One of the first designers I discovered who agreed with my 'design from the heart' philosophy was Suzy Chiazzari. When I first read her book 'The Healing Home' it was like I'd found a sister all the way on the other side of the world.
She 'got it'.
She knew exactly how I felt.
In 'The Healing Home' there's a section with some questions related to stress..... and how to discover if you're under too much and need to take some responsible action.
One of her questions is this....
'Are you unable to concentrate on anything and dislike reading?'
She goes on to say...
'This may seem like a strange question at first glance but books add a special dimension to a home. Collated within their pages are the experiences, thoughts and ideas of a great number of people, both living and dead.
Books contain unifying and bonding vibrations.
In fact, a home without books remains a very cold and uninviting place.
Colorful books and magazines contribute to the overall feeling in a room and book displays, in particular, create a very nourishing and friendly environment.' (My 'bolding' throughout).
One way to help diffuse stress then, is to include more books in your home.
Display them where you can see them. Put them where you can touch them. Make it easy to pick up a favourite magazine or book and settle into a cosy chair for a relaxing browse.
Do you agree?
I certainly could not, in my wildest dreams, imagine my home without books.
I'm hooked on them!
I have them in bookcases, open on recipe stands, standing up on top of my bookshelves, as part of a montage facing out within the bookshelves so I can see their stunning covers, and stacked on bedside tables. I have a pile of interior design mags stacked on occasional tables on either side of the sofa, and they get thumbed through often!
I find the colours and designs on the covers a simple and very exciting way to bring 'art' into my home.
And of course, I just love the cocooning, nurturing feel they add to the atmosphere.
In celebration of books, here's a collection of home libraries and their various displays...... I wish mine was as big as some of these!
Have to say I'm not only loving the bookcase here,
but the gorgeous red studded door as well!
This used to be a coat closet!
I like this much better.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Bookcase heaven for me.
(Tall ladder required though!)
How to make the most of corner space?
... A curved bookcase!
Built ins in the bedroom - bliss!
These shelves are in a walk through area - no wasted space!
Any place will do!
A quiet corner.
Built in window seats to cosy up on!
Nice rustic feel
The books add splashes of colour!
Very organised.
Love the red!
My all time biggest bookcase wish!
Built ins around a door way!
Colour coded books!
Unusual angles.
This alcove is off a bedroom...
You can close the doors for extra seclusion!
Beautiful.
Warm, cocooning, nurturing.
Pools of lamplight. Sigh.
More curves to use up every bit of space!
The way the shelves frame that amazing window
(hope there's a matching set on the other side)
is simply beautiful.
Now I'm really gobsmacked!
Just what I've always wanted - a secret door!
You can just see the powder room behind it.
Here's one of my favourite quotes...
'All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been:
it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.
~Thomas Carlyle~
Which leads to: Where do you have them? How are they displayed? How could you use them to contribute more to good vibrations within your home?
Because: If Suzy's right (and I think I, at least, agree with her), your house isn't a 'home' without books!
What do you think?....
It's Hooked On Houses weekly blog party today. Thanks Julia for the fun! Visit the party to see and read lots more great posts about what people are 'hooked on'!
Cheers,
Linda.
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What a great post! When I was a child, I lived in a contemporary style house that had a living room with 20 foot plus ceilings. To the left and right of the fireplace were floor to ceiling bookcases with ladders! I think that gives you an indication for the importance of books in my family!
ReplyDeleteWe have quite a few books at home, and one of the selling points of my home was the built in book cases in the bedroom. We also have three bookcases full of books for the kids, and an attic with at least 10 boxes of books that we do not have the room for. In my next house, I will certainly have a library!
Great post, with so many pictures I had never seen before.
Hi, I found you via Julia's Hooked on Fridays and I love this post. I agree, a home without books is less homey. I love books, a little too much, I have two big book cases stuffed full and stacks of them everywhere, even on the floor in the corner (on top of a pile of magazines). I'm hoping to have a bookcase built in in my little office - right to the ceiling and over the powder room door. I'll have to bookmark this post for inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine a house without books, magazine and newspapers. When I meet a person who says they don't like to read I am astounded! I think every house should have books and plants.
ReplyDeleteI love your post, and we are major book lovers around here. When we moved to a smaller house we had to keep going through our books and pick our favorites. We still have to cut back more before they will really fit.
ReplyDeleteI've visited Australia, and you live in a magnificiant country!!!
Kim
Super post. But books in the fireplace is too Fahrenheit 451 for me but it make me think of Julie Christie.
ReplyDeleteOkay, maybe not in the fireplace....you are a girl after my own heart. Book love everywhere. We are a family of readers...you saw my kitchen. Our upstairs landing area and hallway are covered in bookshelves. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by everyone and glad you enjoyed the books and bookcases! :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree Terry and Susan - the fireplace idea is not for me as I wouldn't be able to see any lovely covers and it looks a bit like stuffing them in haphazardly without the care and respect they deserve! I love a hallway with books Susan - you get to brush past them, run your fingers over them and browse every day!
Kim - I love Australia - glad you liked it when you were here! I have the same book problem as you..... too many!
Porch Days - I'm working on the plants at my place! I agree a home should have some plants/nature inside, but I tend to kill them off.
I just lost an inside palm I'd had for 4 years and I don't know why.
I have some succulents in brightly coloured little pots on the window ledge now..... hard to kill those lovelies!
Things That Inspire - your childhood home sounds like something out of my dreams!
Robin I hope you get your bookcase to the ceiling and over the door - that would be awesome!
My favorite is the fourth picture down in your list. Books really do make a space cozy, don't they?
ReplyDeleteHey Todd. :) Mine too! That's a serious bookcase in that pic.
ReplyDeleteI really stopped and drooled when I found that one.
Now if I could just have a house big enough to have them built like that, and around a doorway I'd be in heaven!
I'd never even thought of building them above a window until I saw that pic! I'd always wanted one around a door, but I have extra aspirations now!
Linda. :)
I too love books, and have them throughout our home. I have taken to getting most of them from the library, because I read them so quickly that I would be majorly in debt if I bought them all!
ReplyDeleteWhen I remodel my soon to be craft/art/inspiration room, I plan on having a reading corner!
Love bookshelves! The hallways are my fav, not so such about the fireplace. Might be sending the wrong message. And how in the world can Santa get down with all those books in his way!
ReplyDeletexo,
cristin
Linda,
ReplyDeleteI’m a book lover also and could not imagine my life without them. These are great photos you gathered, lots of ideas here. I agree with the others that I’m not crazy about the fireplace filled with books, but it definitely is a conversation piece.
Have a good weekend, down under.
Cathy
Gorgeous pictures, so inspiring and also comforting. Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny, Cristin, and Cathy!! Thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Jenny, there's so many books I want and not enough money to buy them or space to put them!
Agree Cristin. The last thing I'd want to think about is my books on fire! Yikes!
You have a good weekend too Cathy! :)
Linda. x
Hi Kelly! Nice to 'meet' you! Thanks for visiting.
ReplyDeleteLind. :)
I love all the built-ins. I dream of having a room to use just for a library. I used to have thousands of books, but unfortunately a combination of space restrictions and a book-destroying child have forced me to pare way down. Thank goodness for ebooks.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a whole separate room for a library - that would be amazing.
It's a shame when we have space restrictions (me too).... but kids grow out of the book destroying phase, so hopefully you'll be able to buy some more books soon!
I have lots of ebooks too, but I find reading a 'real' book a completely different, and much better experience!
Linda. :)
A house just isn't a home without books. Mine are currently in piles all over my house. These pictures have inspired me to organise my book collection a little better!
ReplyDeleteYes, me too Julie, quite a few piles around at the moment! However it's my interior design magazines that are causing me the most grief though... I need to give some away but then I keep thinking I may want one for something I've remembered in it and I won't have it anymore.
ReplyDeleteI could cut out the things I really like I guess, but I don't like 'wrecking' my magazines (bit too anal retentive about that I think - lol).
I give some to my Mum for a while, but when they come back I still have to find a home for them!
:)
What a fabulous post ... I do love all your 'books' images! I do wish I could sort my books by colour, it looks so pretty, but the librarian in me is slightly horrified at not being able to 'find' my books, lol! :)
ReplyDeleteLinda, What a treat to see an old post with material that obviously can be for anytime. I love your thoughts on books and have always thought them essential to my home but never thought much about how much a home becomes a home with the sheer addition of books. Does that make sense? Anyway, so glad to have found a kindred spirit. I really enjoyed seeing so many beautiful bookcases. I'm still chuckling over the fireplace bookcase and trying to pick out my favorite. I don't know if there's such a thing. :-) Off to check out the other links in your linky party and to go hunt for my own!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to share with you a pic of my library at home. It's our private piece of paradise. Love your blog !
ReplyDeletehttp://timestreaming.tumblr.com/post/3913022854/also-this-one-where-we-keep-the-books
Love these; thanks for sharing. Cicero said it best: "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
ReplyDeleteLove this collection of pictures!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete