Giving the Fireplace Nook Some Breathing Room
One thing we learned in our last house was that rooms feel better when you give them room to breathe. That means resisting the urge to fill every corner with furniture, plants, coat racks, baskets and anything else that can crowd a space. After thinking it over, we decided to remove the shelves that used to crowd the corner beside the fireplace. I actually took them down just a few days after moving in and realized I never shared the photos when I wrote my list post, so here they are now.
We plan to add storage ottomans and either build or buy a media cabinet with plenty of storage elsewhere in the room, so we’ll still have plenty of places to stash things without sacrificing the balanced, open feel by keeping those shelves.
Balance is important to us because it helps a space feel inviting and relaxing. A shelf full of baskets, books and knickknacks on one side of the fireplace would have made that small niche feel weighted, while the long, bare section of wall on the opposite side would have looked empty and unbalanced. We didn’t want the wall to feel lopsided, especially in such a small nook. It’s like not trying to force a floor-to-ceiling bookcase into the tiniest corner of a bedroom—you reserve larger, heavier pieces for wider expanses and leave small corners alone. That’s why the shelves had to go.
Of course, different people prefer different looks; some would have loved to keep them. I, however, couldn’t wait to get the screwdriver chisel out and start dismantling:
The wooden shelves lifted out easily, but the supports were stubborn thanks to long nails. Still, I managed to remove them on my own while John took care of Clara. Girl power—yes, I always picture the Spice Girls when I type that.
The walls were a little rough where nails had been sunk in. Fortunately, spackle fixed most of the damage. The previous owners had left behind a lightweight spackle that I decided to try for the first time. We usually use the heavier traditional DAP spackle, so this was a nice change.
The verdict? I loved it. The light spackle is airy and whipped, almost like shaving cream, and it spreads smoothly. It made it easy to skim over nail holes and even the larger damage without much effort. I used a flexible metal putty knife to apply and smooth it; the manufacturer said sanding wasn’t necessary, but I gave it a light pass with high-grit sandpaper once it was dry to make the finish extra smooth. I’m sold—there’s already a tub of this lighter spackle on my shopping list. After a few paint touch-ups, all evidence of those shelves will be gone.
If only we had the original wall paint handy to do those touch-ups. We haven’t found it yet—maybe it’s hiding in the basement—but if not, we can compare white swatches to find a close match. Or better yet, we could finally paint the whole room the soft gray we’ve been considering and refresh the trim with a glossy white.
That little corner may not look like much now, but we’ll share photos of the whole room as we progress with painting, hanging art and adding furniture. That small unobstructed space will be a welcome visual break. Plus it’s the perfect hideout for kids who squeeze their eyes shut and truly believe they’re invisible. Ah, the bliss of childhood—close your eyes, hide in plain sight, and you’re suddenly hidden.
Pssst—We announced our random winner for this week’s giveaway. Click here to see if it’s you.