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What to put under this mirror??

7 years ago

Hi everyone!


I have been struggling with not knowing what to put under this mirror on a long wall in my family room. I have a hutch on the adjacent wall which goes to the end of the wall but I'm not sure what to do with this open space. I was considering buying a nice consol table and using it as a nice picture frame display but I don't know if that will be too much furniture in a small space. Any advice would be appreciated! I have included pictures with nothing set up vs. when we had it decorated for our son's bday.






Thank you :)

Comments (51)

  • 7 years ago
    I really don't think you need the mirror there at all. Try removing it and centering the display unit.
  • 7 years ago

    Kristy C, is this normally a dining room? Or is is part of your LR?

    Is the kitchen behind the wall where the yellow credenza is currently located?

    Just trying to get the floorplan situated.

    What do you want to use this room for, dining? Extra seating? Conversation? What do you envision?

  • 7 years ago

    I would probably switch out the yellow console and the wall unit and not hang the mirror at all. Or if you switch their places, try the mirror in place of the art above the console. In one pic the console looks bright yellow, in another it looks wood colored? I'd also remove that little table and the 3 pieces of art above it.

  • 7 years ago

    It would be helpful to see the rest of the room. This whole corner needs to be rethought. It looks like you're just sticking stuff here to fill up the space. I do love the yellow credenza. But the rest of the space just falls flat next to it.

  • 7 years ago

    Mirror doesn't really seem to be needed in the room. Because it is so dark compared to your tv cabinet and the yellow credenza, it seems out of place. Perhaps it could be repurposed to an entry or hall?

    You might consider lowering the art over the yellow credenza -- try keeping any art in the room no higher than the top of your tv cabinet.

    You have a little one … so, with or without the mirror, you might consider creating a play/homework space between the recliner and the yellow credenza.

  • 7 years ago
    Hi everyone thank you for all your replies. I took some new/updated pictures of the whole room to give you an idea of the space. hope this helps!
  • 7 years ago

    Nothing should go under that mirror because that mirror should not be there.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    If you really want the mirror in the room I would put it over a console table but without the mirror would make your living room seem like you have more space.

  • 7 years ago
    Thanks for the input and pictures. I will have to correct you though - when you said that I've filled my ladder shelf with 'generic items', every piece is in fact sentimental in some way or another. The ladder itself was passed down but you wouldn't know that.
  • 7 years ago

    Oh blue mats or some other cobalt blue items do so much for the yellow credenza! It's amazing the impact that the perfect accessories can make.

    So Grover is now two-timing the dearly departed dog with some Scandinavian chick.

  • 7 years ago

    Love the yellow credenza.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Lol lisaam! Let’s wait to see if she starts peeking out from somewhere in every rendering!

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Place a decorative canvas over your sideboard.

    Take away the leaning ladder shelf & replace the mirror with the KALLAX bookcase from IKEA & insert baskets for toys.

  • 7 years ago
    I love the cubed storage but we literally have this exact piece in the adjacent playroom so it would be too much. Thank you though!
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    The decorative canvas that Bev shows above your yellow sideboard is terrific. The yellow in the art works so well with your sideboard and pulls that area together.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I think everyone agrees that the mirror is not right in that spot. You might try hanging it vertically 5" above the yellow piece. That way it can serve to pull light from the windows to that end of the space. Then bring the two buffet lamps over to flank it. Change the shades on them to white. It does seem redundant to place the ladder shelf next to a piece that is full of shelves. Perhaps the ladder shelf and the sentimentalia on it would do better in your master bedroom, as would the tiny corner table. I would like to see two drapery panels at your windows and a large area rug. 5-5-75 is a good rule of thumb for hanging things. Individual pieces or groupings centered 5' above the floor or hung 5" above furniture and no wider than 75% of the furniture's width.

  • 7 years ago
    I like your credenza exactly where you have it and it looks fine with the art and supplies you store on it. I think I’d remove everything else from the half of the wall where the mirror is. The ladder shelf is redundant with the tv storage area next to it. The small table in the corner next to the mirror is too small for that space. Don’t feel like you have to fill every bit of floor and wall space. That is what takes perfect decor to cluttered space. You are almost there. Can you find another room or area for the ladder shelf?
  • 7 years ago
    Is there an opening beside the couch that limits you to have it placed in that location? Since the room has so much room and dead space on that side I would move everything down and center the entertainment center on the wall. The way it is set up now seems to be 2 separate areas. Spread out a little. Give enough room to walk behind the love seat or move the chair in front of the window. if the mirror and ladder shelf were on opposite sides of the entertainment center I think it would work. Trying the mirror horizontal as someone else suggested could help balance it out. Pictures all seem to me a little to high. Center of them should be at eye level or around 60". The room works but filling the whole space makes sense to me.
  • 7 years ago

    Your entertainment center will be more interesting if you exchange some (a lot) of those DVDs for your memorabilia from the ladder shelf. Perhaps the DVDs can go in the yellow credenza. Your hanging plant and a big piece of art would look good on that wall. You don't have to fill every inch of space.


    I know you want to protect the top of the credenza, but that fabric looks worse than chipped and scratched paint would. Apply several coats of polycrylic to the top. It will last for years.


    You're hanging most of your art too high. General rule: center of the art goes at eye level. Yes, it's around 60" when standing up, but in living and dining rooms, you're sitting down and eye level is lower. Exception: art that is over a cabinet or sofa goes 6 - 8" above so the art and furniture relate to each other and read as a unit.

    The rest of the room looks really good. (Somehow I missed the photos you added yesterday.) Two improvements you could make: add one curtain panel to each window so they don't look so skimpy, and add a rug to define the space.

  • 7 years ago
    Thank you Immcnit! honestly where I'm at now is to take out the ladder and the small table and to put a functional console table under the mirror. The problem with taking down the mirror is having to huge plug holes in the wall. The store no longer makes my. paint so I'd have to paint the whole room again after patching it, so the mirror is not an easy removal fix.
  • 7 years ago
    Thanks Cheryl. Yes we are not able to move the sitting area down because there is the opening where we enter our house - it's not a room with 4 walls. Just a large open concept room with 3 walls really.
  • 7 years ago
    can someone suggest a rug size and colour for near the hutch area?
  • 7 years ago

    honestly where I'm at now is to take out the ladder and the small table and to put a functional console table under the mirror.


    A console next to a credenza will not be a good look.


    I wouldn't put a rug in this corner of the room. I would put one in the seating area.

  • 7 years ago

    Some rugs to try on:




  • 7 years ago
    Thank you Grover for the rug pics. I love them. I see your point with the console. what about a small table and bar stools or bar cart to go with a cocktail area.
  • 7 years ago

    Actually, looking from this angle, my previous attempts to fill that space were misguided. There isn't room for a bookcase and chair and toy storage would be too imitative of the media cabinet and you don't need it anyway.


    IMO, this is just about perfect: a hanging plant and a vibrant piece of large art. Done.


  • 7 years ago
    I happened upon these at Home Depot and thought of your credenza.
  • 7 years ago
    Oh wow thank you Molly! that's a beautiful painting
  • 7 years ago
    Grover do you think the large painting would clash with the painting above the hutch or I could do the white shelves you suggested beforehand
  • 7 years ago
    also Grover how large would you suggest the painting be in the empty space. I measured it and I'm working with 9ft wide by 7 ft tall
  • 7 years ago
    or would something like this work??
  • 7 years ago

    Kristy, if you look at my rendering above, you'll see I made the art the size I think it should be. Something on the order of 48" square would be good. If you go to greatbigcanvas.com or gallerydirect.com or icanvas.com you can filter by shape (as well as color and subject and style) and then choose what size you want. At art.com you can filter by shape, but you have to take whatever size it comes in.


    Just spend some time looking at art. See if you can find something you love, and if it has a bit of yellow to tie it in, that would be a bonus.

  • 7 years ago




  • 7 years ago


    "In The Middle Of Summer 1928" Art, 15"x20" · More Info

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    When are you going to try some of the suggestions that have been offered? You don't have to spend any money to simply move things around and take a photo.

  • 7 years ago
    Decoenthusiast, lol I am moving things around and trying things. I'm waiting until tonight to look at paintings. I'm a busy mom of a toddler and doing other renovations. Although I'm excited to figure out this space, it's not an urgent manner right now lol!
  • 7 years ago

    We'd love to see pix of what you try, plus your comments about how its working for you and your family.

  • 7 years ago
    I will show you the art work I bought! although now I think I may have to change the hutch colour
  • 7 years ago
    So we found our big piece of art work - a galvanized medallion from Pier 1. It's still in the plastic. Can't wait to hang it. Now thinking I may have to repaint the hutch and change the colour scheme a little in the room.
  • 7 years ago

    Well. Is that piece (which I wouldn't call art) going to give you a rush every time you look at it, or will it become invisible after a week? Does it add any energy to the room? I would suggest if it makes you repaint the credenza in a neutral, it will subtract energy and personality from the room.

  • 7 years ago
    No definitely won't be invisible within a week. knew I loved it as soon as I saw it. loved it enough to make it work in the room. To be completely honest, I'm a neutral pallet girl. I love cool calm neutral tones. I did initially want a pop of colour in our room but I think I'm going to like the vibe I feel if I were to paint my hutch a blue/grey.
  • 7 years ago

    Well, it is an improvement over what's there now. Hope we get to see the results.

  • 7 years ago
    yes I will post :)
  • 7 years ago
    Ok so we hung the art that we bought. Now I'm just waiting to put up some white shelves above the hutch and paint it a bluey-grey color. I'm not used to seeing this space so bare. I still feel like something else should go there. I'm still working on getting rid of all the DVDs like someone had suggested in our entertainment unit and using the shelves to hold different memorabilia. I've added some blue into the other side of the room as well.
  • 7 years ago

    That corner is just about right now. You'll get used to the new minimalism there.

  • 7 years ago
    thank you Grover!
  • 7 years ago
    by any chance would a long skinny rug look good under the credenza? if I find one like this picture, I may not even have to paint the credenza.
  • 7 years ago
    Don’t add a runner under the credenza.
  • 7 years ago
    thanks for the input!