What to do with large ledges in Living Room?

See the dilemma that this reader poses about the deep ledges running across two walls in her living room:

Please help me with knowing what to put on my 2 big ledges in my living room, 
they both have electric outlets, they are facing each other, my wall is I guess 
the new cranberry kind of color. My ledges are big in width and height from the ceiling to 
the ledge, my furniture is gold and I have some celery green also, I just can't 
think of what to go up on the ledges, I also have one in my dining room and it's 
not as big, I have a kind of big plate and a matching vase, so that is pretty 
much done, I've been in my house almost a year and don't know what to do with 
the ledges, please help?

Read our email exchange and my ideas in the comments.

Comments

[Julie]

Are these ledges below windows? Like a window seat or a bow window? Or are they high up on the wall, nearer the ceiling? In either case, how high off the floor are they?

If you can let me know that, it will help me visualize your room and ledges better.

Julie

Thank you so much for responding to my e-mail, the ledges are high up near the
ceiling, they are the walls in my living room, one of them is at least 5t. long
and at least 2 1/5 ft. deep and 2 1/5 from ceiling to ledge, so they're both
about the same. If you can help me I would appreciate it, it is really stressing
me out terribly. I also have a space at the end of my hallway and I don't really
know what to put on that wall either, it's not a really big space, I'm not
able to hire a decorator, I just need help, is there anyway you can e-mail me a
picture of whatever you suggest? Again thank you so much for responding to me.

[Julie]

I'm sorry for taking so long, and I know you're stressed out about this.

Use any type of collections, grouped in uneven numbers. Threes work great. You can use books, candles, vases, antiques, silk flower arrangements, or any other types of collectibles that go with your decor. Just don't over-crowd it. You don't need to fill every inch of the ledge, just enough to create interest. Also, try to get varying heights of the accents you place on the ledge.

And since you have an outlet, consider rope ligthing. You can but it at home improvement stores and it's a half-inch tubular "rope" of lights. Plug in and lay on your ledge so it doesn't show but casts a warm glow around your items. This outlet should be connected to a wall switch so you can easily turn it on and off.

I searched for some good pictures, but unfortunately couldn't find anything just like yours but the same principles apply to your ledge as even a small ledge lower on the wall.

Thanks.

Julie

thanks for your help, believe it or not, several months ago, I put the rope lighting on the ledges that I purchased from Lowe's and I do have a set of candles (3) on one of the ledges and they are 3 different sizes, and months ago I purchase 2 vases from a place call happy hobby but I should've gotten all three, I'm hoping I can go back and maybe find the 3rd one if not I will get something else, but the rope lighting do look good and you can't see it, I do have a switch that turns if on and off, no I don't like clutter, I guess that's what was stressing me out because I thought I had to fill up the entire space on the ledges, now that I know I don't have to fill every ince of the ledge I feel better and I have a sister that have almost every
inch of her house decorated and I was thinking maybe mine is not enough, even though other people were telling me not to clutter, I feel much better after getting your advice, thank you so much for your help.

[Julie]

Glad to help. I'm also happy that you feel better about your own abilities. Good luck.

Julie

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