Any ideas for what I can with this living room wall?

[MotherHeyho]

We have recently moved into a 1930s house. The living room has a multi-fuel burner, which we like, but there is no chimney breast - it is sort of recessed into the wall IYSWIM (the chimney itself runs up the external side of the wall).

So we basically have quite a long wall (15 feet) with just the recessed fireplace in the middle. Have attached a pic - please ignore furniture etc as room is currently just being used as a junk room!

What I would like ideally would be some kind of fitted bookshelves either side of the fire but I can't figure out how that would work without a chimney breast as there are no alcoves for them to go. I think they would look a bit weird.

DH thinks it would be too expensive / complicated to build a fake chimney breast as it would be in front of where the fire actually is.

The previous owners just put a free-standing bookcase on either side but I thought they looked a bit "lost" on a wall of that size. I would like something which fills the space and looks fitted.

Any ideas, anyone?

You could build out cupboards/shelves to the level of the hearth. It wouldn't be protruding to much further than the mantlepiece then.

Thanks! Yes, it might work if the shelves weren't too deep. Have been combing Pinterest and Houzz for ideas but haven't seen many chimney-breast-less fireplaces on there.

Maybe not exactly like this, but some form of cupboards/shelves but just at high level I think would look nice. One each side would help frame the non-chimney.

Oooh I like that! That's really what I need - something on either side which sort of creates the visual effect of a chimney breast.

I think these are the sort of thing you are looking at. I'd change the mantle first off, get something bigger and more of a feature and get rid of the pine one, and then put your shelves in either side.

Loving that first pic in particular! Looks extremely elegant and well-balanced. The gap between the fireplace and the fitted bookcases doesn't look odd and the moulding brings it all together beautifully.

And you're right about scrapping the pine job. Had just thought of painting it white but actually replacing it with something grander and more stylish would make a huge difference...

Thanks everyone for these suggestions!