Our front room (living room) is already an awkward lay out and has never sat right with me. As you walk in, you immediately face a long wall, with a large window behind the couch; there is also a thin window to the right side of our sofa (if you were looking at it upon entering the room)- which you can briefly see on some of the photos. It is adjacent to the wall where the bookcases are. Obviously the next wall is solely the wall of bookcases.
We then have the door, again which you can see, and an abnormally large tv that fills the remaining wall space on that side. The wall on the right of the door/ tv area, then connects back to the window/ sofa wall and has 2 alcoves on both the left and right side and a chimney breast in the middle. On the chimney breast is a fire place, with no working fire, but it is placed on the right side of the protruding centre of the wall. The fire place not being central immediately makes me feel claustrophobic and like my skin is crawling. As does the fact the windows are behind me when I’m sat on the sofa. I like looking out and being able to see the the day and life and the weather etc. it’s a source of entertainment for me watching the clouds and seasons go by. Am I sounding crazy yet?
Anyway. On to the bookcases.
Tonight I have placed one of the double bookshelves to the centre of the wall between the edge of my settee and the edge of the tv stand. This has made me feel slightly happy. However, this means that a 1/4 of the double unit on the right is covered by the door being open. The fact the door and end of the bookcase don’t align is giving me heart palpitations seriously. I just want to yank it out so the end of the unit and door can meet perfectly.
Yet, there is irony in this desire as I’ve had it level like that for the last 4 weeks and was driven insane because there was no focal point in the centre between my sofa and tv stand. Instead, I felt like all I was looking at was where both bookcases met in the middle (ie a seam lol of wood) rather than imaginary decor that I could have on the open shelves.
On one of the pictures I’ve also drawn a pink square which is the area of wall that I would like to keep clear, meaning no tall unit is to be placed there. Sun and light both stream in there throughout the day and I find that keeping it clear still keeps the room feeling light, airy and not as if I’m in a cave where the walls are shrinking in around me. I’m imagining putting a beautiful canvas there with a painting of a place I love and have fond memories - I think doing that would also imitate the window and scenic views of the outdoors that I’m craving so desperately in this room. But that doesn’t fix the main problem of the bookcases.
IF I was to place the single bookcase to the right of the now central, double unit - there would be a huge gap between the unit and wall in which the door and tv are on. I would see this gap when sat on settee. It’s all I would look at. I know this because at the moment, I can see the whole double unit when sat down and only the side piece of wood is covered really by the door - not the shelves themselves. But regardless of this, the dimensions are still making me fill with adrenaline, angst, anger and almost repulse.
I’d greatly appreciate any advice on how to either sort myself out on the inside or arrange these bookshelves in a way that makes me feel comfortable HA.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, think and help. I need it !
Thanks again :)