Paint it the color of the room & it won't be awkward any more. In fact, it will probably provide a good foundation around which you can structure the rest of the room. Just add touches of color to taste & you'll be good to go.

I think it is going to be hard to give useful suggestions without an idea of the floor plan...

One idea would be to have the desk part on the other side of the bookshelf - although might look a little reception desk like... It might help carve out a work area however. But it is hard to tell without seeing where the other doors, etc, are...

It does seem like it would work a lot better color-wise if the desk/bookshelf combo were white, but I am not sure if you want to go through the trouble of painting it white, or selling it and buying a new white one from Ikea?

It is a little hard to see exactly what is going on in the photo but my first thought was... to flip the desk to the other side of the shelves so it was more in the middle of the space...with a desk chair that looks like a living room chair behind it under the window. Maybe two comfy chairs and a small table in between all set to the left side of the photo. It seems like it would be nice to balance the largeness of the shelves. A large rug underneath with coordinated accessories to bring it all together would be nice too.

A floor plan would help. But maybe you should get the bookshelf off against the wall and use it to divide and define your work area. Think of it as a room divider. Change out the white storage boxes to add a pop of color and paint those walls.

What if you turned the bookshelf/desk so it was perpendicular to the window? Then you could put a sofa or something up against the bookcase part and use it as a room divider of sorts. Without a better idea of the size of the room and where the doorways are, I'm having trouble with brilliant ideas though....

Again, very hard to tell without a floor plan, but I agree that it would probably look better if the shelving unit was reversed so that the bookshelf worked like a room divider, in line with the doorway. Maybe put in a big rug and a low ottoman in front of the so that you have a place to sit and take off your shoes, and then it would be a little clearer what the purpose of the room is.

Or take the desk off the bookshelf and put a comfortable chair and a reading lamp in that corner instead, maybe with a little laptop sized table or an end table. Could the desk go on the wall over the radiator?

agree with JG about flipping the desk and making a little office alcove

I was thinking: take the desk in that orientation and slide it all the way to where those built-ins start. Let the shelf separate the room into an office in the foreground of the picture, and I agree, a little sitting area under the window.

You could also swing it around so the bookcase is in line with the closet door and the desk sits perpendicular to the window in the "nook" created by the bookcase. Use part of the bookcase for landing strip essentials. Then put a sitting area in the foreground of the pictured space under the built-ins with a nice area rug to delineate the sitting area from the office space.

Yes I first thing I see is flipping the shelving unit so it becomes a screen for the entry and have the desk facing the wall. I would the desk and shelves white and have pretty glass color color objects, some art books make it look like a gallery display and just use the lower cubbies for bins but make them all the same color. Then use the wall for art.

Is getting rid of the desk/bookshelf combo an option? Or taking off the desk part at least? I would scrap that, get a small table card table and chair to use as a desk instead, and put out several chairs to give the space a purpose. What about using the room as a library? Line it with books, and put out several comfortable chairs and a small table. Tie it together with a rug, and you've got a cozy spot to sit, work, and relax.

I agree about flipping the unit so the desk is against the wall rather than the bookshelf. I wouldn't bother going to the trouble of painting it. Instead, use it and the white walls to build a black-and-white color scheme. All you need is a graphic rug, black roman shades, and a desk chair in a bright color (yellow would be nice).

Not sure about the rest of the space since there's no floor plan, but you could add shelves to whatever walls are there to add more storage space and turn the whole area into a small library. A comfy reading chair, a few plants and some art would also probably make a big difference.

Finally, add hooks on the walls near the door for jackets, hats, keys, etc. and door mat to define the entry area.

Don't know what the traffic pattern is for the rest of the room. But based on what's in the picture, what about rotating the unit 90 degrees so that the bookshelf is parallel to the radiator, and the desk is against the wall? Then paint the unit a fun color (orange, teal blue, green...) so it acts as a divider and focal point. The space to the right of the shelving (if facing the door) would then be more of a foyer - if there's a wall opposite, perhaps some hooks for coats, etc., and a runner to shore up the hallway feel.

Office area: Maybe put a mirror on the wall up above the desk, to be a trompe l'oeil window, and so that you don't feel like someone's going to sneak up on you. :)

To the left of the unit, perhaps a chair or two and a rug to create a little conversational space/reading nook, if there's enough space.

Would love to see more pictures of the "awkward" room!

I agree about changing the position of the bookcase. And I'd use a bold graphic wall paper in black & white on the wall where the desk is now; white boxes/baskets on the black bookcase and black ones on the white bookshelves. And finally, I'd add some nice color pops.

I agree with Livc. The desk is not a plus. Without it you could create the space you want. Sometimes it just makes sense to dump the problem. And paint the bookshelves. You seem to have a nice large window that, unless the view is hideous, I would take advantage of with a nice reading chair and ottoman. And perhaps a sofa table in front of the radiator. Without seeing the room it's hard to know, but can the bookshelves be placed on another wall? With the window and the built in shelves that wall looks ready made for an almost cozy seating area.

it seems out of place to me (the bookshelf/desk), but I can't say that it's just the piece. It seems like it or the room just need better placement or tweaking. Don't get rid of it if it's functional- figure out how to use it. I'd try painting or moving it around before you seriously start thinking of getting rid of it.

Here's a thought: what about painting the bookcase/desk a soft, warm heathery gray? Or even a warm caramel, or a bright color (it all depends on your personal style). That way, you wouldn't be stuck in a completely white room. I think since it is such a large, squarish piece, the all-white style may start to look institutional.

i'm with the camp that's leaning toward selling furniture you have now. it might be a pain, but i think you can probably get replacements for about what you would make that would work better for you in this space.

i'd install a ledge above the radiator to ask as a desk. then in the corner a comfy chair, smallish rug and a reading lamp would be really cozy. on the wall you could either hang some artwork or add floating shelving if you miss the functionality of the bookcase you'd be losing.

Kinda hard to give worthy advice without a floorplan or a set of needs....
...but one thing's for sure: that big black monstrosity doesn't belong here.

You could make this a large entry room, warm it up with a bit of color on the walls. I'd get rid of the desk unit. Since the room is big, place a large round wooden table in the middle of the floor, and if it's a plain table, draped with a large tablecloth that flows on the floor, topped with things you love (photos, curios, etc.), paint the back of the bookcases to add another spot of color, place a few large plants near the window(s), a couple of sconces, curtains on the windows, and voila, wonderful large first room. You may even have room for a reading corner near that window, with a small side table and upholstered comfy chair. Have fun.

The Expedit unit seems out of place with the house. Plus, you don't seem to need such a large storage unit. I'd sell it on craigslist and replace it with something more suited to the space. You could do a desk or table placed perpedicular to the window wall and then some shelves on the adjacent wall for storage. Again, stuff you could find pretty easily on craigslist.

I was going to suggest the same thing as veni--a round table. I saw something similar in Domino once. It could function as a desk when needed, a dining table, an entry catch all, etc.
You could keep the shelf and sell/move the desk, and make the built-in shelves more display than storage (and disguise the storage that is there).

Sell the bookshelf/desk combo. Used Expedit furniture that's still in good condition is in pretty high demand on Craigslist, and you can put that money into a different Ikea/Craigslist/yard sale piece that's more a more appropriate shape and color.

WOW! Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. I agree, that perhaps selling the IKEA unit is best rather than trying to fit it into this room.

Here are a few more photos of the room from my blog: http://allthetinypieces.blogspot.com/2009/12/room-with-problem.html

I will try to draw out a floor plan!
xx
d

Oh wow, after seeing those other pictures of it, I am even more convinced that you can make this into a great little library/work space/reading nook. That room looks fairly sizable to me. Certainly a good place for a couple chairs and a table/desk.

If you do end up getting rid of the bookshelf/desk, and want to add an occasional workspace, I have a suggestion about something that worked perfectly for my apartment. My boyfriend needed a desk, but we didn't have room for a real one. We ended up finding a little antique table with two drop down leaves. We put down the fist leaf and put the flat side against the wall. The second leaf is usually down, but when he needs to work at the table/desk, he just pulls it up. We keep a chair next to the desk, and he can just open the leaf, and voila, a desk that takes up almost no room. This may not be what you end up doing, but I guess it just goes to show that you shouldn't be afraid to use tables as desks? I thought it might be helpful. :)

I also love the idea of putting a round table in the room. Definitely utilize the built in shelving, that is a great feature. I still love the idea of making this a beautiful little mini-library. I am picturing an oriental rug and some cozy armchairs... with white walls, I love the idea of adding in color through a beautiful rug for a very British colonial type feel... But that is just me, I have no idea what your style is. Sorry, I am getting carried away... :)

Looking at the new photos, I would say, rotate the piece 90 degrees clockwise, so the shelves a re a room divider, like others have suggested. Then you'll have a bit of shielding from the rest of the room while at your desk, and still have a side view out the window.

But yes, prob better in a less contrasty color to the rest of the room... (unless you are planning to paint the room- the other way to go I suppose!).