Library: Set the Tone

Jun 21 2010

Onto the Library. In our house, this room is going to border our living room. The main floor is going to be pretty much wide-open. But I’m really excited about this space; it will offer a little cozy corner to escape to when need be. While the rest of the floor will have white walls and be airy, this space is going to have dark wood shelves and charcoal walls.

The sliding doors will likely stay open most of the time, but they’re there if needed. We’re not talking about a big amount of space here, but just enough to house our books, a built in desk and a lounge chair of some sort.

I’ve posted shots of bookshelves before, but here are a few more to get some inspiration going.

Below: Photo care of Roger Davies
RogerDavies_Bookshelf
Below: Architect Peter Eisenman care of Dwell Magazine
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Below: Photo by Mikkel Vang
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Below: Delson or Sherman Architects
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Below: Photo from The Brooklyn Home Company
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Below: Diane Von Furstenberg’s Hampton’s home. Photo from Habitually Chic
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Below: Photo from Sarah Blee
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Below: Design by Magdalena Keck
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Below: Design by Feldman Architects
FeldmanArchitects_Linbrary

Book Envy

Apr 1 2010

I not only have a thing for books, but also the shelves on which they are kept. I practically salivate when I see a well-lined bookshelf.

We’ve decided to build a small library / office in our new home for this very reason. Here are a few looks I admire:
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Above: Photo by Ditte Isager

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Above: Phillip Lim home care of NY Times; Habitually Chic

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Style and Inspiration Blog

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RUM Magazine

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Gregory Phillips Architects

Revamped Classics

Mar 2 2010

My book fetish continues. Look at these incredible covers by Penguin. I spotted these while blindly scrolling through the Fridas Fina blog – and I mean, blindly, because the entire site’s in Swedish.

PenguinClassics

The series was designed by Penguin Designer Coralie Bickford-Smith. They’re inspiring me to revisit some classics!

Tattered Cover

Feb 9 2010

I’m a bit late in getting around to this posting. But, I was just at the checkout at the grocery store and spotted a New Yorker cover mentioning the passing of J.D.Salinger. Just seeing the cover got me thinking. It got me thinking about books and literature and the ipad and the future of publishing. I could go on.

One of the first rugs that I designed was called “books.” Sure, I could have had a more clever title, but really I wanted to pay homage to something that has inspired me since childhood. Books. Lots of books. Bookshelves. I love the idea of carrying around digital literature, but I love printed copies. I love collecting books. I love seeing my shelves expand. My bookshelf would never be complete without a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. Most people would probably say the same. That’s incredible, isn’t it?

It’s amazing that a single piece of literature could affect so many people. I first read Catcher in high school. It didn’t feel like an assignment. I knew from the first line, I’d be into it. I read it again years later and I loved it even more. I don’t remember all of the details that I should at this point, but the cover alone brings back memories and inspires me. It inspires me to read. It inspires me to write. It inspires me to talk about great writing. It’s reminded me that it’s been too many years since I’ve picked up my ratty burgundy copy of one of my favourite books of all time.

I’ve included a few cover samples so that maybe I won’t be alone in digging out my old copy.

CatcherintheRye_4