Our client removed some older “built-in” shelving and lived without any shelving for a few months to discover she did miss the form and function of it. So after everything was painted, she set out to reinvent the look of this wall, which contains a newly painted brick fireplace. The existing mantel had been painted but she wanted an old beam to replace it. She carefully measured for new floating shelves and decided she didn’t want them to completely fill the wall.

Lots of measuring to make sure that there will be space for displaying special things. She hasn’t “styled” the shelving yet, but sometimes it’s nice to see a space “not quite finished”!

Here’s the resulting look. A new beam and fresh white shelves just waiting for a touch of personality. That’s the final phase!

Here’s a trio of “before” pictures. This was a few years ago, when she had a “built-in” bookcase on the left side only. It really helps to see the evolution of an idea all the way to a nearly final result. Swapping that white mantel that wrapped the fireplace slightly with a reclaimed beam also makes a huge impact. Oh, and the chair rail was removed! That’s another thing that tends to date all but the most formal of spaces. It really dissects most rooms and tends to add to “visual clutter”.