51 home library designs that will miss book lovers for hours

Home libraries are places to escape, to get lost in the pages of adventure, romance, deep study, or self-reflection. While screens have their place in our modern lives, there’s nothing quite like opening a new paperback or revisiting an old favorite. The relaxation of flipping between those familiar smelling pages is a very different form of reading than being bombarded with blue light. Those special moments deserve a special place, so we’ve rounded up 51 home library designs that will keep you in love with books for hours – take a pitcher of tea and a box of cookies to keep you going!

Relax for relaxation, this ergonomic wood-covered design for the home library and LC4 ergonomic chaise longue designed by Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier and Pierre Jenner for Cassina. As the only seat in this large home library, the single piece of furniture states that this is a place of solitude, peace, and escape.

Climb the ladder to reserve heaven with the staircase library. This provides color and character to this open plan living room. See more living rooms for book lovers here.

moving on top. The raised podium floor lifts this unique home library towards a stunningly large round window, flooding the reading area with natural light. Bookshelves are stacked at the back of the raised floor, while drawers use the space underneath.

Quiet and green. This nature-loving bookworm house has the perfect blend of human imagination across the pages and Mother Nature’s own creativity thriving in the yard.

Speaking of human imagination, this inspirational writer’s home contains a library designed to get the creative juices flowing, whether through literature or a moment of meditative music.

Struggling to find enough wall space to install an entire home library? Fear not, our custom-made bookshelves can be molded to fit any nook, cranny, or hideout. This set flanks the bulkhead between the lounge and kitchen, rounds the corner into a short corridor, and fills the TV wall to boot.

Make the most of high ceilings. Why stop at the generous maximum wall height? Either take the shelves all the way to the top for additional storage, or simply extend the sleeve for a sleek aesthetic like this light-filled library.

Set the mood within your home library with cool lighting. This low pendant necklace is a Nebula by Flos.

Pull out some patterns. Sure, it’s nice to look at the rise and fall of colorful book spines through the piles, but a hero piece of furniture almost has an allure that makes you want to sit for a while. The Eames lounge chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller is irresistible.

Light, bright and full of sparkle, this gorgeous glass wall study features stacks of academic books all the way up to the sloping roofline.

Layer upon layer of a book lover’s paradise, this multi-level library can be accessed via a library staircase, spiral staircase, and coiled mezzanine.

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• imaginary: Designed by An Nam, DClaw 12, Ngoc Do & Nguyen Thanh

Frame a stunning library look with a built-in bench along the window sill line and custom-fit bookcases above and above the remaining reveal.

Take a slice of your living space as a home library by installing a small partition wall. The half-height section maintains the wider spatial flow and allows light to be shared.

Place straight-edged bookshelves next to a graceful outline. You can do this as a freestanding silhouette, or under a wavy roof. A round table and an oversized globe pendant light complete this graceful example.

Got bookshelves but lack style? Ordering color for your book collection may be the answer to your bleak days. Add some colorful pillows to your seating area to expand the cheerful color palette.

Cut out the corner. Even the smallest niche can be turned into a beautiful reading nook.

This sunny window seat reading nook includes a view of the green garden with vibrant green scatter pillows.

Soothing blue color palettes feel dreamy. Stacks of white books retract for a clean aesthetic.

We discover our love for books as children, so why not go back to those days with a hilarious outline? Choose new bookcases, paint the walls colorful, and hang your legs from a hanging chair.

Book lovers’ dreams are made of. A dust hater’s nightmare.

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• Architect: Oostkaai & Studio Craft

Modern and minimalist, a floating chair and floating bookshelves provide a simple and refreshing reading space. Industrial elements add bold, textural interest.

Take her to the treetops with a reading room in the attic. The swing arm wall lamp easily handles the challenges around low and sloping ceilings.

Glass doors allow your library to be a feature of your main living space while reducing unwanted noise.

In fact, many of us don’t have time to pick up a book until we hit the sheets, so the bedroom is a perfectly practical place to locate your library. See more inspiration for bedroom bookcases.

If your library is as much about studying as it is about relaxation, be sure to design a desk between the stacks to make cross-referencing more comfortable and efficient.

Home bookcases add extra warmth to double-height room spaces. Choose oak for golden warmth, or let your colorful collection of book covers do all the talking.

Revolving bookcases can open or close a home library in an instant. See more of this curved house here.

Glass balustrades leave bookcases in staircases uninterrupted and visible in all their glory.

Take advantage of that dead space under the stairs with an L-shaped bookcase, comfy armchair and a good lamp.

You don’t need to install an expensive mezzanine to design an additional floor under high ceilings, a simple hammock floor/floor grille provides the perfect place to stretch out with a good book. The library ladder will give you a boost up there.

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• Photographer: Ricardo Labogle
• Via: Gallery

Classic meets modern in this chic home library, where modern wing-back chairs provide a place to relax by a roaring fire.

Create the atmosphere of a medieval castle with a secret door in the bookcase.

Use classic columns to enhance your gorgeous mezzanine. A modern lounge area with a contemporary sofa will bring the scheme into the modern world.

A built-in bookcase can help understand small room openings and unusual layouts.

Mix and match and be standard. Combine this flat-pack bookcase with top shelf and sectional seating to create a cost-effective window reading nook.

Clearstory windows will allow a good amount of light into your library without glare.

Even a small home can squeeze into a book corner.

Alcoves and niches provide an opportunity to build a streamlined library. Frame the recess with wide decorative molding to create a custom, upscale look. Place a pair of pretty lounge chairs and a stylish floor lamp in the front to complete the ensemble.

When you’re short on wall space, look at the floor. This bench seat design adds not one but two tiers of bookshelves to a zipped window corner. The high bookshelf is set back from the bottom to create a comfortable step into the bar stool.

Black bookcases build the dark drama behind the colorful volumes. An array of monochrome prints accentuates the mystical décor.

In this dark library design, a central section of decorative elements is isolated under bright LED light.

The surroundings of industrial style create a subtle contrast with the warmth of wooden bookcases and collected literary works.

Illuminate a reading nook built between bookshelves with an explosion of funky bright color under a glossy finish and absent spotlights.

Feel like reading under swaying tree branches with a home library that has its own skylight.

Hundreds of books, a cozy fireplace, a comfy lounge chair and the company of Mother Nature? Yes please.

Increase wall space in a large home library by arranging bookcases in a room divider. In this luxury home, a set of upper and lower bookcases are divided to allow light to filter through from the garden.

Japanese style doors and Shoji doors will bring a soothing sense of zen to your home library.

The fully fitted furniture will give your home library a special and individual aesthetic that will feel like it was designed just for you. Seats and chimneys should flow as one seamless piece, like the size of a quiet, silky wood grain.

Crisp white bookshelves enhance the colorful nature of the home library. Use flashing lights to amplify the shimmering effect.

Book lover on a budget? OSB chipboard offers a remarkably inexpensive option for creating custom furniture, such as this compact bedroom and study area with a small storage drawer, and a small library placed in the office.

Suggestions for reading:
32 comfortable reading chairs to help you get lost in your literary world
50 of the best reading places we’ve ever been to

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