It used to be an inseparable part of the home and one of the most popular rooms at home: the home library. However, in the 90s it was forgotten and considered old-fashioned. But in recent years the reading room andthe reading corner is a real comebackand literally become a piece of jewelry in the house. Hollywood even has specialized interior designers who effectively display the book collections of the rich and famous. With good planning and a bit of imagination, anyone can set up their own home library. We'll explain what you should keep in mind when organizing and how you can effectively sort your favorite books!
Set up a home library: Step by step to a cozy reading room
Admittedly, when it comes to atmosphere, books are at the forefront. They can be effectively displayed together with vases, pictures, art pieces and home accessories and give any room character. But in order for your own book collection to come into its own, good planning is necessary. A book here and thereon side tables, shelves and even on the floor and the interior quickly appears chaotic. It looks much better if the books are organized on a wall shelf. But this also requires sensitivity.
If you want to set up a home library, the first thing you should think about is what furniture you need. A modular system offersflexible space solutionsfor rooms with sloping ceilings or niches. Freestanding models can visually separate a corner in the living room. Wall shelves are ideal for smaller book collections. No matter what you choose, there are a few basic rules you should follow when organizing your books:
- Position the shelving system in the room so that no direct sunlight falls on the books. Otherwise, the colors may fade and the paper ages significantly faster.
- The heavy and large books go down, the light and small ones go up. This ensures that the weight is evenly distributed and the bookshelf does not tip over.
- No matter how large your collection may be, don't arrange the books too closely together. Otherwise, the room will look crowded and untidy, access will be difficult and there will be no space for new books.
- Set up a cozy reading corner directly under a window. Position the armchair, daybed or sofa so that sunlight falls on it from the side. Otherwise, the strong sun may blind you while reading.
- Sort the books so that you can quickly find your way around. We give you several tips in this regard.
- Light up the bookshelf. Beautiful indirect lighting, for example through integrated LED strips, makes the books stand out even in the evening. An adjustable floor lamp provides soft light for the reading corner itself.
- The right heating and cooling: As romantic as a crackling fire looks, the fireplace or stove is not suitable for the reading room. There is always a risk of fire. Gas heating, on the other hand, is safer, although not as comfortable. Even in summer you should be comfortable in your home library. Air conditioning can provide the necessary cooling on hot days.
So that the reading room is not only functional but also stylishdifferent classification systemsto help. For example, you can sort the books by color. This creates a rainbow color palette that makes the home library shine in red, blue, yellow and green. The colors not only make the bookshelf look very decorative, but they also help with orientation. We'll explain to you how you can sort your book collection by color in just a few steps.
- First, sort your books by topic or category (e.g. architecture, poetry, travel, etc.).
- Have all books rebound. Have all books from a category bound in the same color. Alternatively, you can divide the books from one category into several groups and bind each group to a shade of color. For example: Travel category (color blue), exotic travel group (shade pigeon blue). Each category cannot have more than three groups, otherwise the ensemble will appear too colorful.
- Arrange the books on the bookshelf, grouping the books of one color by shade. You can try two variants: You start with the lightest shade and first arrange all the books in light blue, then all the books in azure blue and then all the books in royal blue. How to create beautiful color gradients. Or you can alternately arrange light blue and dark blue books to create effective accents.
Library organization system: sort books by color
Don't forget to create a catalog and mark which books can be found where. The books you read most often go in the middle of the bookshelf, preferably at eye level. The books you rarely read go either to the top or to the bottom. When distributing the colors in the room, you should also take this rule into account.
And even if you have a lot of categories and groups, still try to create a living image that is as calm as possible. This means: First have the books bound only in the basic colors and their nuances. Only when you want to expand your own book collection can you add a new color to the color palette. You canadditional home accessories, display pictures and other small decorative items along with the books. However, make sure that they also match the books.
A rainbow bookshelf automatically attracts everyone's attention. The remaining furniture should therefore be kept as simple as possible. Such a home library fits in with minimalist, Scandinavian or purist living styles. However, if the reading room is already furnished and the furniture and decorations have strong colors, then the bookshelf should be designed in a reserved manner. You could have all the books bound in white with just a colored stripe.
Organize your library: sort books by genre
If you want to unleash your creativity and design a unique bookshelf, then the next idea is for you. You can sort the books by genre and then have them bound together to create a puzzle picture. The picture not only looks very decorative, but also reveals the genre. For example, books on the subject of “art” can produce a painting and books on the subject of “sports” – a photo from a sporting event.
Sort books alphabetically
Alternatively, you can sort the books alphabetically or sort some by genre and the others alphabetically. It all depends on what topics you prefer and how much free space you have on the bookshelf. This method is time-consuming, but with a simple trick you can quickly sort your book collection. With the quick sort method, a book is selected and positioned in the middle of the book collection. The other books are arranged accordingly on the left, if their author or title is preceded in the alphabet. If the author or title is suffixed, then they are arranged to the right of the book. Then the left group is first divided into two and then the right group and sorted alphabetically. The procedure is similar - you choose a book that is placed in the middle of the group and sort the books by their title to the left and right of the selected book. The quick sort method can save a lot of time if the collection is large.
By the way, whether you sort the books by author or by title depends on how many books by the same author you have. If you have a lot of books by one author, it's better to sort them by title. If the books are by different authors, you can sort them by author.
Sort books by topic
If it is specialist literature, you can also sort the books by topic. This option is suitable for large families where each family member has an interest in a specific topic (e.g. medicine, psychology, architecture, cooking, gardening, traveling, etc.). You can have the books that belong to a group bound in the same color. This way everyone can quickly orientate themselves. Leave enough space for new books.
Sort books neatly
Alternatively, you can sort your books by size and height. This method is used to organize your favorite works aesthetically. But it doesn't make searching for a specific book any easier. That's why it's only suitable for a small home library.
Sort books to save space
Your own book collection is very large, but the bookshelf doesn't have enough space for it? Then you can sort your books to save space. This means – Do not stack the books on top of each other, but place them close together. To prevent the bookshelf from looking chaotic and overcrowded, you can only display decorative pieces in some compartments. This way you can set specific accents and spice up the bookshelf.
If you want to set up a home library, you face a big challenge. It all comes down to planning. Think about how you can make the available space not only practical, but also comfortable. Choose the right seating and lighting. Plan the bookshelf so that you have enough space for decorations or new books. Sort the books by topic, author, alphabetically or by genre: It is important that you keep an overview and can quickly find your favorite works. In the photo series below you will find several examples of stylish reading rooms.
Set up a home library: a high bookshelf saves space
With a ladder, all books are easily accessible
Design a reading room in Scandinavian style
Home library with a cozy reading corner
Set up your home library: books and decorative objects on the bookshelf
Sort books to save space
Sort books by size
Set up a home library: Sort the books alphabetically
Sort books by topic
