Photography: Luke White
There’s a certain magic to spaces filled with books. So many of us have treasured childhood memories of weekends at our local libraries, cocooned in quiet rooms with stories that seemed to suggest anything was possible. It felt at once safe and exciting, cosy yet totally inspiring. It’s only natural that, as adults, we’d want to evoke those same cherished sensations in our own homes. While a grand home library filled with bespoke floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and ample seating is the ideal, the reality of modern homes and their space constraints offers a stark opposition.
Thankfully, you don’t need a generously oversized floor plan in order to create your own home library (although it doesn’t hurt). Even a simple corner can be transformed into a book nook where you can happily while away the hours. So, whether you’re renovating your dream reading room or adding a snug bookish zone to your home, let the story start here.
Small home library ideas
If space is a major constraint in your home, then focus on the basics. Every private library, whether an entire room or a book nook, should have three key elements: beloved books, comfortable seating and task lighting. Remember, a more humble size is not inferior. In fact, a repurposed corner, transformed into a book nook, can enhance that feeling of a stolen moment, meant just for you.
“I love the idea of finding charming spaces around the house, like a quiet corner in a living room, a landing at the top of the stairs, or even a wide hallway,” says interior designer Melissa Balzan of Melissa Balzan Design.
Luxurious home library ideas
This is for those who have desperately wanted a spacious home library of their own, ever since they watched Beauty and the Beast and felt as awed as Belle did with the Beast’s dreamy library. After all, if space allows, why not indulge? Wrap your room with built-in bookshelves that stretch from floor to ceiling, then attach a ladder for practical yet oh-so-delightful hardware.
When it comes to furniture, seating is crucial, and interior designer Lucinda Kimpton prefers custom options. “I often look to more traditional methods of upholstery – down-filled cushions and coil-sprung seats and backs – because they’re designed for real comfort over long periods,” she says. Another built-in option is window seats, which can also provide additional storage underneath.
The best bookshelf dimensions
Whether you’re customising built-in shelving or buying a freestanding bookcase, flexible design is key. Amos Groth, principal at Groth & Sons, advises mixing up shelf heights across your bookcase. “Variation works better, practically and visually,” he says. “It gives the joinery a bit of rhythm.”
Measure the largest books in your collection before locking in dimensions, but for each shelf, Amos suggests a depth of 290 millimetres and a height of 320 millimetres. As for shelf thickness, he says, “32 millimetres is our go-to. Anything thinner can feel insubstantial”.
Types of bookshelves
As with any interior feature, you’ll find many different styles and silhouettes available for bookshelves. “It always comes back to the house,” explains Amos. “More traditional spaces might take detailing, while contemporary ones suit a simpler approach.”
If an embellished look is just the ticket, try decorative cornices, arches framing each bay or grand pilasters between bookcases. In terms of hardware, gallery rails as well as decorative brackets or corbels offer luxe accents. “Hardware is like jewellery for your joinery and can further elevate the piece,” says Melissa.
How to style a bookshelf
For book lovers, a private collection can be deeply intimate, filled with stories that have entertained, confronted and also shaped us. So when it comes to styling, a personal touch is key. “For my clients, I try to style bookcases so they are a reflection of themselves and the lives they lead,” says Melissa.
Lucinda agrees, adding that she doesn’t believe in a strict styling formula or “golden rule”. For sparse shelves, stack titles both vertically and horizontally, and mix in your framed photos and treasured objets d’art.
How to make your home library more comfortable
With the essentials sorted, it’s the small additions that create a dreamy escape. The main question to ponder is, ‘What do I need to facilitate a good, long read?’ This could be an ottoman to pop your feet on, or a side table for a cup of tea. “I love adding a mohair throw for that extra layer of cosiness,” says Lucinda.
“Lighting is everything in a library. I love decorative cabinetry lights and layering in lamps for balance – we need enough light to read, but also to create a calm, contemplative mood” – Lucinda Kimpton, interior designer
Finally, for Melissa, ceramic vases and indoor plants make the space feel complete. Ultimately though, as with all design decisions, you can choose your own adventure.
How to organise a bookshelf
Whether you sort books according to author, colour, genre or size, shelf organisation is divisive. We spoke to our experts as well as the Home Beautiful team to find out the categorisation system behind our bookshelves. And the results certainly varied…
| Amos Groth, joiner | “I organise by genre.” |
| Alice Ierace, Home Beautiful (HB) art director | “I arrange my coffee table books by size.” |
| Elle Lovelock, HB editor-in-chief | “My books are grouped by genre and frequency of use. Cookbooks and interior design titles, which I read the most, are on easily accessible shelves.” |
| Brittany Smith, HB category editor | “I group books according to colour. I remember the colour of every book’s spine in my collection.” |
| Rebecca Hooton, HB managing editor | “I just stuff them in.” |
| Emily Murray, HB social media producer | “In the past I’ve turned them around so the paper is on display instead of the spines. They match better and look more neutral.” |
| Paris Blanchfield, HB shopping editor | “I order them by colour but then hide the ones with an ugly spine. I mean the really bright spines that clash with everything. I sound insane.” |
Shop beautiful, sculptural bookends
Start your home library with these stunning and also practical bookends.
‘Tirari’ decorative object
$59 (was $79.95)/10cm, Freedom.
Urban Studio ‘Travertin Marble’ bookends
$331 (was $349)/set of 2, Freedom.
Hermes ‘Alezan’ bookend in Rough H Cassia Wood
$684 (was $757), The Luxury Closet.
Lito ‘L’Objet’ bookend
$875, Far Fetch.
Morgan & Finch ‘Dog’ bookend
$49.95/set of 2, Bed Bath N Table.
Carl Aubock ‘T’ brass bookends
$1230, Abask.
Larger bookends in Aluminium
$51 AUD/set of 2, Ferm Living.
‘Pudil’ bookend
$33 (was $44.95)/18.5cm, Freedom.
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