P.S. We have just ordered this coffee table which should be arriving this week.

Luan cut to fit and painted would work.

Any thoughts on colour?

What a great idea! I have a question for you... how did you hang your TV on the wall so that the bracket doesn't show? It seems to be flat on the wall...

You can pick up on that orange in the pillow. Pull the luan out and change the color at will.

Hey @prob64 I just bought a very simple bracket. It isn't one of the fancy ones that allow you to move your tv around. It's just a basic simple flat bracket. Looks like this:

@decoenthusiaste I would do that but as I said before the luan is a foldable piece (looks like 3 boards). I'm not sure I love the look of it. I think I want something flat.

If you concerned about the paint chipping from the original paint surface, paint it white in the shade you want. Otherwise, I would paint the whole unit a darker shade of your wall color.

I wouldn't remove the backing because that gives the unit more stability.

You could put paper over formcore panels that change the look of the back but aren't permanent. Colorful paper would look nice and so would peel and stick cork. Wallpaper like the print below would add texture to your room.

paint the back a black or very dark charcoal, and the rest a bright white. once you put your things in the case it will look very good.

or a blue

you could always wrap the back w/a fabric and staple it on the back. that way you can change out when it doesn't work anymore

That book case does not look good. That does not fit there. All you need to do on that wall is extend (or a buy a longer) the curtain rod so that it runs the length of the wall. And then hang additional drapery panels on each side to cover the wall space on both sides of that window. That will give the room a much richer feel.

I'm sorry, Steve, but I have to agree with cpaul1 on this. The bookcase is too heavy and crammed in and throws off the balance of the wall. I'd probably just put a floor lamp there.

You've done a nice job with the room overall, though. All you need is a couple of abstracts instead of the mirror over the sofa...

I think I would paint the whole unit the color of the walls so it blends in better. I don’t know what you’re planning to put on the shelves but that might make a difference about what to do with the backing.

I actually listened to a lot of you and kept the back the same colour as the wall. Actually, I just threw out the backing that came with the bookcase. This usually provides extra support but because I've fastened the bookcase to the wall it wasn't needed. I think by leaving the back the colour of the wall it creates a very nice contrast. Aside from a few minor things, this bookcase is complete and I totally love it. I know some people said it won't work in this room but I think it turned out great and in person I think it adds a nice subtle decoration to the room. Not only that, it gave me an opportunity to learn a lot about woodworking and carpentry. I think the fact that I didn't settle for the Ikea off-white and instead painted it a nice pure white really helps it to look like it belongs in this room. I still think I'm going to add some hidden lights but other than that this bookcase project is complete and I am 100% happy with the results. :)

Good job on the bookcase. Great colors for the room. You have a lot of options for decorating, no right or wrong, just lots of options.

Thanks nicole! I know when it comes to anything art/design related things can get very subjective. At first I worried a bit when a few people said it wouldn't work but I had faith in my vision and it turned out to my liking. I do value everyone's opinions on here but at the same time I think sometimes we all have to go with our gut and perhaps go with a little more function over form or do something that is a little bit different. Thanks for all the help everyone! :)

I do have to say you did an awesome job on the carpentry. The trim work is first rate!

Thanks, Groveraxle! When I was re-doing our floors my dad taught me how to do trim work and how to use dap to fill in cracks and nail holes. That helped me a lot with this project :)