I love to read. It has been one of my favorite hobbies since I was in elementary school. Just to sit down on a comfortable chair or couch and get lost in the pages of a book has always been a joy to me. I don’t live in a luxury home or have the extra space, so having an in-home library has never been an option, but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming. The following are some ways I would construct my own library, and hopefully, these tips can help someone who lives in a luxury home and wants to upgrade their library or build one.
If I had my own library, it would be rectangular shaped with the two longer walls being on the right and left sides as you’re walking into the library, with one being a series of floor-to-ceiling mahogany bookshelves, to which I would attach a rolling ladder in order to reach books that are placed on the higher shelves. If you’re an avid reader, you’ll be amazed at how fast the shelves will fill, so you will probably need all of the shelf room that you can get. I still haven’t bought a bigger bookshelf for my room, so for now, there is just enough space for all of my books to fit, but it certainly won’t stay like that for long; I’ll definitely need a bigger shelf soon. In the past, I’ve taken my books off of the shelf and rearranged them several times to create room. While it can be a fun activity, it’s also frustrating because you know that no matter how many more times you rearrange them to make space, you’ll need some more room, eventually.
The floor and other three walls will be made of oak, providing the library with a rustic feel, and the second of the lengthier walls will have a series of tall windows looking out onto the surrounding landscape. As someone who appreciates custom woodwork, I would hire a professional to carve some of my favorite literary quotes into the wood between the windows. To stand along the two shorter walls, I would include busts of some of my favorite authors, having them evenly spread out across those walls. As for the entrance to the library, it would be a single mahogany door that is carved in such a way to make it look like a huge bookshelf.
When you read, you want to be somewhere that’s quiet. In my home, I mainly like to use the living room, but if anyone else is in there, I usually move to my bedroom. When you have your own library, however, you’ll always have a spot that offers peace and quiet. As far as the furniture goes, you’ll want to make sure it contributes to the coziness. I wouldn’t overcrowd the library with too much furniture, but I would include a decently sized black-leather sofa and an oak coffee-table in front of it.
For the ceiling, I would hire a group of artists to paint some of my favorite scenes in literature, such as the battle at the end of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the final confrontation between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the wild party at Jay Gatsby’s house in “The Great Gatsby,” the meeting between Bilbo Baggins and Smaug the Dragon in “The Hobbit,” Jonathan Harker meeting Dracula on the steps of the latter’s castle in “Dracula,” Mary finding the garden in “The Secret Garden,” and several others. I know this could be difficult, but with the right people, anything is possible.
Reading is one of the most relaxing activities with which to pass the time, and anyone would be lucky to have their own in-home library to go to when in the need of a literary escape. If you own a home and love to read, then you should definitely consider including a library. If it already has one, you can always renovate it to fit your taste. When you have your own library, you might want to stay in there for days. I know I would.
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