It could help to reduce the visual confusion if you were to paint the tall shelves to match the wall.

Oh my, can you have it removed and dry walled over?

I would get rid of both they are just collecting a bunch of STUFF drywall over and maybe even mount your T.V beside the fireplace.

either drywall them over and get rid of both, or else rip open the wall and combine them both to a 'normal' built in height, if you *want* bookshelves.

I would paint them the color of the wall and eliminate all the stuff in them. Place a few things on shelves only. Things that are light and airy life reflective art, glass vases, light candles. Don't over due too much makes it look too cluttered and will draw more attention to it than need be .

If eliminating them isn't an option right now definitely paint them to match the wall and simplify the things inside them. You want to draw as much attention to the focal point of the room as possible, which is your fireplace here.

Def can't eliminate right now. Had thought about making an accent "wall" in the big cubby out of panel. Could I maybe make it into a nook? I have to decorate it somehow. With pics. Move the clock and whatever those door knobs are and put a window frame or door

Eliminating it isn't an option right now. Thought of making it have an accent wall with pallets. Module bookshelves. Ton of photos. Moving the clock and those crazy door knobs. Lol. I'm just not creative at all.

Style them with 1/3 books, 1/3 large decor items, 1/3 open space and no DVDs.

How do I drywall? What will that look like?

Don't know if this would work or not, but thinking you could put shutters on the openings. You can buy them any size or have them cut down. Maybe just do the 2 bottom shelves of each cubby to hide the electronics. You could attach them on the outside frames and stain to match.

Just attached to outside and you can open from middle and you should be able to access your TV thru them.

You can get different wood colors also or just paint them and cubby wood all the same color.

Hi - I would place the clock somewhere else and try something like this. If you wanted to keep the doorknobs maybe you can mount them on something square or rectangle. I would paint the units the color of the wall. I would move the flowers to the upper shelf and lower them so they don't look crushed. Only put 1 or 2 small or short items below. The other unit should only have 2 shelves. Move the picture to the top and removed all the wires and small cd cases. Or, put all the CD cases on the bottom, lie them down, all the way across. Put the wires behind them. Put the glass on top. The rest of the space should be split for the glass. Put your knick knacks and a small tiny green plant or succulent.

Buy dark wood frames and put your baby photos in. Hang over lower wooden shelf opening. Three to a row and you could actually do two rows to fill up the wall; it will balance the tv/fireplace. See pic below.

Replace the red curtains with double panels of a simple print to balance all the dark wood/furniture in the room. Hang from ceiling, 93-96 inches; Target has great curtains. Double panels on each side of window. See pic below

Buy cubby boxes in linen in a cream color and fill all the shelves with your 'stuff' so it doesn't show but wil store everything. Home depot or lowes or Target or WalMart have them. See pic below

Remove everything from the long vertical space/shelves and buy some inexpensive silk green plants, put in wooden troughs/baskets etc and fill the shelves with greenery. These are real plants but silk will stay alive in the dark area. haha

Just some ideas that came to mind when I read your post. Good luck!

A handyman can tear them out and install new drywall, then get a drywaller to texture the wall, once sanded and dry you or your painter can paint.