Everyone has their vision of the perfect home. Some people can find existing homes that fill the bill, while others prefer to make their dreams a reality with a custom home. While the existing home has things like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need, a basement, garage, and all the other basics you’re looking for in a home, what about the ‘nice to have’ list? If you’re a bookworm like me, you dream about the perfect home library. From the ancient and bygone Library of Alexandria to the towering bookcases and rolling ladder of the library in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and everything in between, there’s a perfect library for every person and every home.
Table of Contents
Choose the Space
For those adding a library to an existing home, you’ll need to consider an addition to the home, losing interior space like a bedroom, or using unconventional space like the walls surrounding a staircase. Choosing the space first will help guide your planning. You can’t very well plan for a Beauty and the Beast library if the only space you have to devote to it isn’t much bigger than a walk-in closet only big enough to fit your clothes.
If the library is part of your custom home build with Acipe Design, all you have to do is tell us what you want. Room size, the height of the bookshelves, the crackling fireplace, and any other feature can be planned for from the ground up!
Measure the Space
If you plan on converting space, you need exact measurements. Remember: measure twice, cut once. You want to be as accurate as possible, so you don’t run into issues like bookshelves that are too tall or a breathtaking fireplace and mantle that takes up a whole wall. When designing from the ground up, keep room dimensions in mind when shopping for the items that make your perfect library.
Whether you’re working with an existing space or planning a new one, remember to take into account things like doors (and the space behind alloted for opening the door), windows, and any other permanent or hard-to-move feature.
Choose Your Building Materials
Hardwood floors or plush carpet? Wood blinds or soft curtains for windows? Modern door handles or something more classic looking? Brick walls or painted drywall? Electric, gas, or wood-burning fireplace? These and many others are decisions you have to make when designing your perfect home library. Consider using sustainable and green materials in your build. For some ideas, check out our article on How to Incorporate Sustainable Materials in Your Home.
Ideas for Your Home Library
Now that you’ve considered the ‘shell’ for your library, it’s time to get designing! If you’re stumped for how to fill the interior other than shelves and books, take a look at some of our suggestions. When you sit down for a consult with us, we can talk you through some of them and help you pinpoint what you’re looking for.
Floor-to-Ceiling Shelves
No matter how tall your ceilings are, walking into a library with bookshelves that touch the ceiling and span all the walls is a sight to see! Being surrounded by all your favorite books is often left for public or school libraries. Don’t forget that ladder to help you reach the top!
Library Nooks
This is mostly for working with existing homes, or trying to fill an otherwise empty space. Carve out a ‘nook,’ whether it’s surrounding a window, the space next to the stairs, or another small, seemingly unusable space. Make sure to decorate it with a comfortable spot for lounging while you enjoy your favorite book.
Make a Bigger Space
If you’re worried about the cost of extra square footage or need to work within the confines of a smaller lot, consider making an indoor space larger. Instead of another bedroom or bathroom, add that square footage to your intended library space.
An Office & Library in One
This is especially true if a lot of your books are related to your profession. The home library of an architect or custom home designer is perfect in the office, where they can consult planning and building codes, or the monstrous Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice. Similarly, a writer’s library may include books on editing, characterization, or reference materials for various topics.
Multi-Purpose Spaces
If you’re working with limited space, consider combining multiple spaces into one. The library and its walls of books can be the main feature, while carving out space for crafts, games, studying, and more.
This could also include bringing the library into the bedroom. Adding a wall of bookshelves in the bedroom keeps your favorite novels and other reading material close at hand when you want to relax with a book before bed.
The Hidden Library
You’ve seen movies and TV shows where a character is searching their way through a dark room, only to touch something just right to open a door to a secret passage. What’s found on the other side varies based on the plot, but oftentimes it’s a library or study containing an item pivotal to the plot.
If you want a special hideaway that’s just for you, the staff at Acipe Design can help you design the perfect space, and keep it hidden from view. Such hidden spaces also allow for public spaces to remain usable in other ways.
Final Thoughts
There are so many things to consider when designing and building a home library. The staff at Acipe Design can help you through the process of creating the perfect space for your books and their needs!
Contact us today!