks like one side of the shelving did not match the others, so if the shelves were adjustable, I would adjust them to match the levels of each shelf on both sides. I would maybe do all antique books on the top shelf all the way across and then on the shelves below come up with themes of different stuff you want to display. An antique clock would look great with books too. Amy Jordan would be a good go to person on ideas. She has a great decorating style. Oak cabinets I am not a fan of but they are all throughout our house here so we just make do rather than sand and paint everything down.

  6. What a perfect place to showcase a collection!
    Or something that is all the same color! Too bad you can't paint the oak - a backing of beaded board or wallpaper would really pop! Thanks for the VS publicity!


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