All readers will agree that even though there are digital means to read books, nothing compares to reading a physical book. When you open a new book to read, the fragrance instantly hits you, an incredible feeling. Having a book in your hands is a distinguished feeling, and you want to display all your books proudly in your home. Right? The best way to do this is to create a small library in your home. It does not have to be as massive or grand as a university library (if you have the space). But an intimate library with a seating arrangement and abundant light can be perfect. You can create a library in the living room. Or if you have an extra room, you can create the library there.
If you love this idea, here are some tips for creating a mini library at home.
Take inventory
The first step is to take inventory of the books you already have. As a book lover and collector, you might be unaware of your collected books. Doing an inventory first will allow you to consider your needed space. It will also make organization easier, as you will know what books you have and what you will need.
Pick any wall to create a library.
You do not need a new room to create a library. You can just pick a wall large enough to accommodate all your books. A floor-to-ceiling bookcase with multiple books in the living room and bedroom is incredible. The thing to remember is to never choose areas that can harm the books. For instance, choosing an outside wall will only expose the books to extreme temperatures. It can lead to mildew and mold. Similarly, choosing a wall near drinks and food will attract insects and animals. An underutilized wall or other space, like a corner, is ideal.
Have a budget
Whether you get a customized bookshelf or buy it premade, you must decide on the budget. Now that you know how many books and space you have, you can decide on the budget. Nailing down the budget will allow you to look at options that provide the best deals. Apart from shelves and wood, you will also need to factor in the cost of new books. If you decide to extend the library later, leave space for that too, again something to have in your budget.
Get creative with shelving.
For home libraries, you can go with two types of shelving. There is a freestanding shelf and a built-in one. The latter are permanent fixtures that you will affix to the wall itself. The former is placed against the wall. It is temporary, and you can move it as if it is a cabinet or a bookcase. Once you decide which one to go with, you can get creative. There are many options, like corner shelving, floating shelving, and more. Choose your style before you start with the construction.
Lights
You do want a dark and dusty library, but that is a thing of the past. You want a beautiful and illuminated library. So, lights are necessary. If you are going with a separate room for your library, think of pendant lights, a big chandelier, and a lamp near the seats. Look at the pendant lights at Ivory & Deene, as they are perfect for a library. The lights will be there if you are creating a library in your living room or bedroom. But you should think about adding lights inside the bookshelves. If the bookcase is in the corner, it will need light too. Figure this out and create a budget for it too.
Make it colorful
You can make the library colorful by adding paint to the shelves. Or you can paint the entire bookcase. You can even choose a wallpaper that will peek from the shelves.
Seating nook
A comfortable seating nook where you can read a book and sip your coffee is necessary.
For book lovers, their books are their pride. They not only want to read it; they want to display it too. Creating a mini library according to the space in their house will allow them to do so.
