I love little nooks like this! Why not get in touch with your local timber merchant and source some reclaimed wood to hang as shelves, one above the other. Find some eclectic accessories to dress the shelves and add character to your room. To fill the floor space why not put a dresser for your bits and bobs, socks, ties, jumpers, etc. That might help to free up storage space in the rest of your room. Some gunmetal coloured pendant lighting dropped from the ceiling will look really stylish if possible, otherwise your current spotlight will work just as well. You can then transfer the style to the rest of your room, I think it will suit your bedding and light wood floor really nicely. http://houzz.com/photos/192218 Good luck!

Lovely fireplace - but I think that the reason it seems out of kilter is the difference in size between the fire and the chimney. How about making the chimney breast the same width as the fireplace by simple boarding, and then make a feature out of this beautiful fire by painting the whole of the fire and the chimney in a bold colour. If you have another colour in the room to pick up this colour, use that - otherwise try plum colour, and co-ordinate with same colour cushions to add to your blue chair/settee. I also think there are too many small bits and bobs on the hearth and the shelf. Clear most of these and use one large, tall statement piece one side on the hearth - say a very tall silver vase or tall silver ornament. At the moment all the things you have are the same colour, and I feel that it needs more texture and height, but keep it simple. Hope this is of help.

Hi Nancy. I agree with SJD on the tiles. I know you don't like it but the bit that stands out to me is the white plasterboard at the back as there's so much of a contrast. I would either paint that a stone colour or go lighter on the surround. If it wasn't rented then perhaps you could actually pop a fire in but I don't know if it's worth the money? How deep is the hearth? Could you look at putting something decorative in there? I would also add a mirror or art above (something with a bit of wow to detract your eye) and maybe keep accessories to 2/3 larger things

Hi again! For anyone that's interested, I have finally managed to have a go at my varnished stone fireplace and am pretty happy with the results… It's not perfect but makes a huge difference in terms of light in the room and cost me next to nothing! I used a tiny bit of annie sloan paint to dull and lighten the stone - my mum sent me leftovers of 'paris grey' that she had used on some furniture. The link I had found which described the painting process belonged to an artist, so I was aware that my results would differ quite drastically from hers, but I'm still happy! I also had a new mantlepiece made from old planks that my boyfriend has had stashed away for years - a carpenter we often use put it together for the equivalent of about US$10. We don't own the house so I haven't waxed the paint on the stone (meaning it can be washed off with water and a light scrub) and the new mantlepiece is literally slotted on top of the old one and discreetly screwed in place. It is no huge home improvement project but made a big difference to the feel of the room using minimal time, money and mess… Now just the rest of the room to decorate…!