UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

Booking ahead

Some of us still prefer the feel of a solid book in our hands to curl up with when we want to unwind. Even now, while times have moved us into the digital era, there are still many of us who appreciate bound books and the opportunity not to look at a screen. Book lovers and home décor aficionados can agree that a home library is not only stylish and impressive, but it also makes a statement and is practical. There are hundreds of ways to decorate a home library and the ways to display books in shelves or bookcases are equally innumerable.

When you imagine a library you might think of wooden bookshelves, government metal shelves, or a combination of both. But your home library can be whatever your heart and mind desires. A simple search on design ideas will have you in the realm of hard-bound bliss.

If you prefer a rich, opulent look, you could design the library with built-in bookcases along the walls from floor to ceiling. Mahogany or a lookalike style would evoke a classic feel to your home library while white

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Display your books impressively by genre or subject.

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shelves or bookcases offer a cleaner and more modern look.

Your taste in décor, like your taste in books, may vary or be quite specific.

Deciding on the way to decorate your library depends on how you want the room to make you, your family and guests feel when they enter the room or the area you are designating for your library. If you have a taste for classic literature, you may prefer a classic library design. If you like art and artistic books, your library could take shape that way, displaying artful book covers and artistic décor or photos throughout the room. If you do not stick to a specific genre of literature or books, you may select a canvas for your library that suits each of your tastes with books on display by genre. Books can be quite beautiful to look at so displaying them can be your focus in your home library. If you prefer the look of your books color coded, a magnificent display could be achieved in a modernstyle home library.

If you have the accommodations for an entire library then options are boundless, however, if you

Include cozy seating to curl up in.

lack the resources and real estate to dedicate an entire room to a library, you can still develop a home library feel in your house. A corner of a living room, office, bedroom, or family room can be transformed into a library space with a few bookcases, a reading lamp, and a cozy chair chaise lounge seating or day bed to curl up in. Another area to consider for a library space in your home is the foyer or entrance, which can double as a library space.

Remember, a home library does not just have to be a room with bookshelves chock full of books. There are ways to add some style into your library with keepsakes, souvenirs, and collectibles on the shelves as well. If you are a collector of more than books, your library space can be used to display these items also. Trophies or awards could be displayed on shelves in the library to break up the monotony of nothing but books in cases.

There is also the option of combining a home library with a study which can include adding a desk and chair to the room or space so that it doubles as a place to study, research, or work. If one corner is dedicated a “reading only” area, the room will still be thought of as a library.

On Guam, you will have to remember to keep your library space dry and cool to protect the books in your collection from getting soiled with mold and mildew. When you begin decorating your home library, choose the coolest and driest area in your home for the space. You should also keep in mind not to allow your library to be an eating and drinking room, to keep things clean, dry, and neat.

Your home library is a place to retreat when you want to delve into a book, whether to escape into a different world, to educate yourself, or uncover a mystery. Make yours uniquely you and create a space that you can enjoy for years to come. p