IMO those are not the best style for your fireplace wall. They make your wall look stubby.

These from C&B in black or white, with or without the cabinet at the bottom would have complemented the FP better.

I would remove them. Put an end table and lamp next to the couch, and put an armchair with a floor lamp behind it on the other side of the fireplace for a reading spot or to make conversation with couch-sitters. Most fireplaces are not well served being engulfed in carpentry. Hang a nice painting over it and let it be the focus of the wall, not fighting for attention.

Here you go. I think you should plan to get a coffee table once your kids are out of the head-bonk era, but I gave you an oversized end-table meantime. Maybe you can stash some useful things in a drawer or something. :)

I agree with IdaClaire. Would be best if you could bring those built ins all the way to the ceiling. There are some great ikea bookshelf hacks to give you this look and save you some money. The bookshelves you have in your space are probably 60-70" tall.... they're just not tall enough. Great job styling though. Hope this is helpful! - and if YOU love them... keep them. Everyone has their own opinion.

Another vote for built-ins, like Ida’s picture. I think they’d look very nice in there, as well as be functional.

Beverly’s units look way too modern for this room, IMO.

I think you’ve styled your current bookshelves well! I wonder how your mirror would look hanging up horizontally? And if you had a couple of pretty bowls or something simple on top of each unit? It might look more balanced (while you’re deciding how/if you want to change things).

Love Ida's built in look. Or go with matching credenzas in white with lamps and mirrors or pictures on each side.

There are so many cute chests and credenzas you could get instead of bookcases - such as these from Wayfair. It would really dress up the room.

Willa Arlo Interiors Square Mirror Overlay 2 Door Accent Cabinet & Reviews | Way · More Info

Cabinets & Chests You'll Love in 2020 | Wayfair · More Info

If you're going to have bookcases then i think they should be large enough to fill the space. Another option would be to do built-in around the fireplace and get your storage that way. Example here, I wouldn't go with that color in the pic but the style would suit the space.

So many good ideas! Thank you!

Beverly- you were spot on... the bookcases make the whole wall look stubby. And that is not the look I had in mind. The ceilings are 9’ and the bookcases are 6’

Ida- I love the built-in look, especially with cabinets on the bottom, I think that might be where we eventually end up. That might be a good project to do in conjunction with new flooring.

I’ve been playing around all day yesterday and today. I’m just not loving anything 100%. I don’t have the mirror hanging on the wall because it will reflect the kitchen cabinets and microwave. Thoughts on a round mirror? Everything is so rectangular right now. I know the picture is too small, I just hung it there to see if I could balance the wall without using the other bookcase.

I agree with Ashtonchic...shorter credenzas would be cute with art above and table lamps since you say the corners are dark. Congrats on the new house!

It's the contrast. Though I like the black shelving, having them flank a white fireplace is a really stark contrast. Before outright getting rid of them, consider painting them both white.

Keep the tall thin lamp but get a larger white shade and get at least one additional lamp with the same or very similar white shade for that end of the room. You might choose a lamp/table combo in lieu of a "modern" floor lamp.

https://www.totallyfurniture.com/chairside-lamp-table-combo-leick-furniture-9037-med

Something else to try rather than painting the shelving white would be to paint your mirror frame black. remove everything from the mantel and hang the mirror above the mantel horizontally. Then add one (something interesting) to the top your cabinets that ends up creating a similar height visual for the mirror and the two cabinet-plus spaces.

Alternately, leave the mirror the same color as is but hang it horizontally and add an item the same color to the top of the two bookshelves.

Here are some chests with color. Love the symmetry.

Geneseo · More Info

I agree that if you dreamed of built ins, that's what you should do. they would look fantastic

I like the symmetry, but perhaps in white to flank your pretty fireplace. Could you paint those white as the easiest starting point? Or consider an Ikea bookcase hack? Lots of examples, google or look here on houzz. Best of luck. Pretty room, keep us posted.

https://www.thespruce.com/ingenious-ikea-billy-bookcase-hacks-4006865

I would not put a mirror over the mantel at all but you could do say a family portrait or a colorful painting to draw the eye up. Also sometimes they can just close in a space because of all the stuff on the shelves it might always look busy.

1. low credenza with a shelf above

2. white tall bookcases (or what if you painted those ones white?)

3. a fig tree

4. I cannot leave this thread without saying, changing that ceiling fan would have so much more impact for you and probably make you like the room more without any more furniture.

So many good ideas! I love the low credenzas, I think I’m between built-ins or the credenzas. I’m over the bookcases. We homeschool and take a literature based approach, we have a front library with floor to ceiling bookcases and each child has a bookcase in his bedroom as well. We’re also getting quotes to finish our basement and I can see the potential for an office/den down there as well. I think I’d like to get away from the bookcases in this family room.
I have 4 of the garden district mirrors from Ballard (used them in our dining room at our old house) would two of those flanking the fireplace with low credenzas look ok? Or would it be too busy?
And the fan is definitely leaving that room. We’ve going to have the ceilings painted as well as the walls and I want to switch the ceiling fixture out at that time.

Personally, I'm getting apathetic toward/tired of the " bookcases flanking the fireplace" with all the dustables and tchotchkes that seem to go with them. I'd probably be fine if they actually held shelves of books--but the home store decor that seems to gravitate toward them grates on me. I think you have been given some wonderful alternate ideas from acm and missenigma :)

The garden district mirrors are too upright. (Love those mirrors, though!) If you did the matching cabinet idea, I would look for window sized mirrors mimicking divided lights from Home Goods. This would mimic the cabinets with windows posted earlier, a beautiful look. The fireplace needs art above it (just not a mirror). Be careful with mirror placement. They can “double the pretty” or “doubly call your attention to the not pretty”. (Moved mirrors more than once myself......😲)

Really like the off balanced rendering above with the plant. It’s warm, and your eye rests on a nice display. Have fun!

Chocolatesnap - I’m with you. I really thought I wanted the bookcase look but, I’m not a tchotchke loving person and had to painstakingly shop for those few decorative items that were on those shelves, especially because I refused to pay a ton of $$ for random decorative items.

Kathy - you’re right, they’re too skinny for that space. Maybe one day I’ll find a place to put them in this house :)

I just walked in the door from running errands and love the amount of afternoon light that’s bouncing off that wall. I guess I’m going to be on the hunt for some new credenzas, art work, and lamps.

Just a bit to add that for a casual room, I don't mind your bookcases - fp is black and white, and bookcases have the black. Symmetry and simple look for the room? Art over sofa... what about keeping what books you placed, and baskets [toile look?]....

What about 1 color you like with neutrals there. This covering ottoman, etc.. could add an elegance:

Leicester Cut Velvet Upholstery Fabric, Blush · More Info

The Straw Hat 1930 1 Art, 15x20 · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/leicester-cut-velvet-upholstery-fabric-blush-prvw-vr~66475746

If bench is the ideal item there - it could be chalk painted a medium neutral to go with --

Liberty Table Lamp, Silver Green Glass Body & White Fabric Oval Shade, Set of 2 · More Info

Ziba Modern Chevron Cotton Poly Upholstery Fabric, Driftwood · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/ziba-modern-chevron-cotton-poly-upholstery-fabric-driftwood-prvw-vr~66483676

https://www.houzz.com/products/liberty-table-lamp-silver-green-glass-body-and-white-fabric-oval-shade-set-of-2-prvw-vr~141224342

Color here makes it younger, and cheerier. ... ? :)

Make a washable cover from fabric..

Ziba Modern Chevron Cotton Poly Upholstery Fabric, Laguna · More Info

"Hill And Valley" Art, 30"x24" · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/ziba-modern-chevron-cotton-poly-upholstery-fabric-laguna-prvw-vr~66482983

With angles of units -- here's a round mirror with just bit of interest - you'll do fine adding items.

Vita Mirror · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/vita-mirror-prvw-vr~102118268

built in bookcases would look nice

No bookcases. Not freestanding nor built in. The fireplace is the feature on that wall. Tall/ tallish bookcases compete with it; lower furnishings & artwork support it and is a much better look, IMO.

if you are worried about filling open shelving and if you like the low credenza idea, how about a built in that is lower and has closed storage? or maybe a built in bench on one side and a lower built in on the other? you can then put art above the built ins. I think built ins look better than free standing pieces when you are trying for the built in look... heres a few pics where the built in doesnt go to the ceiling... to me, you are getting the best of both worlds

Living Room · More Info

Fox Run · More Info

Portland Heights · More Info

everdebz - Color will making its way back into that space for sure. I actually just replaced the pillows this week; they were previously a teal velvet. You also can't see it in that photo but I have a red chair in the nook space between the kitchen and family room. The curtains used to be a floral that had both the red and teal colors in them, they were just too busy for me. That couch will also be making its way down to our basement in the next year and a new one will be purchased for the family room.

Theresa - I've looked at the lower built-ins on Pinterest before and I really like them, I just don't know how well they would work since the fireplace is completely in line with that wall, I feel like I would need to find a way to pull it forward somehow. Maybe a whole new surround, mantel, and even building the wall out on top of it.

Hmmm, im thinking that maybe you want to wait until you get the new couch as it could change things in the room? I keep seeing the sofa face the fireplace for example.

I would use 2 lower cabinets with some storage art mounted above them or the TV above one and art above the other no fake flowers and a piece of art above the sofa instead of a bunch of little stuff. IMO unless you great stuff to display on book shelves they just become a cluttered mess of stuff to fill them. I would look at painting the walls any color like the rug it just becomes a big beige box . Have you looked at som pale gray/ greens or just a nice white . I am sure there is electrical on that wall so just add a lamp or 2 on the cabinets.

RL - if a new couch is turned towards the fireplace would you put the tv over it? We’re kind of anti-tv over the fireplace here. But if it would be a better use of the space I’d consider it.

No I would put it to the left ...........to the left to the left......ok that was me singing, or two the right, might give purpose to a console table? But that being said might be a tight walkway,

another option would be to leave the tv where it is and then flank the FP with two chairs...