I would try succulent plants, I am an indoor plant killer, but I've always been very successful with succulents. I agree with others suggestions about the plants. Looks like you could use some green in there. Ballard Designs also sells preserved boxwood topiaries, if you don't want to try succulents.
How about some sea grass baskets? Or grouped together white ironstone or milkglass urns. You could also put the succulents in the urns.
I know how you feel- I always have a really tough time decorating shelves like that. I end up looking at magazines at little vignettes, and the recreating them with stuff I find around my house or a quick trip to my local thrift store helps also. Just a quick google search and I found this link on country living website. Just in case when you open it, it goes back to picture 1 in the slideshow, I am referring to picture #17. It is for holiday decorating, but you will get the idea of the pottery, with grouped books and some greenery.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pic #17

I just went through the slideshow again, and it's pic #18- Sorry!
Also, I like the family photos on shelves. I also enjoy looking at them when I visit other people's homes. I never follow all the hard and fast rules of decorating, just prefer to surround myself with stuff I love.

Are your shelves adjustable? I kind of like it when you have one set slightly different than the other; maybe take one out on the one side and put something large in the space. Since your TV is so big, be careful of putting a lot of small things on the shelves. You can use a statement piece like a big basket, picture, clock, or even a large photo collection hung on the back of the walls of the shelves. (I'd use the 3M photo hooks that you don't have to drill holes) Have fun....

Hi juddgirl!

What a great looking unit. I also like to display family photos, but I think maybe you have too many. I would cut the number in half and add more books. I could definately hit the antique malls and craigslist for items. I think a small globe, antigue typewriter, fan or camera would look nice. Love the topiary suggestions.

Here are a few of my ginds:

{{!gwi}}

You have really balanced the objects well. I have seen people put trays at the back of the shelf with the objects in front of it. Maybe a round tray or two? I personally love family photos. I also like your flag folded in the corner! I agree greenery would give it some freshness.

I doubt there is enough sunlight to keep plants healthy sitting on those shelves.

I think it is perfectly acceptable to have photos on display. And of course the books are fine and the flag. I would remove the small nick-nacks and replace them with larger items.

I think shelves like this are the perfect place to display photos. I only have issue when the photos are *everywhere* in the room -- I know people who have them on every end table, every buffet, every shelf, etc.

The only thing I think is a bit jarring is the white matts. You probably don't want to change all your matts, so maybe if you brought in a few other white objects, it would help. It's just that the TV is dark, the shelves are dark, it seems like most of the other items on the shelves are dark...so the white seems like too much contrast. Anyway, that was my initial impression. Maybe if you did add a plant, you could use a white or off-white planter. Or a white ceramic urn with dried hydrangeas.

I also agree with what jjam said.

Wow - I like all of your suggestions. Thanks so much! I'm going to print these out and keep them in mind while decorating.

Some of the matting is off-white and others are white, and I do think they look a little more contrasting in the photo than IRL, but I completely understand re them standing out. I thought about teastaining the mattes (is that even possible?) to tone them down but I like the idea of bringing in more white through ceramics, etc., instead. I do have white ironstone displayed in several other rooms and a lot of off-white millwork, so this would tie it all in.

Perhaps I could bring in some lighter colors with some tables or by replacing the large chair and ottoman with a few smaller scale armchairs in an ivory linen. This is on my list!

pps, I love your finds and polly, thanks so much for the link. The display photo was perfect and I can't wait to look through all the pictures to get ideas for other areas.

Now I'm off to check out the Ballard Designs catalog!

Oh - and I was worried about having too many pictures displayed but we have four kids and two sets of parents! I had each of them represented in a picture. DH then noticed we didn't have a single photo of ourselves so I added one more.

Maybe I can pare them down by doubling up the kids into one or two photos but I can't leave anyone out. The boys already accuse me of favoring the girls :-D (Of course, I don't but the girls sure are easier!)

I'm sorry, but I don't like it at all. It isn't horrible, but it isn't "design" either. It's just too many small things with no impact floating on a very big unit.

I don't subscribe to the "decorating no-no" theory but I think there are limits. I personally don't like large framed family pics over the fireplace (uh, what, are you going to forget who lives here???) and believe you need to be very selective about the types of photos used. Maybe, with the holidays coming up, you could take ONE photo of the whole family and display everyone that way? I think a hallway is much more conducive to family photos (people can pause to look if they wish or keep moving if they don't) versus forcing people to look at your family which makes me roll my eyes a bit at the family photo overload found at some houses. Again, these are strictly my opinions.

Thanks for your input, redecor, although my house could never be mistaken for "designer" and that's definitely not my decorating goal. My main priority is to fill it with things that make me smile and feel at home, although I certainly want it to be visually appealing to myself and others.

This is pretty much the only area where I have any family pictures displayed, for now anyway. As I mentioned, most of the pictures I've taken in the last decade seem to be on my computer, undeveloped. The ones I do have end up filed away in drawers.

Perhaps using other decor items as those suggested above will make the photographs less obtrusive. Certainly, no one will be forced to look at them either way :-D I do like the suggestion of using the hallway to hang family photos. One family photo is also a good idea, although with children ranging from ages 7-25 who live in different locations and have different schedules, that's not an easy task!

When I visit others' homes, I tend to not even notice pictures displayed by people that I don't know very well, no matter how many there are. However, I very much enjoy looking at family photos displayed in family and friends' homes.

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

I would frame your photos all in the same type frame, say silver and don't matt them at all. Group them all together along with other silver accessories as well as things like crystal decanters on a silver tray. Nothing fills the void better than books and if they are a collection its even better. Just keep tweeking an adding, it will look beautiful.

I realize my style is pretty over the top, but I like to incorporate pictures, knicknacks and treasures in many layers in my bookcases. You might want to get some books to use as pedestals and filler.

One of my crazy bookcases
{{!gwi}}From Recently Updated

I'll weigh in as a person who thinks that books are THE perfect decorative accessory for bookshelves.

I'm loving those baskets, pesky. Wow.

caminnc - I like your idea of using silver accents. That should bring some sparkle to the darker unit. Maybe I could use some of the matted pictures in other places.

Pesky - great bookshelves! You make it look effortless. I am slowly acquiring more books and will keep adding to the small collection I have there now. I've always been an avid reader but have usually given my books away after reading. Lately, I've just been borrowing them from the library. I'll let it evolve over time rather than try to do it all at once.

did you delete your photos by mistake ?

I can't see the pix.... :(

I was organizing photos in my photobucket account last night and it must have deleted these photos. Here they are but with none of the suggested changes yet.

I'm going to remove the groupings of smaller knicknacks on the two top shelves. The flag, the one police car that's on top of a stack of books, and the humidor on the bottom left shelf have to stay. (The speakers too, unfortunately, but I have to admit DH's surround sound is awesome!)

Everything else is flexible, although I like the photos of our parents displayed. I like the Ballard Designs topiaries someone mentioned (a bit expensive though) and might use a large basket or two. Plus, more books!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Another fan of books!

I'm another for books being the perfect bookshelf accessory. JMHO but bookshelves and their accessories evolve over time - agonizing over it or going out on a spree to find suitable bric-a-brac just seems forced.

With the few books that you currently have, don't line them up in the same corner on each shelf - mix, use a favorite objet d'art as a bookend. If you must have all manner of family photos, change out the glaring white mats. pesky1's picture shows comfy, layered shelves. An all around nice look without being too fussy about it.

I haven't read all the replies, but succulents need lots of bright or direct light to survive.

I have a few family pictures on my bookshelves, but what I did was put them in pretty frames and set them all on one shelf with books on either side.

I also use pottery or depression glass as bookends if I have extra room.

WOW! This thread has made me reassess my study bookshelves. Just made some quick changes that I am liking very much. :)

juddgirl2 - You are making a fine attempt, and getting some great suggestions. I also like the idea of more books, and your dry hydrangeas. I have some in my family room.

The way I treat my bookshelves is to fill them mostly with books, then tuck in the fun stuff like small framed photos, knick-knacky stuff, souvenirs, etc. Now that I can see close-up pictures of your shelves... originally I thought the white matts were the problem, but maybe the size of the pictures as well. You might have a better balance by adding a lot more books and then tucking in smaller framed photos (and other objects). The largest photos I have on my shelves is 5x7 (unmatted) but most are 4x6 or smaller.

You've gotten so many opinions... you're probably sorry you asked!

More great ideas - thank you! Newhomebuilder, I'd love to see your updated shelves if you wouldn't mind posting pictures.

I see what everyone is saying about using primarily books and adding little accents here and there and unmatted, smaller photos. I also like other suggestions to use some larger objects so it's not too cluttered or random.

I've edited the shelves down a bit. All but one item in the police collection went in DH's office and my Bell glass jars found a nice place on my dining hutch where they seem to complement my green milk glass.

I'm definitely not one to just buy home decor items just to fill up space so I won't rush out to buy anything all at once. Most of the ones I do have I found while antique shopping or they were handed down to me and new things aren't as appealing to me as old.

For now, I'll leave most of the pictures up and replace them with more books as time goes on. I like the idea of using the matted framed pictures as a display on the wall (love ttodd's picture wall) or on pictures shelves down the hallway. Lord knows I go up and down that hallway several times a day since the laundry and kids' rooms are at the other end! I'll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy seeing them :-D