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Disappointing Library wall advice!

Lucy Mo
last month

Hello, i use a lot of books for work and dreamt of a lovely library wall. i listened to my husband making me scrimp on it and this is what ive ended up with. ignore the other mess - we are having works done elsewhere but we needed to be ablw to open that door. and im not happy the sides arent finished and it therefore looks wonky when its not. looking for advice on how to improve. do you think painting walls and shelves same colour would enhance? please help!



Featured Answer
  • Lucy Mo
    Original Author
    last month

    Its happening! decluttering going well so fsr and conversely using thr top shelf more is helping for balance. moving piano not an option. no more wall left (fire place and double windows etc)

    Comments (23)

    • Jonathan
      last month

      Personally I think the issue is that there is too much to store in this space. Even if you had a higher end shelving solution it would still look full to the gunnels. Either accept this is how you live or ruthlessly cull

    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Thank you. yes they are jam packed arent they which looks messy and is not a pleasure to use. most of rhem are for work but not all of them and the top level is not utilised for anything haeful at all so i can definitely try and get rid of some. do tou think more space on the shelves is the only issue?

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    • temple274
      last month

      Can I suggest a relatively simple solution in order to add some horizontal as well as vertical lines which should be more pleasing visually. If you get some basic metal library type bookends — they come in different sizes and you'll find them online — you can have shorter runs of books which are easier to keep upright, and then stack some of the books you don’t need to access too frequently horizontally in the space between the new sections. It's also a way to create some open spaces in which you could put odds and ends, the Dalek or a photo frame for example!

    • Isla Cherry
      last month

      I think Jonathan is 100% right. If you culled it down to half and then spaced them nicely interspersed with ornaments and maybe a plant or two it would be able to breathe. I also have an ongoing book collection problem. Do you need to store them all in one place? Couldn't you have small bookcases/shelves dotted around your house/apartment. When it comes to displaying books less is more.



      Lucy Mo thanked Isla Cherry
    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Thank you. i just picked up a small bookcase for my living room to put some non-work ones in there and I am definitely going to try and cut them down a bit. Do you think it would look better with wood going down right hand side amd casing them in? really appreciate the help and ill add pictures once improved if anyone interested!

    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Doesnt help that the room is a dumping ground at the moment either !

    • Sonia
      last month

      We had the same issue, two huge bookcases full of read, but never reread books! So why keep them? We love books and reading so I feel your pain. We, well me really, decided to cull the collection. It was easy for me but not for my husband, but in time we managed it. I took some of the books to work for my colleagues to have, and then the rest went to a charity shop. I then painted the two bookcases in an off white and put the kept books back and added a few accessories. It is so much better than it was and I think this may help you to do the same. You have to say to yourself, when did I last pick this book up and read it again? I bet it’s years ago, then just let it go. Here are my bookcases, full but not overflowing any more, thank goodness!

    • Sonia
      last month

      P.S. You can guess which bookcase is my husbands, he’s already filling it up! 😊

    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Yours look lovely. i think my problem is also that the piano is not centralised so it all looks a bit off to me. unfortunately for us these are not reading books but musical scores for work so there really isnt a lot we can get rid of but i will do my absolute best!!

    • Betty Boo
      last month

      Hello Lucy, I too, encourage you to have a really good clear out and be as ruthless as you can, perhaps getting a friend on board to help you let things go. Only keep the essential books you need for work and hopefully some of your music books can be donated or at least recycled and by doing this you’ll create the space and the look you want. I would then tackle the cupboard which seems crammed full and perhaps clear the top of the piano too. The more you get rid of the better the space will be to work in and enjoy. I wish you luck and hope you’ll show us your transformation!

      Lucy Mo thanked Betty Boo
    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Thank you so much. You’re very right, rhis room was meant to be a lovely work room and has turned into a dumping ground. i am embarrassed by it but i dont have anything of sentimental value in here and have filled two bin liners (lots of stuff left over from wedding being stored in here) so i am ready to be ruthless. the cupboard is my wardrobe and aboit th only thing that is organised to be honest 😝 will definitely update after my cull!

    • Sonia
      last month

      Stacey Solomon’s programme this week was the home of a music teacher and family who were overwhelmed with stuff everywhere, much worse than yours, and Stacey and the team helped them let go of some stuff and then they updated the rooms. So I wonder if it would inspire you? It’s called Sort Your Life Out and I think it’s on iplayer too.

    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      I love that programme but i think you all might mistaken me for a hoarder on here. the rest of my house is clutter free. the book case is a problem because it is filled with books that get used. we are both performers. And the room is currently a state because like i said there are things going on elsewhere inmy house that have meant things are getting dumped in my work room. the problem is not the general clutter but the

      book shelves.

    • Isla Cherry
      last month

      The shelves are in place now and I think anything custom built will be very expensive. Try and get rid of as much as you can and consider small bookcases in other locations. Don't panic. If the rest of your house is immaculate this can be too. Consider storing your books either by colour or by size rather than order or alphabetical. You could also store them by subject. One option might be to paint the wall behind them a darker colour. A navy blue or dark green is very calming. Just take it slowly, I've got rid of books in haste and regretted it. Buy some plastic trugs (you can reuse them later for storage) and put the books you like or need the least in there for now. If you painted the wall dark and possibly the shelves too the piano would also blend in. if you don't fancy painting think of wallpapering maybe with sheet music. I also like storing books horizontally because it allows the shelves to breathe.

      Lucy Mo thanked Isla Cherry
    • 123
      last month

      I think a really quick fix would be to clear the ends of your shelves. The books overhanging the ends make it look like they are different lengths or even sagging. If each end was clear you could see they were the same length. And painting the wall dark would look good too I think

      Lucy Mo thanked 123
    • Lucy Mo
      Original Author
      last month

      Yes im definitrly up for painting and think this could look more uniform. book cull commences tonight and ive bought some book end things so will uodate after phase 1! i have a very dark blue in master bedroom so perhaps ill look at a green. i love green. but forst things first. tackle the clutter!!

    • eleanor_paints
      last month

      Hi Lucy, I think temple274's idea is good, and to take it further my first thought on seeing your shelves was to add sides to them (with the same wood rather than bookends), so it becomes a bit more like a bookcase instead of floating shelves. I think neatening up the ends in this way will also help it to look tidier if you can't get rid of much (I really struggle to get rid of books!). With the bookend idea, you could then move some of the ornaments around - putting some into their own spaces lower down to break up the solid rows of books.


      A dark green sounds fantastic, and if you do that, could you perhaps stain the shelves a darker wood colour as well? Something like walnut?

      Lucy Mo thanked eleanor_paints
    • Anna G
      last month

      Would magazine files fit? Might make it easier to pull out the music you need without everything else leaning over. Ikea have a decent selection.

    • Sonia
      last month

      I think once you have sorted what you want to keep, then painting the wall behind, and maybe even the shelves, in a colour you love it will certainly smarten things up. Where the lower shelves stop where the picture is, could you add more shelving there, or will the door be in the way? No one thinks you’re a hoarder, you are nowhere near that! I’m sharing a couple of pictures of book storage which is more realistic, that is the shelves are FULL of books but still have a neat vibe. I think you’ll like the first one!

      Lucy Mo thanked Sonia
    • Eileen Nixon
      last month

      Bit worried about the horses head, is that there to remind you to keep the shelves tidy?….

    • Tanya Llewellyn
      last month

      I can relate to piles of music everywhere! Have you considered a filing cabinet or two (not the yucky metal ones, but something more in keeping with your style) for at least some of your music, and incorporate it/them into the shelf wall, which will then free up space for other books.

      2 drawer solid wood:


      3 dr mahogany (fancy!)

      3 dr oak


      More budget-friendly version:



      Lucy Mo thanked Tanya Llewellyn
    • siobhanmcgee90
      last month

      Clear everything out, paint the shelves and wall a lovely colour you love and then rigorously arrange the books in alphabetic order in groups interspersed with objects you love. You will need book ends to do this properly. I think the shorter shelves look like they are toppling over so maybe have a bookend at each end. I would move the piano out of that spot and have it on a wall on its own and have full shelves there.

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