I think bookcases behind your sofa would seem like a barrier ( assuming they would be tall) and uninviting to people coming through the doorway. A nicely decorated sofa table would be much more inviting as it wouldn't present a visible barrier to the room.

Holly, I think that the OP means for the bookshelf to be on the wall to the right of the arched door (which is somewhat behind the couch) not right behind the couch.

Is1280, I think it would be good to have something on that wall, but I'm not sure what. I'd think about what would be most useful to you there because there are many things that could look nice on that wall (and because I'm a form follows function kind of person).

How do you use the room (other than the obvious watching TV)? Do you have books that need a home or things you would display in shelves? Would a chest or sideboard of some type provide useful storage and perhaps a place to set out a buffet. Are there children who do homework at that table who could use a spot to store school supplies?

You're right cloudswift. That other wall is at an angle.

I am not happy with those leaf pics hanging on that wall but after all the work getting them exactly level hubby won't move them... I have moved too many things so now I have to be absolutely certain before he will move anything again...

I agree with form following function. I am not a knick knack person but I do have odds and ends that need a place.

Does the wall look too bare and boring left as it is?

Ladder bookcases sound like you'd like to shake up the feeling of the room a bit, but that might be tricky to pull off that way. If that is the case, how about getting a little adventurous with a large, modern art print, or two or three smaller ones, to give a pop of energy and color?

Your overall style goes great with limited budgets. You could find a good quality used chest, sideboard, credenza, with usually a nice range of styles, to set against that wall for very little compared to new. As said, that would be very functional.

Another option, which to me would open up the whole look of the room, and, in fact, make it live and feel larger, would be to place a settee, loveseat, or day bed there, even a sofa,which again would define a perfect place above it for art or a mirror.

I'm imagining something with low, no, or open arms, and/or open on the bottom, so it's not too massive or blocky seen end-on. Something in scale with the rest of your furniture, of course. These pieces are also easily found in very good condition used (with a little patience sometimes until you find something you love).

{{!gwi}}

These quick photos I grabbed aren't very satisfying to me, but any picture you loved of a sofa with decoration above it could be replicated on this wall. When you entertain, dining or other lightweight chairs could be pulled over here for another place for people to sit and chat.

I think you need some height on that wall. I like the idea of a ladder or shelf, a tall plant and a bold, colorful piece of art on the wall like rosie suggested.

I had a large wall that was impossible to design around, and I put a ladder in the space where I hang magazines and throws. I love it because it's functional and it was free -- I DIYed it using scrap wood we had in our garage and painted it the same color as the trim:

Duh! Thanks cloud. I must have forgotten my second cup of coffee.

Your space looks very nice but I think adding something to the wall would liven it up. I love the little sofette that Rosie posted

I will look forward to seeing what you finally do.

Having looked at some ladder bookshelves, I think a lot of them might be too narrow on that wall unless you also did something next to them. It also looks like that might be a high traffic path - perhaps I'm a klutz, but something like a ladder book case where the bottom sticks out so much more than the part near eye level might lead to tripping or stubbed toes.

I like the idea of artwork above something such as a daybed (or perhaps a bench) or a sideboard or chest.

I like the prints on the angled wall - they seem a good size for it, but I think it would be nice to have them spaced a bit farther apart, like moving the left and right columns a few inches closer to the ends of the wall and raising or lowering one row to create the same space between the rows.

It looks like there is quite a bit of space there. I'm a form follows function type. What function do you need there?

Do you have a mail station? If not, how about a desk with cubbies above. Maybe a secretary that closes to hide the mess if you want.

Do you need a games table or homework table?

Do you use the room for entertaining? You might want to set up a dry bar area for glasses and drinks and bottles and ice bucket and such.

I don't see any lamps around any of the family room furniture....could you use a comfy chair, side table and lamp and create a reading space?

Do you have a foyer closet? It looks like it's right near the front door. If not, you could add an armoire for coat and other storage.

If you want book cases, I would go with something more formal and durable than a ladder shelf...something that could use baskets to hold different kinds of things. We have a bookcase that has baskets and boxes to hold our magazines and newspapers that we haven't gotten to yet.

Think about how you want to use the space first, then go for it.

I like all the ideas suggested.

I really like the form follows function concept. And honestly, I really don't "need" anything in that space. As others have pointed out, it is a high traffic area.

The room is perfectly functional as it is. It just looks unfinished to me.

I can see why a ladder bookshelf would not work now. I am now asking myself do I want to buy something just for the sake of taking up space. Darn it if that isn't what hubby said!

What would be some simple ways to finish the room and leave that wall as it is? Perhaps I will do that and if a need or inspiration comes along, I will put something on that other wall? Can the room have a finished look with nothing on that wall?

If you really want no function on that wall, then think about getting a really large piece of art. Maybe a fabric wall hanging or quilt. Do a search on "modern tapestry" for some ideas. But it would need to be something dramatic as there is a lot of space there.

If you did add function or furniture, people would have no problem getting around it as there's plenty of room.

I just have this feeling that, if you did put something useful there, after the fact, you'd wonder how you ever lived without it....

I definitely agree to do something functional. That fits my personality. I just cannot think of anything I need. We have plenty of seating and we don't have a lot of knick knacks... Hmmmm. I guess at least with a sofa table and mirror there I could have a place for picture frames.

My creativity is... Zip, Nada...

Is1208, your picture of only a part of this room makes it look as if all your furniture is clustered toward the left wall, as if it was important to leave the right third empty for traffic to pass through, and perhaps also to keep a wide diagonal path clear from top right to bottom left too.

That suggested appearance in your picture may not be the case, but is suggesting the problem with that wall--it's not just empty, it's located in in empty space. The room is out of balance, with the left 2/3 furnished for living, the right waiting for the passengers to disembark and head for their luggage.

The group of pictures does a lot in its little way to throw some weight on the other side. But it just seems to me that more indication of actual living on the right would really benefit the feel of the whole room. It's not a small room, it shouldn't live small. Having people arc around furniture as they pass through a room is fine. Even nice, desirable.

A chest would likely be, as suggested, something your family ended up using a lot. A settee maybe not so much, but it might be even more valuable in making your living room appear to live large--the same way a bench invitingly placed by a lawn but seldom sat on makes a lawn look so much more appealing than one without it.

I'm also wondering if that is a front or back door and how it might be influencing the throwing of all living to the left? If a back door, could it exit from the living area instead of being walled off so resolutely? If it's the front "stranger" entry, it's more problematic, but still--do you have a lot of strangers entering that way? Enough to cause the seating group to huddle to the side and try to ignore it?

Yes, I'm really suspecting the actual situation is probably entirely different. Maybe someone's nearsighted and it's really about the TV. :) But that is what it's looking like from my side of the screen.

That is actually our back door. The living room furniture is arranged the way that it is because of the way the TV was prewired to hang in a specific area of that wall.

We really didn't have a choice where to put the furniture. I think if we had a bigger TV and bigger/more furniture this room would look more "complete".

The kitchen, dining and living area all share one big open space so that is the reason the area is looking so "compartmentalized".

The kitchen and dining area look very balanced. And all the color coordination comes together well between all three areas. It is just the living area that I cannot get to quite "work".

I hate to buy something for that wall and it doesn't work. Oh, and I already did that. I bought a huge floor mirror for that space which ended up looking very silly and I moved it to another part of the house. That was a $500 mistake I don't care to repeat. I will have a really nice piano room with a big mirror... Once I find a piano...

Here is a pic of the room from a slightly different angle.

We have moved the dining room table several times and it really doesn't look right when it is pulled out. There is actually a niche just for the dining area. It also gets in the way of our barstool chairs when we pull it out.

The dining and kitchen area actually look very nice, especially since the bar and bar stools are there.

I like the bookcase with bins idea. It might make use of the space in a way that would be functional for us. I'll look into that suggestion.

If you want to make the LR look more complete, you might want to add either a sofa table or some end tables and lamps...

I think the windows look a little bare with just the valances. I'd add panels on either end of the windows or even sheers to cover the windows if letting in light isn't too much of a problem.

You need something tall there. I like the idea of normal bookshelves with half doors, not ladders - the ladder bookshelves will have too much negative space and tend to look junky to unless they are always viewed from head on as well as carefully styled.

I know everyone and their mother recommends IKEA Billy bookcases, but to be honest that's because they really do work nicely. After years of my fireplace wall in the LR looking messy and junky due to an open shelving type bookcase, I finally got the Billys and the difference is amazing. They were supposed to be a temporary thing until DH got around to actually DIYing built-ins but I told him to take that off his list bc the Billys are fine.

I got them in white with the height extension as well as the half height solid doors. I can see the darker color in your room... I can also see your getting the half height Billys with the doors and having art or a mirror above as well.

To be honest though.. if it works for the room, what I would really like to see is the furniture flipped, with the couch on the left wall and the TV with a console or built-ins surrounding it. Your cable provider can move the cable wiring for you for a fee, or if you switch providers the new provider will probably do it for free at install ;)