Home libraries are places in which to escape, to become lost in the pages of adventure, romance, deep study or self-reflection. Whilst screens have their place in our modern lives, there’s nothing quite like cracking open a new paperback or revisiting an old favourite. The relaxation of flipping through those familiar smelling pages is a completely different form of reading than being bombarded with blue light. These special moments deserve a special place, so we’ve gathered together 51 home library designs that will have you lost in a love of books for hours – take a pot of tea and a pack of biscuits to keep you going!
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Laid-back for lounging, this cosy, wood encased home library design cocoons a comfortable LC4
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Climb the stairway to book heaven with a stairwell home library. This one provides colour and character to an open plan living room. See more
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Moving on up. A raised platform floor elevates this unique home library toward a spectacularly huge round window, which bathes the reading area in natural light. Bookshelves stack at the back of the raised floor, whilst drawers utilise the void underneath.
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Serene and green. This
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Speaking of human imagination, this inspiring
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Struggling to find enough wall space for a full home library installation? Fear not, bespoke bookshelves can be shaped to fit around any corner, nook or cranny. This set surrounds the edges of a partition between a lounge and kitchen, rounds the corner into a short hallway, and fills out the TV wall to boot.
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Make the most of high ceilings. Why stop short when you can max out a generous wall height? Either take the shelves all the way to the top for extra storage, or simply extend the casing for a sleek aesthetic like this light-filled library.
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Set the mood inside your home library with atmospheric lighting. This low hanging pendant is a Nebula by Flos.
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Pull in some pattern. Sure, it’s nice to look at the rise and fall of colourful book spines across the stacks, but a hero furniture piece almost has a gravitational pull in making you want to sit for a while. This Eames lounge chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller is pretty irresistible.
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Light, bright and filled with brilliance, this wonderful glass wall study features academic book stacks all the way up into the sloping roof line
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Layer upon layer of book lover’s paradise, this multilevel library is accessed by librarian ladder, a spiral staircase and a wraparound mezzanine.
Visualizer: An Nam Thiết Kế, DClaw 12, Ngoc Do & Nguyễn Thành
Frame a spectacular library view with a built-in bench along the window sill line and custom-fit bookcases up and over the remaining reveal.
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Take a slice of living space as a home library by installing a small partition wall. A half-height partition maintains the wider spatial flow and allows light share.
Juxtapose straight edged bookshelves within a curvaceous outline. You can do this as a free standing silhouette, or under an undulating ceiling. This curvaceous example is complemented by a round table and an oversized
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Got the bookshelves but lacking style? Colour ordering your book collection could be the answer to your dreary days. Add some colourful
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Carve out a corner. Even the smallest niche can be fashioned into a beautiful reading nook.
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This sunny
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Calming blue colour palettes feel dreamy. White bookstacks fall back for a clean aesthetic.
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We discover our love of books as children, so why not dip back into those days with a playful scheme? Choose novelty bookcases, paint colourful walls, and dangle your legs from a
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The stuff book lover’s dreams are made of. A dust hater’s nightmare.
Architect: Oostkaai & Studio Ambacht
Modern and minimalist, a floating chaise and floating bookshelves make a simple and refreshing reading space. Industrial elements add dark, textural interest.
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Take it to the treetops with an attic reading room. A
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Glass doors allow your library to be a feature of your main living space whilst buffering unwanted noise.
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In reality, many of us don’t find time to pick up a book until we hit the sheets, so the bedroom is a perfectly practical place to locate your library. See more inspiration for
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If your library is as much about study as it is about relaxation, be sure to fashion a desk in amongst the stacks to make cross referencing more comfortable and efficient.
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Home libraries bring extreme warmth to double height room voids. Choose oak for a golden warmth, or let your colourful collection of book covers do all the talking.
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Rotating bookcases can open up, or seal off, a home library in an instant. See more of this
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Glass balustrades leave stairwell bookcases uninterrupted and viewable in all their glory.
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Make use of that dead space under the stairs with an L-shaped bookcase, a cosy armchair and a good lamp.
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You don’t need to install an expensive mezzanine to fashion an extra floor under high ceilings, a simple hammock floor/loft net provides an ideal spot for stretching out with a good book. A librarian ladder will give you a boost up there.
Photographer: Ricardo Labougle
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Classic meets contemporary in this handsome home library, where modern
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Create medieval castle vibes with a secret door in the bookcase.
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Use classic columns to bolster a magnificent mezzanine. A modern lounge area with a contemporary sofa will bring the scheme into the modern realm.
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A built-in bookcase can help make sense of small room openings and unusual layouts.
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Mix, match and be modular. Adjoin flat-pack bookcases with an overhead shelf and sectional seats to create a cost effective window reading nook.
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Clerestory windows will let a good amount of light into your library without the glare.
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Even a tiny home can squeeze in a dedicated book nook.
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Alcoves and niches provide opportunity for building a streamlined library. Frame out the recess with wide decorative moulding to create a high-end custom-made look. Position a pair of beautiful lounge chairs and a stylish
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Where wall space is lacking, look to the floor. This bench seat design adds not one but two tiers of bookshelves to a compact window nook. The higher bookshelf is set back from the lower to create a comfortable step up to the elevated bench.
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Black bookcases build dark drama behind colourful tomes. A gallery of monochrome prints accentuate the shadowy decor.
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In this dark library design, a centre section of decorative items is isolated under bright LED light.
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Industrial style surroundings create cool contrast against the warmth of wooden bookcases and clustered literary works.
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Spotlight a reading nook built in among the bookshelves with a blast of bright, unorthodox colour under a glossy finish and recessed spotlights.
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Feel like you’re reading under swaying tree branches with a home library that has its own
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Hundreds of books, a toasty fireplace, a comfortable lounge chair and the company of Mother Nature? Yes, please.
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Further increase wall space within a large home library by arranging bookcases into a room divider. In this
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Japanese styling and Shoji doors will bring a calming sense of zen to your home library.
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Curve bookcases around a courtyard. See more of this
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Fully-fitted furniture will give your home library a special, individual aesthetic that feels cosily tailor-made to you. Seating and stacks should flow as one seamless piece, like this serene and silky smooth wood grain volume.
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Crisp white bookshelves boost the colourful nature of a home library. Employ bright spotlights to amplify the brilliant effect.
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Book lover on a budget? OSB chipboard offers a remarkably cheap option for creating custom furniture, like this fused bedroom and study area with a small storage staircase, and a mini library set into the desk.
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