How about the outside and the perimeter casing on the front trim color, and the back panel and shelves the wall color. It will give it a bit of a presence but not draw too much attention to the inside particularly if the shelves are not going to be evenly spaced.

Thanks Palimpsest, I can see that. I think I've got so much going on in that room already that introducing different colors would make it even busier. Would you use a satin or semi-gloss paint?

It's a little hard to advise you about painting and color without seeing the rest of the room, or knowing your style or anything. But how about using some nice baskets on the shelves to give it a tidy look?

Oceanna, I'm embarrassed to show you the rest of the room. I've pondered over the past couple of years how I could streamline my office, but I can't find a single thing that I don't need. There's even a small desk that serves as my makeup station. My style is, um, eclectic. The thing is, and it's probably heresy in this forum, this room is beyond a style at this point. It simply needs to be functional.

So, I could just go, it's all mismatched, embrace it! I've done that for the past 10 years, and we all know that eventually you stop seeing it. I just figured the bookcases are an easy thing to address. Maybe painting them will make it all look worse. I really like the look of baskets on shelves for storage, but it might not work for me, as I have books on one shelf, software and inks and DVDs on another, paper on another, plus craft items snuck in another. While they are technically bookcases, they actually serve as open shelf storage. There's not room for a single display item to be found, except for some framed photos on top.

This room has 7 power sources, labeled A through G. When I dismantled everything for the painter, I diagrammed which cord/cable went where. Putting it back together was painless (and gave my poor brain a rest).

it's probably heresy in this forum, this room is beyond a style at this point. It simply needs to be functional.

Oh, I would guess most of us have that situation somewhere in our house. If it were my room, my order of preference is the same as yours:

1. Do nothing
If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and fixing the bookcases doesn't address the rest of the items in the room. At least not painting them makes you consistent in your inconsistency.

2. Paint entirely wall color (where did the bookcase go?)
I like this idea, except that I would want a satin or semi-gloss on the bookcases, and you probably have matte on the walls<?I>

3. Paint entirely trim color
I like this idea

4. Some combination of #2 and #3
5. Paint completely different color
6. Paint two different colors

Graywings, thanks for your reply. Doing nothing is a distinct possibility, given the silk purse/sow's ear situation. If I do paint the bookcases, yes, it would be satin or semi-gloss, and I do have matte on the walls. If I were to paint them the wall color, I might have to repaint them if the walls change (not even remotely likely since it took me 18 years to repaint them). Trim color has a certain appeal.

When I haven't wanted to get another gallon of paint in another finish, I have used flat paint and then painted over it with clear latex acrylic poly.

Do nothing is sometimes a good option for shelves because if you don't paint them, you don't have to worry about scraping the paint on the shelves taking stuff off and on. This is why kitchen. cabinets usually have clear coat shelves on the inside even when the outside is painted or stained

I like Palimpsest's suggestion. (I always like Palimpsest's suggestions...)

Here are photos of my previous library (ivory), my current den (terra cotta), and a wall in my current dining room (natural wood cases). In this house, we have bookcases tucked everywhere in the house we can, since we don't have the luxury of a whole library.

In the first, because we built so much casework, we painted everything the ivory of the trim, and painted the back wall to match the walls.

In the second (not a very good photo, I'm afraid), because the room is smaller, and has much higher ceilings and huge windows, we matched the walls to make the cases less intrusive.

In the third, we found stock bookcases in this walnut finish that fit perfectly on both sides of the door...there are two just like these to the left of the door. So I gained bookshelf space and serving surface, which I sorely need! (Please ignore the silver in need of polishing...)

Bronswynsmom, all three rooms look great and each room seems to have the perfect solution for that particular room. I also love your floors with the black bookshelves.

Linelle, if you have not painted the bookshelves yet, I vote for them to match the trim on the walls unless you have cherry furniture and a cherry credenza, then you may want to paint them the same cherry stain.