Hi Everyone!
Happy Tuesday friends! So Ive been thinking….and that’s never a good thing for my bank account.
Since we moved into our home there’s been one thing thats bothered me, well I should say It’s more like I have a love/hate relationship with it: the built in bookcase next to the fireplace.
Now on one hand I love that they are a detail original to the house and they add so much character to the room. But on the other hand Ive always felt they are a bit awkward because they butt right up against the fireplace. Ive also always felt like the room is a bit off balance because of the french door on one side and bookcase on the other.
Excuse the not so pretty pic. Just wanted to provide a visual reference.
Anyway, as you can see the bookcase on the lover half of one side and the french door on the other has always made this area of the room feel off kilter to me. Ideally I would have loved bothe sides flanked with french doors, or at least have had a window above the bookcase, but thats not the case. So Ive been trying to think of a way to make it feel less “off” to me, and I think I’ve finally come up with a solution that is not only super dope to look at, but also really functional for our family: firewood storage.
We use our fireplace year round so creating an indoor storage solution for firewood has been something Ive been brainstorming for quite some time. And while weve just been keeping wood in baskets on the hearth every year, I’d love something a bit more permanent and visually appealing. I’m loving the idea of an inset vertical storage nook. Im totally inspired by these:
I’d love to go from the floor up to the height of the french door to create balance and a bit of symmetry. Ive been so worried about taking away bits of character from the house if I do something like this, bit at the end of the day our home has so many more unique and period details that this wouldnt take anything away from it…if anything, it would add to it. It just goes back to my number 1 rule when it comes to design. If you like it, do it.
Ill have to bring someone in to see if our walls can handle it and see if there are any surprises behind the area where the current bookcase is, because old house problems. But we shall see…
Until next time friends..
Christine says
I would try adding a mirror or some art to the wall above the existing bookcase (to balance the door), and maybe restyling them (perfect excuse to buy more copper-things, Y/Y?), before you rip them out…
Shavonda Gardner says
Ive tried art, mirrors, extendidng the shelves up, like so many things there and it all just feels off. Although any excuse to bring in more copper is always a good thing in my book!
Bobbi says
I love the inset vertical storage idea for firewood. My favorite part is the natural wood texture it adds to a space. But, it’s also functional. Win-win!
Shavonda Gardner says
I agree!! My favorite part about the look is the natural texture!