How To Decorate this Fireplace Hearth?

This homeowner has done a nice job styling the bookshelves here, but she wants to know what to do with the hearth. That lower part of the fireplace wall is bare and, overall, the wall feels rather top heavy.

Let’s see if some decorating will help!

It’s too bad the bookshelves hang out over the brick, as that accentuates the problem here.

I think we can balance things a bit better with some decor.

Decor Shopping

I’d get some large items like tall vases, basket boxes and maybe some kind of screen, art or wood shutter to lean against the brick there.

Here’s a collection of items I found online that would work.

And here’s how it would look with those items photoshopped on the hearth. I think it fills things in nicely.

I do think that it is reading a little busy though and that is because of the high contrast between the white bookcases and brick and the darker books and decorative items.

If the whole wall was painted more of a greige color, like SW Dovetail, there would be less contrast and the wall would have a more blended in look. I think that divide between the upper bookcases and the brick would fade away even more.

Here’s a quick marker sketch I did to indicate that look.

Quick sketch of fireplace / bookcase wall with styling | Carla Aston, Designer

Here are a few more instances from my jobs, linked below, where we reduced the contrast of a white backdrop in bookcases. It makes a big difference and typically makes a decorated wall of shelving feel more cohesive and less busy!

Have any design or decorating dilemmas you need some help with? My Designed in a Click service might be just right for you.