Home library small
10 creative, compact solutions |
(Image credit: Future)
Small home library ideas can create a designated, inviting space in your home for reading and book displays, both enhancing the enjoyment of reading and making a real stand out feature of your wonderful collection of books.
From a cozy reading corner in a living room, to adaptable bookshelf designs, home library ideas allow for you to get creative with the existing space in your home.
Small home library ideas are all about embracing clever storage designs and how you can make the most out of existing rooms and furniture pieces in your home.
No matter the size of your space, when designing a home library, you want to celebrate your book collection, whether that be through dynamic storage designs, creating a cozy, secluded reading area, or transforming how you read at home through innovative lighting and display ideas.
Small home library ideas
We explore our top small home library ideas to provide you with some inspiration for your space, from clever bookshelf ideas to sneaky repurposing of underused corners.
1. Optimize the space available
(Image credit: Future)
Rather than creating a whole separate room for small home library ideas, optimizing the space available in environments where you already spend a lot of time, such as a living room or bedroom, allows for you to regularly view and appreciate your book collection in existing, comforting areas.
In this living space, a traditional bookshelf design is taken one step further with the books being displayed above the doorway. This not only creates a unique, striking feature, but it is a practical way to extend shelving designs as your book collection grows over time - one to consider for living room bookshelf ideas.
2. Add comfort with a reading chair
(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)
An essential for reading nook ideas, a reading chair creates a comforting and cozy environment for you to sit back, relax and enjoy your book.
Whether you purchase a designated reading chair for your small home library, or use an existing lounge chair or armchair in living room or bedroom, it can create an inviting, relaxed area for reading.
In this home, the lounge chair is simply placed beside the compact library and desk area. The tall green plant creates a sense of separation between the two spaces, with the wall light providing practical downlighting for when reading. A compact space but with varying elements, being clever with your accessories and layout ideas can create a charming small home library design.
3. Enhance a corridor space
(Image credit: Mel Yates)
'If you are struggling to find areas in your home for your small home library, creating an eye-catching bookshelf in a corridor, hallway or landing can add a unique element to a space that we often just pass through,' says Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director Sarah Spiteri.
In this hallway, the painted blue bookshelf creates a striking focal and talking point as you enter the home. Seeing a book shelf as your first walk into a space can create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere, so when planning book storage ideas for your small home library, enhancing on high traffic areas will ensure a book collection is frequently looked on and appreciated.
4. Unite a study and home library
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Integrating your home library into an existing study space makes perfect sense for small home library ideas and is a great option for office wall decor ideas.
An area which is often already fitted with bookshelf and shelving designs, using a home office or study space to accommodate and display your book collection can create an area that feels like your very own reading room and small home library.
To create a separate area to a desk space for reading, place a cozy reading chair by a window or create an inviting window bench seat.
5. Create a cozy nook in an open-plan space
(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)
A great option for open-plan living room ideas, establishing a room within a room through a cozy reading nook in an open-plan space can create a zoned area designated for reading and relaxation.
'No matter the size of your open-plan space, by planning out an separate area for book storage, and potentially additional seating, you can create an intimate retreat dedicated to your books and to reading,' says Jennifer Ebert, Homes & Gardens' Digital Editor.
The bookshelves and seating elements in this open-plan space take advantage of this walk through space, creating a cozy seating and library area as you journey through to the dining room.
6. Use a library ladder
(Image credit: Rachael Smith)
Floor to ceiling shelving units are a great way to create much needed storage and display space in a small room.
By using tall shelving units and pairing them with a traditional library ladder, you can create a unique small home library.
Whether you integrate your book storage into an existing display unit, like in interior designer Elnaz Namaki's apartment shown above, or create a new, designated shelving area, a library ladder can add a fun and playful element to a room whilst also allowing you to extend your library to areas that were once out of reach.
7. Combine books and decorative accessories
(Image credit: Alicia Taylor)
For ideas on how to style a bookcase for your small home library, combing your favorite reads with decorative accessories and ornaments can create an elegant display that beautifully showcases your identity.
Organizing a bookshelf in this way is also great for saving on space in a room, by combing books and decorative pieces together, you can have on one main viewing area in a room that is both a library and display space.
Ben Stokes, Founder and Interior Designer at KAGU Interiors states, 'the styling possibilities for a bookcase are endless, they can offer much more than just a place to store your books. Shelves are the perfect platform to showcase favorite decorative items and styling them can be an art in itself.'
From houseplants, to vases and candles, you can make your small home library stand out with the help from accessories and decorative pieces.
8. Elevate your home library with paint
(Image credit: Paul Massey)
A simple way to add color and personality to a room or piece of furniture, using paint ideas in your small home library can add an eye-catching element of interest to the space.
Paint can also be used to distinguish a separate, small home library space within a room.
Using color blocking techniques and extending paint to the ceiling and floor can mark a section of a room that is specifically for books and for reading.
Whether you match your bookshelf with the paint used throughout the room, or pick a contrasting color for added impact, using paint can make your small home library both blend in and stand out.
9. Extend and transform a cupboard space
(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)
If you have room either side of a large storage cupboard or unit, extending the design and building coordinating shelving units is a great for storage ideas and to make use of empty space.
Framed by matching bookshelves, the large cupboard in this room has also been innovatively transformed to house a study space, with the snug stool being able to neatly slot within.
Perfect for a small home library, re-configuring a cupboard in this way to create a sheltered seat space can create a cozy, cocooned area where you can sit and read.
10. Don't forget about lighting
(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)
This may seem obvious, but getting the lighting ideas right for your small home library is essential if you want to be able to comfortably read and relax.
Whether you position your reading chair and shelving by a window to make the most of lots of natural light, or use floor and wall lamps to light up a cozy corner, you want to be able to read your book no matter what time of day or night.
How do I build a small library at home?
Home libraries don't need to be thought of as a luxury or grand, large rooms with lots of wooden shelving and hundreds of books, they can be bespoke and tailored to your book collection and the space available in your home.
Building a small library at home can be as simple as buying some shelving and placing them in an area that can be viewed and appreciated often.
Using additional elements such as key lighting pieces, a reading chair and book styling ideas can enhance the design, and create a cozy space where the beauty of books is at the forefront.
How do you make a small home library cozy?
Having an area where you can for small home library ideas will ultimately make the space feel cozy and inviting, and accessorizing with cushions and throws will enhance on this feeling of comfort.
Lighting is also very important for feelings of coziness in a home library. Choosing specific lighting designs, from practical task table lamps to large floor lamp designs can make the space feel inviting and comfortable when sitting down to read.
Lastly, considering the location of your small home library can also amplify on an atmosphere of coziness; from a cozy reading corner in a living room, to hidden library within a cupboard.
Zara joined Homes & Gardens in February 2022 as a Content Editor. After studying English Literature at University, she worked as an Ecommerce Website Editor, Content Writer and Buying Intern at multiple independent businesses within the luxury retail and lifestyle sectors. Her role at Homes & Gardens unites her love, experience and passion for the world of design and desire to create inspiring written content.
She enjoys nothing more than discovering new trends, brands and products, whether that be in fashion, interior design or lifestyle.
15 Creative Small Home Library Design Ideas
Just because you live in a small house doesn’t mean you can’t have a home library. It just means making the most of some unused space in another room like your home office or living room. Get some inspiration for cozy reading rooms with these these small home library design ideas.
I have loved reading and books for as long as I can remember.
So it probably isn’t too surprising that I have a lot of books. And I love the idea of creating a home library with a cozy reading nook.
The problem is that I have never lived in a house big enough to actually have a dedicated home library.
Which usually means creating a small home library by making another room in my house play double-duty
Fortunately, bookshelves are pretty easy to squeeze into a lot of spaces.
And adding books to a space seems to instantaneously create that cozy reading room feel.
Maybe that’s why I have small home libraries in pretty much every room in my house. Which I only realized when I started writing this 🙂
In any case, here are my favorite cozy reading room ideas and small home library design ideas.
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Home Office Library Design Ideas
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Install A Library Wall Around A Window
The first of my small room library ideas is to add some bookshelves to your home office. To me, work and books go hand in hand so it’s a natural place to create a home library.
I have a lot of decorating and gardening books and magazines that I like to read.
And keeping them in my office makes them easy to access when I need to look something up or find a little inspiration.
Since bookshelves are very flexible in how wide, deep and high they can be, I like to install them in places where not much else will fit.
In my bonus room office, that meant building the bookshelves around the window. Because of the angled ceilings in this room, it was pretty much the only way to make the wall space usable.
Add Built In Seating
Adding a built-in window bench to my home office library also makes great use of this small space.
No extra chairs required!
Build Bookshelves Over A Door
Similarly, in my small home office library downstairs (the room is less than 10′ x 10′), I built the bookshelves around the closet door.
And got a lot of storage out of an area that would otherwise have been wasted space.
Cover All The Walls With Books
Photo by Trilogy Cabinets & Design – Modern Home Office Library (via houzz.
com)If you really want to maximize your home office library space, cover all of the walls with bookshelves…and I mean all the way to the ceiling…
How cool would it be to have a platform like this one to get to the books at the top?
Living Room Library Designs
Wall To Wall Book Cases
The next of my small home library design ideas is to make use of the walls in your living room. It is often the easiest place in your home to find some extra wall space.
Putting up a wall of books doesn’t take up much space and gives your room some extra interest.
Plus you probably already have some comfortable seating available for when you want to sit down and read.
My mother installed floor to ceiling bookcases all the way across one wall to create her living room library.
Painting them the same color as the walls and adding some mirror details to the front panels make them look built in even though they’re not.
Cozy Home Library With Fireplace
Photo by Keeley Green Interior Design – Traditional Living Room Library (via houzz.
com)If you happen to have a fireplace in your living room, think about installing the bookshelves on either side of it to create a cozy reading nook.
Then make sure you have a comfortable chair close by so you can sit by the fire with a book and enjoy the ambiance.
Who wouldn’t love to hang out in this cozy home library with a fireplace?
Make Room For The Sofa
Photo by Wilmington-Gordon – Luxury Living Room Home Library (via houzz.com)If you don’t have enough room for a bookshelf and a sofa in your living room, try building the bookcase over the couch.
It will act as the focal point in the room and provide the feeling of a living room library at the same time.
Installing wall sconces and picture lights on the shelves provides extra lighting without taking up any extra space.
Re-purpose An Awkward Space
Photo by Boehm Architecture – Living Room With Wrap Around Home Library (via houzz.com)Another living room library design idea is to take advantage of an awkward space by installing bookshelves at one of the room.
Wrapping the shelves around the corners of the room creates creates a cozy reading nook.
Painting the book cases the same color as the sofa makes sure that they tie in with the rest of the room decor.
Add Extra Storage
Photo by Buckingham Interiors + Design LTD – Transitional Living Room (via houzz.com)For extra storage, enclose the bottom of the shelves with doors or drawers.
That way you’ll have an out-of-sight place to stash remotes, cards, games and anything else you don’t want out in plain view.
Create A Library Around The TV
Photo by Forsythe General Contractors, Inc. – Contemporary living room library (via houzz.com)If you have a TV wall in your living room, that could be the perfect place to create your home library.
Building bookshelves around the television set will make use of the rest of the wall space, and make the TV less of a focal point in the room.
Dining Room Library
Photo by Heritage Construction Companies, LLC.
– Contemporary Dining Area With Home Library (via houzz.com)If you live in a house with a formal dining room that you don’t use very often, you might make it more functional by turning it into a dining room library.
The bookshelves add warmth to the walls while still keeping the formal feeling.
And the table provides a great surface for spreading out your books or placing a cup of coffee while you’re reading.
Small Bedroom Library Ideas
Install Book Cases Around The Bed
The next one of my small home library ideas is to create a bedroom library by adding bookshelves around the bed.
In my guest room, the wall is just long enough to accommodate two book cases, one on either side of the bed.
Because they fit the space perfectly, they look like they are built in even though these are free-standing shelves.
Installing a valance over the bed between the shelves adds to the built-in feel, and hanging swing arm lamps on the shelves provides light without requiring any table space.
Install Bookshelves Over The Settee
In my bedroom, I did a smaller scale version of the same idea. Except this time, I installed the book cases over the settee and TV.
This way I still get the book space and the shelves don’t take up much floor space at all.
Bookshelves As Doors
Photo by M&B Design Srls – Contemporary home library bookshelves (via houzz.com)For a small bedroom library that definitely performs double duty, you could build bookshelves that also function as doors.
These ones separate the sitting area from the bedroom. When they’re closed, you can’t even tell there’s a bed in the room!
Hallway Library
Photo by Whitten Architects – Hallway With Home Library (via houzz.com)If you really don’t have any wall space available in any of your rooms, why not try this small home library idea?
Install bookshelves along the walls of a hallway. This is definitely a space that you can’t use for any other furniture.
But you just might be able to fit in a book shelf, even if it’s only on one side of the hall.
Staircase Library
Photo by Platform 5 Architects – Contemporary home library (via houzz.com)To go one step further than a hallway library…you could even build bookshelves into the walls above the staircase.
Talk about an efficient use of space in a small home!
Cozy Closet Reading Nook
Photo by Susan Jay Design – Book nook in a closet (via houzz.com)The last of my small home library design ideas is to convert one of your closets into a cozy reading room.
Install bookshelves around all of the walls and a bench at the bottom with a plush cushion top. I bet you won’t want to leave!
If only I had seen this before I installed the closet organizer in my home office closet. Maybe there’s a closet makeover in my future 🙂
Other Home Library Ideas You Might Like
- 7 Simple Ways To Dress Up Your Bookshelves
- 9 Easy Creative Ways To Hide Clutter On Shelves
- The Making of a Library: A Home Office Makeover
Have comments or questions about our small home library design ideas? Tell us in the section below.
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This post was originally published on September 6, 2019 but was updated with new content on November 3, 2021.
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4 practical tips, 20 inspiring examples - INMYROOM
Tips
Are there right and wrong approaches to storing books at home, what furniture to choose for this, how to keep book treasures in order? In this article, we will put everything on the shelves
A home library has long ceased to seem like an unattainable luxury; on the contrary, it has become a necessity. Whether it is small, in the form of wall shelves or a cozy reading nook, it will become an important part of the bedroom or living room and showcase your interests to guests. Whether there is a right and wrong approaches to storing books, what kind of furniture for this choose, and how to keep book treasures in order? We'll put everything on the shelves!
1.
How to choose a room Almost any living room suitable for the home library, with a few exceptions. Large windows provide good natural light. They are good for reading, but not for storage of books: this amount of light can damage them. Shouldn't be used and rooms with high humidity, because it is humidity and dampness that attract insects.
2. How to arrange books
It is very important to organize books so that their search does not take much time. If you have a lot of books, then alphabetical classification will not suffice. Therefore, we recommend categorize them by topic: philosophy, religion, art, fiction, history and so on. It is this distribution that will help you present your passion at its finest: for example, focusing on an impressive collection of books about First World War.
3. What furniture to choose
First of all, of course, you need bookshelves. Their choice must be approached wisely, because it is not easy storage of books, but also an important element of decor.
Lots of options: several stand-alone bookcases, standing side by side, and can be used as identical shelves (to create the effect of one adjacent), and shelves of different shapes, sizes and colors; stylish hanging or modular designs with variable the number of compartments; built-in shelving to save space. Be careful when using hanging shelving - calculate the weight of books right. On the shelves, in addition to books, there can also be stylish accessories.
Small book editions can be place on coffee tables with shelves. Soft sofas or armchairs will fit in the library. Place lamps behind seats to avoid glare and direct light hitting the eyes.
4. How to care for books
We will not list numerous types of unpleasant insects that threaten your books, but rather We will tell you how to deal with them. If you identified the presence pests, pack the books in plastic bags and put them in the freezer overnight.
However, it is smarter to prevent a problem than to deal with it.
To avoid insects, fungus and mold, maintain the required air humidity with household humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
Also be mindful of the air temperature: high temperatures combined with low humidity dehydrate the pages, making them brittle. At high humidity, heat creates the conditions for mold. To solve these problems, get an air conditioner or a fan, and keep books away from radiators.
Small home libraries - 135 best home office interior design photo ideas
Vodny residential complex 38 sq.m.
YU Dsgn Julia Galkina and Yuliya Belyaeva
Fresh design idea: small modern style home library with white walls, built-in work desk and brown floor - great interior photo
Highbury
Romilly Turner Interior Design
This landing nook was made into a study area bathed in natural light from the vast warehouse windows, Photography Nick Smith
Home-style inspiration: small modern-style home library with gray walls, medium hardwood floors, built-in work desk and brown floor
Upper West Side Townhouse
Spivak Architects
Home-style inspiration: small home library contemporary style with white walls, medium hardwood floors and built-in work desk without fireplace
home library
Eleven Four LLC
Photo of a small neoclassical (modern classic) home library with beige walls, medium parquet floors and brown floors without a fireplace.
a makeover with new furnishings and window treatments in keeping with a relaxed English country house
Design idea for a small classic home library with a standard fireplace, stone fireplace front and wood walls
Fresh Farmhouse
Becky Rose Design
Stylish design: a small home library with blue walls, medium parquet floors and brown floors - the latest trend
Stone Farmhouse Renovation
Jonathan Miller Architects
source of inspiration for home comfort
: small country style home library with white walls, light parquet floors, freestanding work desk and brown floor
Well Read
Laurie Demetrio Interiors
Private Residence, Laurie Demetrio Interiors, Photo by Dustin Halleck, Millwork by NuHaus
Design idea for a neoclassical (modern classic) small home library with dark parquet floors, built-in work desk, brown floors and brown walls without a fireplace
Conversions of Barns near Exeter
Scarratt & Martyn
View through the small library to the large studio below Richard Downer Photography
Cozy home inspiration: small country style home library with white walls, cork floor, built-in desk and brown floor
2017 Trending Colors
Finstad's Carpet One
This cozy home library and office invites for hours of reading ! 2017 trendy taupe's and powder blues add class and warmth.
The soft tone hardwood floors complete the muted marvel of this quaint room. Hardwood flooring (available in hardwood, luxury vinyl and laminate) available at Finstad's Carpet One, Helena, MT. *All styles and colors may not be available.
Ohio Riverfront Residence Library
Herald Gardell, Ltd. Design Services
We turned the original dining room, which was too small, into a cozy library/sitting area just off the kitchen. All the woodwork is custom.
Original design example of a small neoclassical (modern classic) home library with gray walls and dark parquet floors
Contemporain Bureau
Christophe Vendel
Photo of a small modern home library with white walls, light parquet floors and built-in desktop with
Un'altra sfida mignon - Progetto in corso
Liadesign
Liadesign
Photo of a small contemporary home library with beige walls, marble floor, freestanding work desk and colorful floor with
Conserver et accentuer et accentuer charme de son appartement parisien - Projet Chalon
Mon Concept Habitation
Notre cliente venait de faire l'acquisition d'un appartement au charme parisien.
On y retrouve de belles moulures, un parquet à l'anglaise et ce sublime poêle en céramique. Néanmoins, le bien avait besoin d'un coup de frais et une adaptation aux goûts de notre cliente! Dans l'ensemble, nous avons travaillé sur des couleurs douces. L'exemple le plus probant : la cuisine. Elle vient se decliner en plusieurs bleus clairs. Notre cliente souhaitant limiter la propagation des odeurs, nous l'avons fermée avec une porte vitrée. Son style vient faire écho à la verrière du bureau afin de souligner le caractère de l'appartement. Le bureau est une creation sur-mesure. A mi-chemin entre le bureau et la bibliothèque, il est un coin ideal pour travailler sans pour autant s'isoler. Ouvert et avec sa verrière, il profite de la lumière du sejour où la luminosité est maximisée grâce aux murs blancs.
Guildford Listed Town House
Anna Wilson Interiors
Emma Lewis
Design idea for a small country style home library with gray walls, carpet, freestanding work desk and gray floor
Rustic Charm
Woodstock 30002 Woodstock
In this Hampstead Villa we created a large family TV space with plenty of painted cabinets being used to store the family's extensive collection of books whilst also providing a desk area.
