Rather than putting plants up there, what about finding some interesting sculptural thing(s). I could imagine several of the ubiquitous large alphabet letters, or a long paper-mache dragon, or some big ceramic pieces, or some odd piece of industrial metal, or whatever kind of large object(s) that takes your fancy... It would require dusting occasionally, but nowhere near the amount of care that plants would.

what about a series of antique globes? Or anything large and round? Those old glass fishing floaters are pretty cool. Mix in a terrarium or two (which i still think is a cool idea). Tie everything together by the shape. Maybe you could slowly work on collecting items at the flea market rather than trying to fill it in all at once. It does take a lot longer, but i think the end result is probably more what you're going for.

The other idea i had was to go with the white vases from ikea that you mentioned, but spray paint them a few different colors to compliment your furniture and ceramics. Maybe coral, white, and teal? And if it doesnt work, at least you didn't spend that much (it is ikea, after all).

Putting plants up there is also going to risk getting water drops on that awesome china cabinet. It's really kind of a strange architectural detail that serves no purpose but to aggravate, huh? I like the large letters idea - or anything that would substantially fill it, decorate it, and can then be forgotten (as far as maintenance.) You could even fill it with bricks! If you find a decorative item(s) to fill it with, you might even paint the niche a standout color to play it up.

Ooooh. How about a shark tank? Those are inexpensive and never tacky.

How about filling the space to the brim with books? It's a good storage space and would look nice.

Train set.

I'd go with pottery/baskets up there if you know that watering plants is going to be a pain in the neck. I'd go with an odd number arrangement, maybe 5 or 7 items in a variety of heights to add interest. You can bring some of the red and green that I see in the pictures to repeat some of the colors.

I would put some nice, modern rectangular baskets and use it for storage.

I'd opt for nothing at all, or something long enough for the space but not too angular, more like a long piece of driftwood or some organic objet d' arte. Another option: a long row of the same thing like decorative balls.

I agree metal in interesting shapes if you did want to do pots or vases instead of going to ikea you could look for some unusual ones in various colors and textures at thrift stores

Personally, I would leave it empty & just ignore it . Seriously. It's an awkward space in an awkward place. You don't seem to like that it's there, so why would you WANT to draw attention to it by decorating it? Luckily, it's so shallow and so high that it's easy to ignore. I bet if you leave it empty, most of your guests will never even notice it.

There's no law that says you must decorate that space. So don't.

Nothing.

Just because you "can" do something with a space doesn't always mean you should.

The reality is that anything you do will draw the eye up there and unless there's balance in the room, that might not be a good thing.

Just a thought!

I would go with a skeleton in tattered pirate clothing, festooned with cobwebs, but that's just me.

How about doors? Convert it to closed storage with sliding doors that have a shoji screen look.

I hate those dust catching spaces -- my kitchen cabinets go to the ceiling for that reason. I'd wallboard the alcove into oblivion. But that's me.

Failing that, I agree -- a few lovingly selected large scale decorative items, ideally long and horizontal (for at least one thing) that need minimal maintenance.

either books or close it off with some door and use it for long term storage items, maybe a gun case?

don't leave it empty! i would say baskets, to hide things; books magazines, also i love the idea of oversized letters, maybe the light up sign ones? do you have outlets up there?

you could make a really interesting sculpture out of found objects? a nice piece of drift wood and a unique oversized stone or rock you might find near a creek or ocean front.

blue glass jars? or i love glass insulators.

enjoy have fun wit the space!

If you own the place, you might consider installing unobtrusive doors over the space, on a sliding track. Paint the doors the same color as the rest of the room, so they blend in. Use the space to store seasonal items or unattractive gifts from friends and relatives that you only display when they visit.

def. ignore it. I wouldnt highlight it at all

Could you move the cabinet? I would add some shelves underneath it, of the same length, and make it part of a built-in bookcase.

I say get an entire volume of neat books---or even National Geographics!! National Geographics would bring a nice zing of color but old books would also go with the earthy colors you have in the room now. Spruce it up with a fake plant, and then you don't have to worry about it dying. I wouldn't put anything up there that you have to "maintain"---i.e. fish, living plants, clocks (changing batteries)...you'll end up walking by it and saying "Ugh I need to change that battery.." for months.

I like the shark tank idea.

But I think I like the book case idea better.

That is, if you have another place to put the cabinet (which is really nice).

I'm thinking, book case, storage with ladder.

I second everyone here, books, storage, or long easy to dust decor --- but what about a collection of air plants? Those are about as low maint. as you can get and still be alive.

A mounted eel skeleton would be nice, but barring that, I'd leave it empty. It sort of echoes the opening over the arched doorway perpendicular to it.

Plus, anything you put up there would look better balanced out by more stuff on the wall underneath, and then you'd have a whole other project to deal with.

Nothing

Leave it empty and as soon as you can get a handyman out there, have him close it off with sheetrock and paint.

I don't necessarily have a specific idea for you BUT - what you really need to do is integrate that space with the equally odd space above your archway. That way, you're not filling an awkward niche but filling an awkward L-shaped space three dimensionally. Use it to your advantage and make it a real design feature instead of adding random trendy or designy junk to a useless space.

I would use it to store decorative items that have been handed down in my family mixed in with some books that you rarely read or things you have picked up in travels. Good way to show them off without having to take up space that you need elsewhere.

I agree with bepsf, drywall it in. Doing this will inporve the flow of energy in the room.

Ignore it or close it in. Why would someone build something like that?!

I was not able to tell from you letter, but if you own the space, and don't need the storage, I would close off the space, and have a nice clean wall. It should not be too costly to have someone drywall the space up for you.

Drywall.

Umm - ski storage?
Seriously, I vote for closing it off as well.

I have a couple of ideas for you. I am fond of minimalism, and though you don't seem to have that style going on my first suggestion would be to not add any decoration at all. Instead buy some small lights to sit on the shelf that face the ceiling to highlight the architectural features going on here. It would also look add more dimension to your evening light.

My second suggestion is to paint the back wall of the shelf a different color. This could go from a range of various colors depending on the drama you were looking for. You could do a bold accent color, or a slightly lighter or darker shade of the wall color that already exists. If you went this rout I think it would look great with some simple repetitive decorative pieces. Example: A series of the same colored vase, large, sitting in a row. Or, giant candles of the same shade, and shape sitting in a row. (Love that pale tealish looking color of your cups and plates, could be a good color to think about.)

I think I'd go with Rob's storage box idea, or just store books up there. I don't know if I'd bother trying to fill it in with decorative stuff. I do like the antique globe idea but then you'd have to go out and find the globes, and you may or may not enjoy that.

I think Headzo has a good point about integrating with the archway, too.

silk plants, baskets or vases

I have a similar "shelf" at my house and the boyfriend is constantly vexed by it and wants to fill it with crap. I think it's stupid and choose to ignore it by keeping it empty. I agree with all the "do nothing with it" people and have passed this post onto the BF. Thanks guys!

Paint it to match the red chairs. White accessories would go well, or a couple of giant origami cranes - very easy to make from a piece of craft paper.

Whatever you choose to put up there, it might be kind of cool to continue it on the space atop that arch. A collection of some sort...

I was going to say paint it a fun color. But now I like the sheetrock idea. And you could sheetrock that space above the arch, too.

why not turn it into a lightbox? It's in a place where illumination could really work (height, location, etc). Figure out a way to power lights within the space, then design a covering (i'm thinking shogi door made of colored rice paper). Obviously try to avoid blatent fire hazards. good luck!

disagree about closing it off, though if the china cabinet could be moved and replaced with bookshelves with big openings (like Ikea expedit) it might make more sense. I love the color of the chairs and think it would be cool if you did a mix of some big pottery and other stuff in that color and white, black, neutrals and maybe some baskets or nice storage boxes in that odd space, and mirror it on the shelves below.

closing it off with some doors painted in the wall color and or trim used in the room is another option, but I think you can work it with some effort.

Go big or go home errr... Sometimes a small thing like a tiny picture in a large matted frame makes you "walk in" to take a closer look at *eye level. Small items sitting up so high will look just like the dust collecting clutter they will be.
Paint the cove interior back wall a color that moves you. Try 3-5 like-shaped-found-objects (no dust collecting baskets). Boxes made out of something light (easier for once a year dusting) like balsa wood. Paint the boxes the same color, but different from your interior wall choice and add a large graffic print in tone on tone or high contrast color ie: I dig your bird on a wire print!
Paint the interior back wall of your china hutch the same color as the upper cove wall (tack in fabric if painting it is not cool). Use a table runner($) and/or area rug($$) the same color as the interior cove wall.
Bringing the color from the highest point in the room down to the table/floor you create a dining "room" within your room and solve the cove issue.

Meredith, my first question was---is there an electrical outlet up there? If your budget permits, getting an electrician in to add an outlet would greatly increase your options.

Two ideas: a low-wattage light rope at the back of the space would back-light anything you put up there, and serve as a "night light" for the household. Small stained glass windows (antique or new) and other glass objects would be pretty with back-light.

But utilizing the space with storage baskets is a good idea too (I never have enough room to store Christmas decorations :)

I'm not sure how big your space is, but I know I would be utilizing it for not-often used storage. (My apartment is tiny). Get some decorative baskets, or boxes (something that fits in with your decor) and keep Holiday decorations, and out of season clothing up there, maybe even store your empty luggage there.
Someone mentioned an Asian style Shoji screen. Which would act like a cool architectural detail and let you hide stuff behind it.

I agree with the storage baskets idea, but I think you should get them in (or paint them) the color of the walls, so everything blends and looks coordinated. Put stuff up there you don't use often.

Like a couple of others have mentioned, my first thought was cool, long driftwood. I'm not sure where you live, but we live in OH near Lake Erie and have picked up several large, long pieces for various purposes when we've gone to the beach. Bonus: it's FREE!

I also think the idea of painting inside the nook a different, darker, accent color, as well as maybe a couple of colorful (or neutral, depending on your taste) vases.

Good luck!

i like the globe or driftwood idea. or the storage area w/baskets.

I agree. Sheetrock that space and the space above the arch closed. Once the alcove is closed, you'll be able to put a great piece of art between the couch and the china cabinet.

I like the idea of an eclectic assortment - pottery, vases, baskets, candlesticks. Do you have anything in boxes or storage that you could bring out and place there? I think the greater the diversity of the assortment, the more interesting that space will be.

I think you should integrate that awkward gap into the surface of the wall. Whether you do that by either putting doors of the same color in, or if you fill it with tall books and/or storage baskets is your choice.
Have fun, and post some "after" pictures, please :-)

Empty!

Or drywall it in...

Awkward, schmawkward. It looks to me like a very convenient place to store/display a themed collection: tiki mugs, pottery, books, whatever. You could even rotate the items out whenever you feel like it. Maybe paint the back wall part of your "cubby" a striking color (aqua, or something even darker) and--here's a crazy idea--find some cheap battery-powered LED lights and conceal them at intervals behind your collection so that you can turn them on whenever you're in the mood to enhance your cubby features.

Oh, I LOVE that shelf!!! I wish I had something like that in my home. I have several GIANT stuffed animals (left over from my "I won a giant stuffed whingy at the carnival" days) and you could just shove them up there, NEVER have to dust, and left them hang out. I have a stuffed octopus that is bigger than I am (I'm 5'6, just to give some perspective) and he would look totally at home there. You could even paint a little *water* around him and just make it a quirky conversational piece. and add fishing tackle! and a conch! and a mermaid!!! Jeez, now I might have to knock a small hole in my wall for myself. :)

Lighting is impractical. Even if you put an outlet up there, how do you turn the lights on? Climb up and plug it in? They would never be used. So the other option is to hardwire the lights with a switch and that's not such a small job.

Not a fan of accent walls. Brights *POPS* of color won't look good with the tan color currently on the walls. Really the only accent you could do would be a darker shade of tan. I would not suggest that approach.

A cat would love that space. If you have a cat, I'd install a few "steps" (like the Buddha Cat Wall Perch) to allow the cat to climb up to the shelf. I know my cat would practically live up there. It'd be a fun way to use the space without drawing too much attention to it.

I agree with the sheetrock and close it up team! No matter what you do otherwise, you'll have to dust it. While you're at it close up the space above the arch attached to it. Looks like a nice place. Good luck!

I'm all for adding sliding doors (Painted to blend in) and making it closed storage for the stuff you don't need very often.

A ceiling to baseboard lightweight panel (3/4" styrofoam sheets) upholstered in a great fabric - maybe that Marimekko in the next photo - tacked/velcroed to the wall. Cheaper than drywalling and you can change the fabric if you get bored with it.

I'm not sure there's any way to make a "wow" statement with that space, but as long as it's there, you might as well use it for storage. But I'd use boxes, with lids, not baskets, and I'd make them all the same. A solid color or a subtle pattern in colors similar to the wall, and they'll just be a blip on the radar. Useful, won't draw too much attention to the space, and cheaper than drywall or doors.

If you have serious yen to display something interesting, I'd go with bright bold pottery along the ledge above the arch.

I have a shelf like this in my bedroom, for some reason when they were converting our building into apartments and putting built in closets in, they decided not to make them the same height as the ceiling, but about 2.5 feet lower. Very odd. Luckily for us, it's in a much less obvious position.

I put a set of Ikea cardboard boxes up there and filled them with extra bedding and christmas decorations. It's perfect for that stuff that takes up a lot of room, but you don't need to access very often. I was thinking of recovering the boxes though, perhaps with some nice wallpaper or wrapping paper. Maybe that would work for you? You could even paint boxes/baskets in the same colour as your walls then they might blend in a bit better and make it less of a obvious oddity.

xx

You can't just ignore it. And drywalling over it seems a bit excessive. And cupboard doors would look odd. I'd go with the prior suggestions of books (and a nice library ladder up to them) or spell out the words "Don't look up here" in wood, metal, or bright plastic letters for the space (making fun of the space)!

books.

Since your ceilings our twelve feet high, why not paint white down to the level of the bottom of the shelf all around the room. It will make the space more intimate - then put two or three boxes covered with either wallpaper that coordinates, or painted to match the walls there. This integrates the archway, dosen't draw too much attention to the area and takes care of what I presume is the white smoke detector right next to the space. Also it gives you storage for those infrequently used items. This is less expensive than drywall - presuming you can match the paint exactly - and even if you have leftover paint - depending on how long the paint has been on the walls it may show. otherwise you'll need to paint the entire room.

Thanks so much for your ideas, folks. Worlds better than anything I've come up with. I didn't chime in earlier with my thanks for fear of shutting down the excellent conversation.

To answer your questions:
*No outlet or electricity up there

*We do own the house so sheet rock is a possibility.

*The china cabinet was a steal on Craigslist. I have an entire matching suite (all for $150!) but nowhere else to stash the cabinet.

*I painted the bird. It's actually part of a triptych spanning the wire. Thanks for the kind words. It means a lot to me.

*I'm dying to paint the room gray anyways, so tearing up the wall would be okay.

*I'm allergic to cats. My golden retriever probably would enjoy hanging out up there, but Walter is not especially nubile. :)

I will send in after pics as soon as they exist.

Best,
Meredith

I vote for the simple strip light or rope light along the bottom back edge, and also along the bottom center of that opening over the doorway....so people can't see the light strip. Light glowing from both those areas will look interesting.

Or, get a bunch of clear glass vases, bowls, etc, and spray the insides with Krylon mirror paint, to create your own mercury glass.

Paint the back of it, and the odd cutout over the doorway to the kitchen, a slightly different colour to the rest of the walls.

Or, if you're repainting the main walls anyway, cover the back of it with an interesting (but not too bold) wallpaper.

Don't put anything up there. It's too high to be useful and objects would quickly get covered in dust. Just use paint or wallpaper to make it interesting.

Fill it with books.

But work on the rest of the place first.

Baskets!

Whatever you put up there, try to continue the collection across the archway there on the very right of the picture.

I think you answered your own question there. :-) Skip plants because of the watering factor, I agree. IMHO if you must fill it with something, make it plain. A little texture and some visual interest, but nothing colourful to draw the eye, as you don't want a far corner to be a focal point. Series of wicker boxes is good, especially if it's similar in tone to the paint.

I'm just going to guess that you're asking about the niche specifically, but what you really want is more vibrancy and interest in the whole room. From the small part of the LR I can see, I'd suggest a lovely side table next to the sofa with 3 objects on it, such as a colourful lamp, a handsome clock, and a vase for fresh flowers!

Oh, I forgot to say... I can tell by your cute red chairs you have sweet taste!

Thanks, tam-tbag.

I think you're correct about me wanting to spice it up in the room period. We are slowly working towards that goal as we settle into the new home. I'm going to take your advice re: side table.

Meredith

If you close it off for more storage i'd get sliding doors that cover the opening and paint/walpaper them and frame out the opening so it becomes a large piece of art...and storage!!

A wash of subtle colored light against the wall. Or a long and low sculptural piece (I'm thinking dull black metal of some kind). Or a small assortment of monochromatic ceramic or glass containers. Or lined up covered boxes in graduated sizes. Or .... simply nothing, as if it doesn't exist at all.

I agree w/the substantial, long piece of driftwood. In a lighter than darker tone.

Adding an outlet and illumination of some very discreet source sounds interesting.

Adding bricks even.. I'd love to see how that actually looks.

'missbetty..' has an equally interesting idea.. but the width of the alcove seems too wide for me to wrap my senses around it in this case.

If as a resident, I had the sheetrock added, I would not be able to forget what lay behind the new wall; the knowledge of the closed space would annoy me to no end. But that's just me.

Love the idea of 'ignore it'. But not quite 'do nothing': I would love to see richly-colored carpets (doesn't have to be richly patterned) added to sitting/lounging area in foreground, and perhaps even before the hutch. This has the potential to 1) anchor/ground the furniture and dining (?) areas, respectively, to each area, 2) draw attn down to the actual living areas, breaking the flow of beige which currently runs from floor to ceiling making the alcove scream *hello* in the 1st place, and 3) allow the blank alcove to act a natural complement, a subtle play of light and shadow adding interest, or white noise. Maybe add the driftwood as well, at that point? Not sure. If you are on a budget, estate sales are *still* incredible places to find immaculate large rugs for under $200. - highly reasonable in comparison to a $3-5k new one. Oooh.. then tall, sinewy, glass decanters atop the hutch?.. tallest in the middle? Colored. Or not at all? Hm.. Would love to see which way this goes..

Ooh, just saw your comment, Meredith.. gray sounds good..

Thanks for the backup re: gray, moonbeam. Brought home paint chips yesterday:) And I've been scanning Craigslist like mad for mid-century side tables. Didn't see any storage boxes I loved at Ikea, but I'm going to take my time exploring the alternatives. Still haven't committed on that one. I really like the idea about the rug and the decanters for the hutch!

Thanks!

MEREDITH!!!

Don't give up and close it up!

It's been a month, so you're probably not reading this. I have the same shelf-problem but I have high ceilings.

My list of possible items: candles, candlesticks, books, artwork, urns, cachepots, decorative suitcases, stripped branches, crates with plans, antique cans, antique signs, antique lunchboxes, color crystal vases, or decorative urns.

If you can get varied sizes or any of these items and place them with the largest in the center, it would look nice.