Shelving Knowledge: How to decorate your own home library

A home library is not something for everyone, but if you do have an inclination towards books or even love collecting the rare ones, then this can really add immensely both to the look of your home and how people view you when they come for a visit. A home library talks about your personality, shouts about what kind of a person you are and it also ensures that those who walk in, leave with something added to their wisdom. It can make for a great topic of conversation and earn you some great new buddies.

Of course, a whole library at home looks hard to put together, but with these tips, you will find that it is not that hard as you thought.

#1 Pick the perfect room and devote the required space
The most significant aspect towards building a grand home library is to pick the right room. Obviously, preferable it should have a high ceiling along with space for racks and other accessories. You can of course, devote just a part of a certain room for this purpose, but an entire room that is totally dedicated makes it a lot more wonderful. Also make sure it’s large enough to accommodate your entire book collection and maybe the ones you are going to add in the future.

#2 Choose the type of shelves that you feel would be apt
You can either go for built-in shelves, racks that are made of wood, separate standings sshelves that occupy more space or the ones that hang from the ceiling. No matter which variety you pick ensure that they all go well with the furnishings you have in the room and are all crafted from wood. Wooden racks give your home library an authentic and original feel that cannot be achieved by other modern materials.

#3 Colors, shades and usage of materials
Dark and Victorian styled colors are often used in libraries to give them a more antique feeling. The same can be done for your home library. Once again the use of woodwork grained in darker textures helps a great deal in capturing this essence. This will go well with any collection or theme you chose. Such as the French, Spanish or Italian collection. The appeal for such interiors is almost universal.

#4 Accessorize with rugs, lamps, tables and chairs
Use tables and chairs inside your home library according to the space available and the comfort factor. You can get a bit unconventional and even go for a couch so that you feel more at home. A small television that is put in a closed cabin, a fine rug and an antique lamp will do wonders to the interiors. This though is a matter of individual choice and you can go the way you chose with accessories.

#5 Use lighting to add to your book collection
Use lighting smartly so that it brings the beauty out of your rare and specially bounded books while it hides those rugged looking old copies of the paperbacks. Your home library can be altered and changed by using lighting in various different patterns. The lighting must be most often soft, ambient and must reflect the studious mood inside.
Apart from all those, one can also add a dash of class with sculptures and plants which will bring life to the home library. Since the walls are already full, it will be such standing decorative that will bring added beauty to your home library. If you are willing to spend a tad bit extra, then you can create your very own favorite library in your own home.