It's stunning and very current. But it's not accessorized properly to break up the black/espresso. I'm not crazy about the blue chairs. I don't see how they work in your room & I think I might consider adding drapery panels to finish the room.

Some white accessories would lighten it up and tie in the kitchen. I also like the natural wood colored elements that Beverly recommended. Have you thought about an area rug? Maybe an off white with some charcoal or espresso color in it.

I agree with BeverlyFLADeziner that light-colored and white objects and books will lighten the look of the whole unit. If you want to keep the chairs, I would pair them with a large area rug which has some blue in it, and coordinating drapery panels.

I agree with BeverlyFLADeziner about the chairs. Are they just there for now? They seem to be in the wrong place, maybe move them to the side and reupholster.

Is there an option for removing some of the shelves? If so, add light colored, taller objects. Perhaps it wouldn’t look so “boxed” in and dark.

Do a search in Houzz and see how the professionals style bookcases. You should remove all your little knick knacks and replace with larger items that fill the space better. The easiest way to style your bookcase is to add a whole lot of books. Great old hardcover books interspersed with vases, wood boxes, bowls of pine cones, decor items, carvings, etc. If the books aren't tall enough to fill the space then stack them. The trick is to make the bookcase look full and not sparse. If you travel, pick up mementos that have meaning to you and add them. But be careful with the scale of items. They should be more on the large scale so the end result doesn't look like a whole lot of clutter.

I think your kitchen chairs would look nice in a dark wood

With the white couch, I’d instead lean towards a removal of the leather table because the tan doesn’t match any of the upholstery items and tie what exists in with a blue and cream rug. Maybe do two smaller ottoman tables in a gray/slate blue or darker wood to bring the walls in (kitchen backsplash, espresso wood) in while accessorizing the shelves to go lighter.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.

Beverly, I love the wood accessories in your third picture. Does anyone have any suggestions where I might find these kinds of items that would be of the proper scale? The shelves are all adjustable. The unit is 9' tall. What size items should I be looking for?

I also like the idea of drapery panels. Any fabric suggestions?

These are the fabrics in our family room. The white fabric is the couch, the hexagons are the chairs, the leather is the ottoman the the rest are pillows (one of the whites isn't used). It makes me sad that the chairs and ottoman look out of place. I used a designer to help me with these choices. I chose not to have a rug because I am in a wheelchair.

Thanks for your help!

As will all accessories, you hunt for them. Sometimes you can find wood at Homegoods or an antique store, or resale shop. Primitive items can be found at World Market & Pier I.

All these items popped up when I searched for wood on World Market. Also, you can wrap books in kraft paper to achieve that cardboard color.

I like all your selections, including the chairs. I do think you could use some window treatments to help pull it all together. Use a fabric with a more vivid pattern since you can’t use a rug.

I think it is gorgeous! Books! I think some
Books would really warm the space, add color, and fill some of the shelves. I had lots of big, deep shelves like this in my last house. I found that big pieces instead of a bunch of small pieces looked better. Not on all the shelves, but mixed in. Start really paying attention to Houzz pics with shelves. See how others are doing it. Also, some fun pictures of your family and friends might also make the space feel homey. Really, it is beautiful. Keep playing with it over time. It won’t get “just right” in one afternoon. I lived in my last house with those shelves and was always changing things up.

Totally agree with Jen Butler. It will take time to style your bookcase if you are starting from scratch. At Christmas time it will be fun to decorate. All those shelves are an opportunity to get creative!

Mirror or paint the back of all shelves. Put a large, interesting rug on the floor.

IMO wood accessories would just be too much wood if it was mine I would remove all the shelves and hang art in both recesses but actually i would remove the whole thing and do something completely different than that . The other option would be a nice collection of high end white pottery to bring the white from the kitchen.

I would add lighting. I would then research "shelf styling" to help group and showcase your family photos better. Here are some inspiration shelf groupings to mimic:

Notice the layered photos, plants and books situated differently for depth and interest. I would also add items that mean something to you. I would find those pieces and incorporate them to a great grouping. I would also reframe your current photos with contrasting frames to the unit. I would add some framed art and set them behind some of your dark sculpture pieces that currently are getting lost. I would also add brighter objects. Bring some of the (lovely) white from your kitchen into the shelving unit through books, frames, flower pots, picture matting, artwork, etc.

Hope this helps!

Thank you all for the encouragement and ideas. It has been very helpful!

What about wallpaper or some type of covering on the back side of the bookcases? That would add a pop, and you could tie in with your upholstery or draperies

I think your bulbuilt-in is stunning and your fabric choices are beautiful. I think some white and blue pottery would look nice but I agree with others about taking your time to find pieces you love.

I’m less concerned about the chairs, as I think it’s against the side tables and ottoman that makes the contrast jarring. If no rug due to wheelchair - then wall paint? Not the built ins but the actual wall?