Reading Rooms: The Best Small Library Inspo For Bibliophiles

No matter how beautifully designed a house, without books it will always lack a certain warmth. After all, these amassed tomes not only contain whole worlds in which to get lost within their covers, but they are also physical reminders of times in our own lives; after all, the ones that survive the occasional charity shop cull are the ones that mean something to us and that we carry through our lives, perhaps even passing them onto the next generation. Ideally, then, the shelving they sit upon will be equal to the task of displaying such treasures. To that end, we’ve rounded up some of the best small library eye-candy, whether you’re considering creating just such a bibliophile’s haven yourself or you’re simply in the market for a snoop and a drool.

Look One: Via Amanda Rettke

This calming farmhouse style library invites you to pluck a tome off the shelf and curl up by the fire all day long.

Look Two: Via COCOCOZY

Dark and brooding; modern yet old world, this scene constitutes the perfect home library set up.

Look Three: Via Houzz

What rainy day isn’t crying out for this cosy reading nook? We love the deep colours and the sublime comfort. Cup of tea and a tome, anyone?

Look Four: Via Real Homes

This beauty of a room exudes old world charm. Dark and sultry, it’s a library to enter and then stay put in for the ensuing hours, lost in another world.

Look Five: Via Red Magazine

Reading rooms with views don’t come much better than this. If you have a large feature window, why not consider building your library around it?

Look Six: Via Shopgirl & Sons

If you’re creating a loft extension, do consider factoring in a snug area for reading to escape to. It will pay dividends on many a lazy Sunday.



By Nancy Alsop
June 2022