SFGate

ASVInteriors Without seeing the rest of your room and would could be counterbalancing it, it is very hard to say. My first instinct is to say leave it, but let's see with a photo please. Thanks

Angelina Vick I agree. It's hard to talk about a wall without seeing what is happening in the rest of the room.

Dytecture Nice wall.

fancythat Another angle

fancythat And another

RHS - Services Hi, it looks like your ceilings are very high and you do have some beams up there that are terrific architectural pieces, those can been highlighted with paint and maybe the fireplace. Good luck..

janishill The shelf divides the room in half. Take it down and use moulding to finish the top of the painted paneling. Paint the ceiling a deep, dark color to make it appear lower.

I was trying to see what accent color you had in your room, but can't quiet pick up on it. Is it the gray from the picture mats? That would be the perfect color to paint the ceiling

fancythat Right now I have very little accent color everything is 'griege' cream and white my furniture is chocolate brown so grey probably wouldn't work ( the picture mattes need changing!) I think removing the shelf would be a good idea but my husband says it gives character !

janishill Paint the ceiling a high gloss milk chocolate. It will be gorgeous!

That chacter the shelf gives is rather country charm...

Repurpose77 do a pallet wall. Go around and collect pallets (free) and take them apart and install randomly with trim nailer

Barnhart Gallery Now THIS is a ledge that might look cool with a huge collection of empty frames leaning against the wall. I've never said that before, but I don't think I've ever seen the perfect scenario for it.

Or for someone like me with a store room full of art, I'd have it covered in an afternoon.

Angelina Vick I love the empty frames idea. =D

Maybe random pieces of glass ware, stone...a couple of small sculptures behind a few of the empty frames.

I wouldn't take the ledge down, it does add a lot of character.

fancythat I agree about leaving the ledge as my home is part of a community designed by the architect Melanthin in 1952, part of his signature was putting little bird houses on the roof of each home! I would feel bad about messing with the original architectural features

kathleen MK Add color with pottery and art or even quirky flea market finds.