As an avid reader, I’ve often dreamed of my ideal home library. This is what my dream looks like.
Imagine, a tower that is four stories high, connected to your house. The first and fourth story have a floor, the rest don’t; as a result, the first through third stories appear to be one tall room in the tower. Lining the walls of these first three stories are books, arranged first by genre, and then by author. The shelves are made of a warm wood and are stuffed with books.
The second and third floor have a walkway about two to three feet wide, with a railing, so you can look down at the other floors. A staircase along the wall leads to these walkways.
On the ground floor is a desk with a computer where the books are catalogued, to make finding books easier. Also on the ground floor are a few armchairs for casual browsing.
On the fourth floor, there aren’t books; instead, the walls are made entirely of windows, with large curtains that can be drawn over them if needed. Of course, the view must be fantastic. On this floor are couches and more armchairs, with a few coffee tables here and there. This is the reading room of the home library.
I would love to hear about your ideal home library in the comments below. The sky is the limit!
And here are a few photos of cool libraries to give you additional inspiration.
Happy reading!
Loved your idea for a home library! Brought back so many memories for me. Our front room had a huge floor to ceiling bookcase (14'H x 16'W) with a rolling ladder stuffed with all sorts of books.
Hi Catia,
I graduated from Brigham Young University, too, in 1971. My major was Journalism with minors in Sociology and Psychology and Geology. Though I started out writing ad copy and building advertising, I reported for newspapers, spent years in public relations and marketing, planning, and hospital administration. It’s amazing how one thing leads to another. I love your library dream. Mine would fit closely with yours. For years I had walls and walls of books by genre and in alphabetical order by author. My vast music library followed suit, too. But we were hit by a Hurricane Harvey in South Texas two years ago. So I lost about 80% of my books and 99.9% of my music. I still grieve their loss, but live goes on....
As a young single mother and career woman, I still was an avid reader. I read a minimum of three to five books a week. In order to discipline myself, I would read in order a business book, a personal growth or spiritual/church book, and then a novel, and so on...
My children also became avid readers. My girls almost always mimicked me with books in their purses wherever they went.
If I were 35 again, I’d once more collect again be collecting a robust and varied library. And, I’d be like you dreaming of that ideal library in my next newly built home.
It was great visiting with you. I hope to do so again. ~ Chris Harvey
I like Professor Higgins library in the film "My Fair Lady." We visited the Library of Congress this summer and I could probably live there.
Dear Catia,
I too am a very avid reader and would love to have a library of my own. I consider myself a person of good imagination, but I was unable to top your library, and found that our visions absolutely match. If only we could have our own personal libraries or reading rooms just through imagination! Happy reading.
Jennifer C
Cool post!
I'd actually prefer few windows because of the glare and the potential distraction of what I could see going on outside. I'd definitely want a couple of comfy recliner chairs, a large desk to type of reviews at and a good sound system for listening to background, instrumental music while I read.
I'd also have to have lots of shelves so that I could display my books that have cool covers face out. I like to be able to pet the textured covers as well as see the cover art.
There is a beautiful library in South Korea. I have not seen it but my daughter lives there and has shown me pictures.
AMAZING!!!!
Your library sounds prefect. I would be be very happy there.