Decorating & Design
November 17, 2016
9 Cozy Libraries To Curl Up In With A Good Book
If you’re in the mood to shut off from the world and curl up with a good book, we’ve found the perfect spots. These cozy libraries invite you to linger, so pull up a chair.
Peacock blue-painted walls create an enveloping, dreamy escape. Designer Theresa Casey added a pop of color with red leather wingback chairs and a richly patterned carpet to contrast to the cool tones of the millwork.
Dramatic black walls get kicked up a notch in this library by Toronto designer Tommy Smythe with a glazed finish. A zebra rug adds an exotic touch while the brass mirror, lush floor-to-ceiling drapes and chandelier infuse the Victorian house’s library with warmth.
Designer Theresa Casey chose a chalky grey paint as the backdrop for the millwork in this library, but separated the book jackets into hues to create a rainbow effect in her client’s library. A navy velvet sofa and armchair are inviting spots to perch.
This library has definite French flair. A floral skirt conceals a storage area and the gilded settee, upholstered in a ticking stripe fabric, draws all the attention. The bookcases are inexpensive Ikea versions mounted on the wall, but it’s the accessories and framed artwork that give this room a rich, heritage look.
No one can blame Sugar the pooch for staking out the prime territory in front of the fire. Sticking to a monochromatic palette makes this library feel larger, according to designer Meredith Heron. The blue-grey millwork is sprayed with a lacquer so it seems to recede, and smart brass picture lamps glimmer like jewelry in the room.
In this gorgeous NYC loft in the meatpacking district, artist Michelle Oka Doner’s library is a dark retreat that’s in sharp contrast to the loft’s primarily white palette. Tall shelving that stretches up to the ceiling maxes out storage and the bookcases’ black finish makes this area feel more intimate.
A blue lacquered wall and atmospheric ceiling fresco are just two of the rich details that gave designer Colette van den Thillart’s library in her former London home personality. Gold shell-shaped lights shine on book spines for easy searching.
The library in the Knowlton, Quebec, weekend retreat of designer Scott Yetman and his partner, Jean Michel Lavoie, is dubbed “the winter room.” The Ralph Lauren-inspired room with cozy charcoal walls, rows of books and plush furniture — including a sofa Yetman designed himself — is the ideal place to spend a snowy afternoon.
A lighthearted lemon-yellow velvet sofa pops against the black bookshelves behind it. Floor-to-ceiling shelving provides enough space for books, objects and mementos.