Living with books is simply a way of life for many people. I find that books add a welcome touch of personality to a room and a definitive level of interest. Books say "real people live here". I have also found that many of my favorite accessory combinations include books. Needless to say, I love books. Books allow you to travel and learn without ever leaving the house. The next best thing to being there. While many pile books in a big stack (such a big stack that you would likely never dig one out to look at it) I keep my books accessible and handy. And I try to shuffle them around and take "new" old books off the shelf to refresh my memory and inspire me all over again.
Above: Alessandra Branca does a magical round table set up with stools where you might actually imagine getting lost with a cup of coffee and an unexpected find inside one of those gems. Image courtesy of House Beautiful.
Above: A classically simple coffee table with a carefully edited selection of books. Image courtesy of House Beautiful.
Above: A virtual living library. Perhaps you won't get to the bottom of these stacks... but don't you want to see the watercolors on the table? Image courtesy of House & Garden.
Above: A hall table with a nice mix of accessories and books. I find the simple touch of a few books makes a big difference in the formality and overall feel of the vignette. Image courtesy of Traditional Home.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Living with Books
