Come along with me to three reader’s homes! The first is curious how they should decorate their hallway. My solution is simple. The second reader bought a cabin in the PNW, but it’s lacking the cabin aesthetic. I shared some photos of my favorite cabin style rooms that can kickstart their project. And the third is debating between floating shelves or no shelves in their kitchen. Read on to see my answer.
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Dear danica,
I need help designing this wall. I love the style of the shelf but no clue how to arrange them. Or should I get rid of them all together? Add a mirror? ahh! sos
– Elise
I love the mouldings in your home! The profile is stunning, and the color choice is perfect! I would forgo the shelves entirely. They look insufficient in comparison to the wall. Instead of a bunch of little things, I would keep it simple with one large painting. Original art is preferred since you can get up close and personal with it. As far as size, the bigger the better – at least 2/3 the width of the wall.
One other suggestion: let’s paint the vent cover the same color as the trim! No need for that to stand out. Or even better, replace it with a decorative cover like this.
Dear danica,
Ditch the open shelves? Full tile to the ceiling? Add crown to the window to tie into the ceiling!!?? Thank you!
– Claudia
So there’s a couple different routes you could go and I’ll outline them below –
Option 1: Open Shelving (With Tweaks)
If you want the extra storage you can keep open shelves on this wall, but there are a few tweaks I’d make to elevate them.
- Add brackets under the shelves. Floating shelves are tacky. Open shelves *can* be timeless if done right. (Floating shelves = no brackets supporting the shelf. Open shelves = a pair of brackets supporting the shelf.) I’d recommend a set of wood brackets with a soft curve. Placement of the brackets matters too. I like a bracket that sits closer to the edge of the shelf, rather than inset.
- Beef up the shelves. The thickness of the wood appears too thin. I’d aim for wood that’s between 3/4″ – 5/4″ thick. Any thinner, and the shelves disappear. Any thicker and they look manufactured and disproportionate.
- Paint the shelves & brackets. Open shelves look best when we *don’t* treat them a decorative accent. 9 times out of 10, I prefer an open shelf that’s painted the same color as the cabinets or wall rather than left unpainted as an “accent.” So with that said, I’d recommend painting the shelves and brackets the same color as your cabinets.
- Leave the tile & window casing as is. With opening shelves, I would rest your bottom shelf on the tile, as it is now. No need to do tile all the way to the ceiling. And no need to connect the window casing to the crown. Some space is good.
- My personal thoughts on floating and open shelves: I’m generally not a fan of open or floating shelves in today’s kitchens. They are installed as a decorative accent, but the reality is they look best when they’re built as utilitarian storage. When the shelves span full walls and hold actual dishes, mixing bowls, and glassware, that’s when they look good. But small shelves, one stacked on top of the other, next to a window or in an open corner cheapens the look of a kitchen.
Option 2: Do A Plate Wall or Hang Art
The other option is to forego shelves entirely, which I would personally recommend, and hang a collection of vintage plates instead. An odd number of 3 or 5 would be beautiful. (I use this plate hanger and it’s great!) If you’re not a fan of plate walls, you could also just hang a beautiful, original painting in an ornate frame. Something antique with lots of texture to draw you in. Either of those options would be great for this little wall.
Dear danica,
My husband and I just bought a 600 sq ft lake cabin in the PNW and our bedroom has me perplexed. I want to make it a peaceful and relaxing space for us, but I’m stumped. The electrical panel [behind the artwork] is not helping either! Your help would be amazing!
– Tia
Owning a lake cabin in the PNW sounds like a dream! So happy for you! As far as your bedroom goes, I’m not getting cabin vibes, and I wish I was! The design doesn’t need to be too cabiney, but some acknowledgement would be wonderful! I’ll share a few cabin bedroom spaces below that you can use as inspiration and a starting point.
A few suggestions before I share the inspiration: For the electrical panel, I’d simply hang a tapestry over it…easy fix! The window would benefit greatly from a window casing and either pleated curtains or a roman shade! Taller baseboards would be better too! Also, it looks like you have a large closet with sliding doors. If you have the budget, or are handy, I recommend converting that into a wall-to-wall built-in cabinet with doors and drawers – something like this, but bigger! Ok…the inspiration!
The textiles, texture of the walls, and rustic wood tones give a strong cabin feel without looking cliché.
Wood walls with textured grains and noticeable knots will always be appropriate for a cabin.
Another example of wood plank walls painted a beautiful blue color. The hunter green pillow honors the cabin aesthetic, and the rust-striped headboards have a charming casual feel.
If your style leans modern/mid century, this is a great example of a modern rustic bedroom. The knotty wood walls provide rusticity against the clean lines of the furniture and lighting.
Do you have a design dilemma you want help with?
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We were in your beautiful area week before last and it was absolutely gorgeous! You have the most beautiful state. We went from Boston to Acadia. I don’t know where you are located but that whole area is beautiful. I love your blog also.