Decorating & Design
January 30, 2023
These Book-lined Rooms Will Make You Want A Home Library
There’s something magical about rooms filled with stacks of novels or vintage records and found objets. From traditional libraries enveloped by endless volumes to unexpected book-lined spaces (see Brian Gluckstein’s signature ‘library bathroom’ below), here are some of our best libraries from the H&H archives.
Scroll down and get reading!
In this den, the homeowner’s vast collection of art monographs and catalogues turns into an artful moment when color-coded to create the effect of a woven pattern.
In this library-dining room, Jackie Kai Ellis and her husband Joe’s collection of books, records and cookbooks creates a colorful feature wall. “Our clutter creates this sort of beautiful mess,” says the stylist.
If you love reading as much as you fancy a long, bubbly soak, combine them both. Brian Gluckstein’s iconic “library bathroom” has become a signature move for the designer.
You don’t need a designated room to create a library. Here, Brian Gluckstein brought interest to an upstairs hallway by adding panelling, mirrored faux French doors and built-in shelves lined with leather-bound books.
Fashion designer Tu Ly calls this den his man cave. Books provide pops of color on the new custom bookshelves painted slate grey.
“I always think millwork needs to go floor to ceiling,” says James Davie who designed this opulent Toronto townhouse. “This painted-wood library corner creates a separate, smaller space within a larger room.”
When it came to designing his own library, the designer drew inspiration from the grandeur of public libraries in New York. “I designed a pair of bookcases with a half-column treatment and architrave moldings punctuated by studs, details typically found on the cornices of centuries-old buildings,” he says.
In this lakefront cottage, a built-in bookshelf creates a focal point in the entry. Painted soft green, the shelf and its books provide a splash of color.
A sophisticated library-den designed by Colette van den Thillart features floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled with leather-bound volumes and sculpture.
After a long day, this bathing nook complete with built-in bookshelves and sconces is the ultimate library retreat.