Creating your own library at home

A beautiful home library is enough to give any book lover major envy. We dream of an expansive room that houses floor to ceiling rows of books bound in leather where we can curl up for hours. Where has the home library gone?

Each reader is different, and each likes a certain ambiance during reading time. How do you want to feel in your library?

Today they’re gaining in popularity but have undergone a more modern change. You don’t necessarily need a designated room for a library anymore and can incorporate it wherever you have a cozy nook. From a sunny kitchen window seat to a home office/library combo to a relaxing corner, you can build a home office just about anywhere. Here are ten tips when building one of your own.

While a room with doors is ideal, it’s not necessary. You’ll want to pick a spot in your home that’s not loud or heavily trafficked. One with lots of natural light or at least the capability of being well lit. It can be anywhere in your home, from the bedroom to the office to the dining room and anywhere in between!

This will depend on how many books you have and if you plan on putting them all in your library. Make sure the spot you’ve chosen has the space for them all. If you have a large collection, floor-to-ceiling book shelves will be your best option. Maybe even built-ins if you have the budget. For smaller collections you can use a freestanding bookcase or even modern, floating shelves. Whichever you go with, make sure that you properly secure your shelves to the walls.

Each reader is different, and each likes a certain ambiance during reading time. How do you want to feel in your library? And pick a suitable color to create that environment. If you like the enveloping, rich feeling of old-time libraries, deep reds or luxurious browns may be your style. Or maybe you like bright and cheery genres and want your library to be airy and relaxing in a light blue, hint of yellow or off-white? Creating the space of your dreams starts with the colors.

tem that works for you. Forget the Dewey Decimal system and arrange them by genre, alphabetically or even color! You can place your stack of “to-read” or your favorites at eye level for easy access and your kids’ books lower where they can reach them. We do recommend separating paperbacks from hardcovers and not piling books on top of vertically stacked ones, but other than that, do whatever works for you!