No art above the TV remove the art on the left and be done. As for the stuff in the curios less is more always and IMO no baskets either

Consider mounting the tv to the wall. I think just a few inches above the console will make a huge difference. No art above the tv at all. It is not needed.

I happen to like the art and plant and left side, I would probably to the same to the right, but I would also mount the tv just a few inches above the console. :-) and put nothing on the console.

Something like this might work for the space using picture lights above the art.

The lamps are a distraction. Do you really need them?

Considering our house is very small, in comparison, the living room is the largest room and we need a lot of light at night for our large room (we detest overhead lighting).

As for mounting the TV, We have some gaming accessories hidden by it so if we mount it, that will all get exposed, unfortunately. And they can’t go inside the console due to plugs. We use the interior of the console to hold games and candles, batteries, flashlights, etc.

We don’t have a ton of options considering we have a small space and things need to double duty. Like these curious for photos, books and records and even some of my collected items without them cluttering tops of shelves or dresses, etc.

I will also use these to hold my record player on top as well, I just haven’t put it out yet. I am still working through all of my stuff. I did consider displaying some of my records as art work and maybe that will work with the art lighting suggested above.

If you're going to have lamps on top of those bookcases/curio cabinets those just don't strike me as the right lamps. And having light sources so close to the TV doesn't seem like a good idea. Would a floor lamp to the left of the bookcase on the left work instead? You can also buy tabletop torchieres that throw light up. As long as you get something that you could return if you don't like it, give something else a try.

I thought about some vintage brass mushroom lamps… but can’t return those. 😃😅

The shelving looks cluttered and dark. There is just too much going on. Keep things very simple around the tv. If you want to display photos, place them somewhere that will be a small vignette and not such a busy place that the eye can’t rest.

Kathryn, try moving the lamps to the other side of each cabinet -- i.e. on the outside rather than the inside. I think it might feel less crowded and show off you decor better. Plus the lamp on the right will illuminate that dark corner.

Wall mount the t v and put the lamps on the console.

I’m a mcm eclectic style. Yes, some may not like the ‘clutter’… I’m definitely not a minimalist. I site between that and a maximalist. I collect vintage things so they need somewhere to go and for me to see cause they make me happy. Inside the cabinets won’t change.

I like moving the lamps OUT. I’ll give it a try. I thrift/estate sale and buy off Etsy and eBay mostly for decor so it does take time to decorate. It’s not a run out and buy whatever type of thing if that helps. I also can’t mount the tv. My husbands console and remotes are hidden behind it and I can’t put them inside the cabinet or cords will run out the doors. Since I’m a vintage junkie, the furniture isn’t built with holes in the back and I definitely don’t want to cut any.

I am interested in maybe putting interior lighting in the cabinets? Where can I find those?

I am not understanding the issue regarding the wiring for the television. Why wouid they come out of the doors. Generally the connecting wires come out the back of wherever you keep the cable boxes

I like your second pic. I find your curio items interesting, books, albums, the bird, this seems personal to you. The placement is good, I would not want it too messy as it is by the tv. You have a lovely room, and tree.

Hi all. Thank you for taking the time to give me feedback. I’d like to take the time to say after BeverlyFLADeziner’s comment…

It’s most important to remember that we don’t need to be insulting, condescending, or rude to people. If it doesn’t add value to the conversation, what’s the point in saying it?

We all have different ideas of design and none of us love the same things. Some of us love rustic, eclectic, maximalism, minimalism, vintage, contemporary, a mix. Whatever. Keep in mind, we are all different. What one likes, others won’t, etc. in the end, as long as it makes the person happy, that’s all that matters… it doesn’t make one better than another.

We’ve all had a really tough time through Covid and we just don’t know what anybody on the other side of those remarks have been through.

But I’m here to just give the gentle reminder that we are all still people. Be kind. Love one another and be compassionate. Life is so short. Happy holidays. 😘

Hey! You are not right about BeverlyFLADeziner. She is not rude at all! Never been! She tries to help you. I wish Patricia Colwell Consulting in her usual mood to criticize your décor to see difference.

Either some comments were deleted or somethings gone WACK-O. Soliciting advise is not for the faint of heart and if anyone has spent much time reading through houzz they realize if you ask you will receive and often the comments are outside the scope of the question. One person's short to the point response is another's insult/curt/rude. MOVE ON. This venue leaves much to be interpreted. Best to take what you wanted to hear i.e. what's helpful and move on. Having said that: I read your why but I stand with the opinions the lamps don't work there, the TV needs to be higher, no art work above it. When you have glass doors you invite gazing. What's fine for every day most would tidy up if having guests.

Those of us who love to collect things that have special, personal meaning have to be aware that too much is too much. By editing and focusing on a few items to display, those items become the focus of the display. Otherwise the eyes have no place to rest and really see and enjoy. For instance, one of my mantles has nothing more than one special, meaningful-to-us, very sculptural weathervane. No antique candlesticks, graduation photos, popsicle stick baskets, vanity lamps from my grandma, or mugs from six national parks—but I do have all these things. Too much crammed into two small display cases just looks like a storage cabinet, not a “ this is where my heart lies” piece of importance. Too much around the TV is distracting to the eye and the mind. Larger shelving units would help you spread out the memories most important to you. The lamps are wrong, belonging in a bedroom. Everything is crammed too close to the TV. Nothing can breathe. Museums rotate their collections because after some time, things just fade into the background. As far as people being rude, matter of fact statements are more honest than pandering statements. If you ask me if I like your new pink and green polka dot blouse, are you really just asking me to agree with your choice or would you prefer me to tell you it is not flattering to you? Try removing everything and adding back items of most importance one by one. Find another place for the other important things until you can find bigger bookcases to enable you to spread out the collection. My antique candlesticks are on display on a mantle in my dining room, my grandma’s vanity lamps are in the guest room, the mugs are on a small shelf in my kitchen. My weathervane is the star of the room. Find the star of your memories and let it shine.

Several people have commented about the clutter or reducing the items in the curios or get rid of the baskets. I know a lot of houses on Houzz are massive. I watch a lot of decorator/renovation shows on TV and they are mainly American shows. I find the size of what seems to be considered a normal house in the states is far larger than “normal” houses pretty much everywhere. I’ve seen bathrooms bigger than whole apartments on this site. Anyone here watch House hunters International? If you have you know exactly what I mean. A $500,000 Paris apartment would fit in this lady’s living room. The OP has mentioned that she lives in a small place and the living room is the biggest room. She said she also uses the curios to store things (possibly some of them hidden inside the very baskets people are saying to get rid of, to try to reduce visual clutter) because of space limitations her furniture has to do double duty. That’s smart and something people that are living in small spaces have to do. If she got more storage furniture to put in the living room to put away some of what you are calling her clutter from the curios, in them, you’d then tell her she’s crowding her room with too much furniture. It seems in this case and I’ve seen it several times in these “dilemma” posts that people comment without really reading what the person has written. Oh, and personally I do not think her curios are “cluttered”. They are not jam packed with crap. There is space around items. It may be fuller than some people like, but it’s nowhere near an eyesore. Just my 2 cents. Sorry for rambling