Balance Part 2: Shelf? No Shelf?

Since putting up the frames up on our wall in the bedroom, I’ve been toying with the idea of adding a floating shelf above the pictures on the wall. We have one stored in the basement, it’s a dark brown color. This is a (poorly) photoshopped mockup of what it would look like:

I really like the idea of adding extra usable space (Pretty things! Books! Storage boxes!), but I’m worried that it would look too crowded and heavy. I think I tend to try to cram too much stuff into a space, which is especially problematic in a small home. On a scale from minimalist to hoarder, my natural tendencies would land me into the easily-cluttered spectrum. With endless funds I’d be much more likely to turn my house into the crowded housewares section of Anthropologie (where one wrong turn with my giant mom bag could destroy an entire table of pretty dishes wedged into a corner) than Design Within Reach.

I could also paint the shelf white, but I’m not sure if that would clash with future furniture. My long term plan for this wall includes new dressers, and I’m not sure if they will be stained or painted. We can always put it up for now and then move it or paint it later... but I’m still not sure. Here’s how it would look white:

I can’t decide if it’s a good idea or not. Mike wants me to be sure before I start putting big holes in the walls. So for now I’m shelving my shelf idea to think about it a little longer.

Thoughts? Opinions?