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Original poster

Ideas for disguising unattractive living room shelves before selling my flat

18 replies

chonkychonky · 29/07/2026 21:50

I need help disguising ugly shelves.

I have really ugly, half plastered space behind some ugly, poorly painted, half MDF exposed wood, different material shelves that are different lengths.

I'm selling my flat and these are in my living room. I have come to the conclusion i need to fill these shelves and I'm on a tight budget. They are very tall as in could fit a giant hamper each but hampers seem quite expensive. Any ideas?

OP posts:
Thecountessoftheclink · 29/07/2026 22:08

do you have a picture?
can you take them down and paint it or wallpaper?

Scampuss · 29/07/2026 22:09

A picture would be useful.

IAmKerplunk · 29/07/2026 22:19

Could you get some wall paper samples and just wallpaper the spaces in between the shelves? If you got a nice busyish pattern you wouldn’t need too much stuff on them? Maybe a mirror, lamp, couple of of photo frames?

MrSchubertWhiskers · 29/07/2026 22:25

Get some a load of second hand books. You might be able to buy a job lot on ebay.

Style in groups interspersed with things like a vases. Put up a couple of framed photos or pictures in front of or between the books. Add a couple of lamps - cheap rechargeable ones are fine.

You can also get peel & stick wallpaper to cover the wall in-between the shelves.

Original poster
chonkychonky · 30/07/2026 12:30

ive had someone come in and quote £1200 to fix which is jsut too expensive. We are rubbish at DIY too. So atm I'm looking at disguising them the shelf brackets are also huge

OP posts:
Besidemyselfwithworry · 30/07/2026 12:33

I’d get rid if the shelves all together and then big brackets
fill any holes in then get some roll ends of wallpaper and do a feature wall and put a mirror up.
you could unscrew the shelves yourself and then fill any holes that’s dead easy and imhave you got any friends who could help with hanging a couple of lengths of wallpaper?

Original poster
chonkychonky · 30/07/2026 12:35

If we did that the poor plastering would show through the wall paper. It really is a horrendous job. They left a random plank of cheap wood sticking out.

OP posts:
Potooooooooes · 30/07/2026 12:43

Spider plants can grow quite wildly with lots of danglers once they start producing babies. Cover up a lot of sins.

A bunch of second hand books is a good idea.

Could you get a little pot of neutral paint and paint all the shelf and shelf edges the same colour. Maybe the same colour as the wall, to help the shelves disappear?

DearlyDiego · 30/07/2026 12:46

I find fairy lights can make most things look pretty.
Some nice books (TK Maxx sell the nicely covered ones), draping plants, real or faux, fairy lights, a photo frame or two, maybe a nice candle... Voilà!

Petrine · 30/07/2026 13:19

Take the shelving down, fill the holes with fine filler and wallpaper or paint the alcoves.

IAmKerplunk · 30/07/2026 13:26

chonkychonky · 30/07/2026 12:35

If we did that the poor plastering would show through the wall paper. It really is a horrendous job. They left a random plank of cheap wood sticking out.

Not if you get patterned wallpaper. Then put up some cheap plants, books etc

Deadringer · 30/07/2026 13:28

If you take them down and wallpaper won't cover the awful plaster work could you put up some light board panelling type stuff, or even a stick on backsplash type tile, you can get them in brick or wood effect.

14IndividualOdourless · 30/07/2026 13:30

ChatGPT is surprisingly helpful with this sort of thing. Upload a photo and it will give you ideas and mock up an image for you.

TheLette · 30/07/2026 13:38

Remove them and skim and paint the wall yourself. I keep seeing videos of people doing DIY skimming. I've not done skimming before but painting and filling is very easy to do. If your skimming isn't great then slap a large picture over the area afterwards or get some large item of secondhand furniture to cover the area.

BoredZelda · 30/07/2026 13:40

TheLette · 30/07/2026 13:38

Remove them and skim and paint the wall yourself. I keep seeing videos of people doing DIY skimming. I've not done skimming before but painting and filling is very easy to do. If your skimming isn't great then slap a large picture over the area afterwards or get some large item of secondhand furniture to cover the area.

If OP is not DIY familiar, skimming plaster isn’t the place to start!

TheLette · 30/07/2026 13:42

BoredZelda · 30/07/2026 13:40

If OP is not DIY familiar, skimming plaster isn’t the place to start!

Show quote history

OP also said she can't afford someone else to do it, so sometimes needs must!

The4teddybears · 30/07/2026 13:43

If the shelves are in an alcove. Can you cut cardboard to size to fit behind and cover it with a patterned wallpaper. Sort of wedge it in place. As a very temporary fix. Then put books , plants and ornaments Im front

Scampuss · 30/07/2026 15:04

chonkychonky · 30/07/2026 12:35

If we did that the poor plastering would show through the wall paper. It really is a horrendous job. They left a random plank of cheap wood sticking out.

Can you add a photo so people aren't just guessing what might help?

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