Home library types

 A little bit of theory :)

When people begin to entertain the idea of creating an in-home library it is important to plan ahead depending on the type of a library is actually desired. Library design must suit the function! There are three major types, as far as I can tell.

1. Display library.

If you have an existing collection of rare books and first editions this is probably the type of library you are thinking of. It is a much more difficult task to start a display library if you do not already possess some considerable bibliophile treasures. In many cases, books in a display library are not meant to ever be read or consulted. These books are nothing but investment, and to protect this investment you need to consider adequate security measures, as well as storage facilities with temperature and humidity control. You cannot replace your display library should anything happen to it!

2. Decorative library

If you want to show off books that do not hold any intrinsic value, but are simply beautifully crafted, your task is somewhat less burdensome. No need to worry too much about proper storage and security. Still, try to treat your books as well as you can. But it is important to make the distinction between decorative and display libraries, in my opinion. There are some resources on home library books used in decorating, by the way.

3. Working house library
The most useful kind of home library, in my humble opinion. Usually, people who need to consult books on a regular basis turn their entire living spaces into libraries. As a friend of mine put it, "I live in a giant bookcase."

4. Mixed libraries

You can certainly mix the three main library types. Just be sure to separate the books, using separate bookcases for various types of books. You can also have, for instance, a display library next to the dining room and a working library upstairs etc.

Black bookcases in a home library

See also:

• Home library design pictures: Set #1
• Home library design pictures: Set #2
• House library design: Traditional elements and ideas

Do you want your library room interior to have elegance? Are you striving to achieve dramatic contrast in your space design? Black is the color that modern designers often choose for these specific purposes. The key here is not to overdo (unless your last name is Dracula) and to have plenty of accents and detail-rich features that will ultimately bring your home library to life. The good news is that when you use black as the primary color for your bookcases it will be your books that will easily add color and interest to the room. After all, book spines are an excellent choice for house decor. Modern books can be very bright and colorful. Let's not forget, however, that brown is the color that most commonly seen in traditional libraries of the past. If you have a lot of leather-bound books (antique or modern) you will need to make some decisions about "color management" in your home library. Take a look at the black bookcase below. The books stored in it are primarily brown with some gold on the spines. Now, notice the brown floor vases, bronze horse head book end and the brownish curtain. The rooms comes together, despite the use of the two colors that can sometimes clash: black and brown.




For comparison, I have a black bookcase that by some stroke of genius was filled with black and gray books. All the accents, however, still manage to brighten it up a bit.




Another way to add life to a home library with black furniture is to use something like this Delano bookcase. The side panels are not made out of solid wood pieces which creates an stylish airy look.


Here is another common color solution. This ebony bookcase has a contrasting back panel finish. Since it is unlikely that your books will fill the entire shelf, this color will still be visible, adding warmth and richness to the library room.

Book Tower -- a unique over-sized bookcase for living rooms and home libraries

Over-sized books always present a challenge. At pubic and academic libraries they are stored in special "folio" bookcases, which makes sense -- otherwise you would have to make all book cases large enough to accommodate such volumes, thus significantly limiting the space you have for book storage. In a home library, over-sized books can end up on top of other books, they are often left on desks, coffee-tables -- what have you. Which is a shame, because these are usually superb editions with quality illustrations and great looking spines. This book tower offers a solution to this over-sized books problem.

For centuries codex books (as opposed to scrolls) were typically stored flat, not on the side which is the case today. This was quite practical, because vellum books were heavy and the binding was never strong enough to support them in upright position. Basically, books were treated like wine :) The same principle is used in this book tower. Even very large editions can be placed on the shelves without causing any visual chaos that would have been inevitable when mixing horizontally and vertically arranged volumes. The base of the book tower is very wide and durable -- no reason to fear that the shelves will become unstable. An added benefit is the ability to arrange the books for maximum decorative effect, by choosing the right shelves for books of different sizes. This point is illustrated in the photo above by the arrangement of branches that also helps define your interior space in a similar way. Perfect for a living room, this solution can also find its application in a dedicated home library. So, if you have a wide assortment of over-sized books, try this book tower that combines function and style.

Ladder bookcase & Waterfall bookcase - design, decor and function.

Waterfall bookcase is a great way to break up the monotone look of library walls with a graduated shelves that are reminiscent of cascading waterfalls. On a functional level, waterfall bookcases are a great way to arrange books by size, while making sure that smaller books do not end up lost on uniformly deep shelves. Besides, this helps fight the urge to have more than one row of books on each shelf - a plague of many home libraries!



In modern design, ladder bookcases are most reminiscent of traditional waterfall bookcases so prominent in Regency and Victorian libraries. I would not be surprised if some people used the term waterfall bookcase loosely, thus including ladder bookcases, but the latter (pun intended) also have the effect of preserving the openness of a modern living room, they do not dominate the space and allow the color and detail of their surroundings to remain visually prominent.

New book on using books for home decoration

Books do furnish a room by Leslie Geddes-Brown is the most recent of notable publications that deal with home libraries and decorative use of books. The title seems to imply that the author is defending his position, but there is really nothing to defend here. Books are beautiful, versatile and useful! One particular feature of this book is that it recognizes the value of books in decorating different types of rooms: living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways and even bathrooms.