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Dream Spaces: Your Very Own Home Library
While away the hours in a book-filled sanctuary within your home
I love books. I love the way they smell. I love the tactile pleasure of turning a page. I love the feeling of accomplishment I feel after I have finished reading one and I love to file them away on my ever-crowded bookshelves. I still love the act of loaning a book to a friend even though I rarely get them back. I still actually go to the local library and I can’t go past a second-hand bookshop with out walking in. Yep, I love books and always have.
Not that there is anything wrong with them, but I’m just not into those Kindle-type things and I don’t own an iPad – and if I did I don’t believe I would embrace the digital novel. This is why, one of my lifelong dreams is to have my own library in my very own home. I use Trinity College Library in Dublin as my model, as when I visited that fantastical place I took photos of it like it was a living rock star. As far as I can see, having your own room filled with books you have loved or those that are just waiting to be discovered will always be in style and never out of fashion. I’m sure you will feel the same after seeing these examples…
Not that there is anything wrong with them, but I’m just not into those Kindle-type things and I don’t own an iPad – and if I did I don’t believe I would embrace the digital novel. This is why, one of my lifelong dreams is to have my own library in my very own home. I use Trinity College Library in Dublin as my model, as when I visited that fantastical place I took photos of it like it was a living rock star. As far as I can see, having your own room filled with books you have loved or those that are just waiting to be discovered will always be in style and never out of fashion. I’m sure you will feel the same after seeing these examples…
Home library shelving doesn’t need to be traditional to be inviting. The warm blue shelving of this space is perfectly offset by the tangerine ottomans and bay window cushions.
A window overlooking some greenery outdoors is the perfect way to open up heavy-style traditional shelving. And how inviting does that arm chair look?
An ornate couch can make all the difference. This eclectic library space is all the evidence you need that blues and wooden tones are a match made in heaven.
As with all things, home library spaces come in all shapes and sizes. This book nook is both cute and comfortable.
The warm wood panelling paired with a crackling fire is the perfect way to enjoy a good old-fashioned mystery Agatha Christie style.
Ottomans and a cosy armchair make a this transitional-style home library even more enticing.
Why have a plain wall when you can fill it with books? This Industrial-style New York loft embraces the traditional touch of the written word.
Add a light colour palette to a living room library with soft furnishings. The lemon-lime tones of the couch and cushions pictured here breaks up the wooden library shelving.
Dramatic black shelving gives this home library a modern-gothic edge – perfect for a moody night of Edgar Allan Poe or Bram Stoker, perhaps?
This modern farmhouse library has comfy couches to spare – which means you don’t need share. A comfortable chair or lounge is as essential to any home library as a decent reading light.
When lacking in space, go tall. This eclectic Darlinghurst, Sydney, terrace makes use of its high ceilings and adds a ladder for good measure.
Offset book shelving with a brightly-coloured feature wall. It will breathe some life into your book-centred space.
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See more of this home
Use your levels. Books can find a good home just about anywhere, and double as an aesthetic feature for difficult interior spaces.
Pair bold statements with modern shelving. The contemporary chair and red ladder offer the ideal accent to this home library.
Create your own artistic feature wall with colour coding. I like to categorise my collection by genre – but ordering it by colour can really provide a feast for the eyes.
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MORE
13 Ways to Make Space for All Your Books
Stylish Storage: Show-Stopping Shelving Suggestions
Floating Shelves: 8 Brilliant Ideas for Walls of All Shapes and Sizes