Wowzers you guys - the feedback on my Biz Column has been incredible with tweets, comments and tons and tons of emails. AMAZING thank you so much for your incredible response. I think I was on a high the whole weekend. Thank you so much.
Now I’m not a lover of trends,  I don’t follow them because no sooner than they’re in they’re  out. This isn’t so much a trend rather its a movement that’s gaining momentum. I’m talking Home Libraries. Rather than having books dotted all over, anchoring them in one spot to create a home library is the way to go. Not only does it take any space to the next level it instantly creates a cosy comfy nook. It was the best thing I did to my studio not so long ago I am obsessed with them.
You don’t need to own a stately home with multiple rooms to have a library to settle down into. Nowadays libraries are sharing space with home offices, bedrooms, living rooms even. You can create a library out of the smallest space, an alcove, a nook or you can go full hog and do a floor to ceiling thing like I did. Oh and you donât need a fancy pants book collection, with colour coded spines. anything goes from stacks of magazines, to glossy coffee table tomes to fiction.
If you thinking of creating a home library (do it, do it, do it) some tips below:
Colour
Colour is key in the library at least getting it right is key! What you slap onto those walls is fundamental.  Libraries are places to hunker down in and relax .Typically and traditionally they were painted out brown, dark green  eggplant even. Warm rich colours, that soothe and make you want to put your feet up and pour a whisky, or is that just me?Select colours therefore that make you want to squish down into that chair and relax.
Chairs
How many exactly? All libraries require them but I would encourage to couple big and lougy with petit.  The space dictates what you can do  to a degree but in my fairly small space I have oversized ones by the fireplace and a petit one in front of the bookcase to make if feel even cozier!
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Bar
I am a little obsessed about adding bars to spaces. Wonder if I have a problem? Nothing fancy any old table works for me with just a few blooms, a lamp, the odd bottle it instantly catapults you into a different era, one where you can relax, chill and breathe.
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Flowers
Talking of blooms, flowers are a game changer as we all know, right? Iâve got the odd little posy in some of my  shelves as well as bigger bunches on the table.
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Front facers
If youâve got floor to ceiling bookcase like mine then a game changing trick with them is to turn some of your books and magazines out to face the front . Front facers as Gem and I like to call them are key when styling up bookcases. Why? They break up the monotony of endless spines, they  add additional colour and texture to your bookcase. You don’t have to just front face books Iâve got cards turned outwards, catalogues, magazines and the odd book.
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Art over books
Go one step further and add a piece of art to the outside of your bookcase. I love how it breaks up the monotony of numerous shelves and immediately grabs for your attention.
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Lighting
Lighting is key so assuming we all have natural light itâs the other type Iâm talking about. You’ll need oodles of side lamps, maybe a pendant or chandelier in the middle but that’s not fundamental.  Dimmers are fundamental however, sometimes in libraries you want to do nothing more than put your feet up and daydream so versatility is key!
Interesting isn’t it when the e-book has made such an inroad into publishing how we all still yearn for a library. For me having a library in’t about having some show offy thing where say I’ve divided books by subject dividing Central America into sub sections like Aztec, Toltec, Maya (hello) my books and mags have the corners folded down, post it notes stuck everywhere, the glossies hang out with dog-eared thrillers (talking of which read The Martian you guys – perfect summer thriller). That is what a  library is to me; it’s a tactile, deeply personal place, my most favourite place in the whole house if I’m honest.
