Building enough bookshelves...

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen, The New York Times

I've mentioned a few times that I would LOVE a library in my home for a myriad of reasons... I love ladders (and what library is complete without a rolling ladder??), bookshelves look so adorable and chic, they give you a place to store all of your collections and memories, but mostly: they store books. Sounds silly, right? I didn't know up until about middle school that some people find reading completely tedious. I can remember watching Sesame Street and learning the names and sounds of letters before I was 2. When my mom took me to the trolly stop one day (age 3), I sounded out the word "stop" on the sign at the end of the street and my mom stared at me, baffled. She figured she better teach me how to read properly since I was already trying. From then on, we LIVED at Tempe Public library, and I was never seen without a book in hand. I can't imagine life without books, and as classy as bookshelves are, to me, they are truly just storage place for all the amazing works of literature I own and have the privilege of reading.


To those who would say they don't enjoy the discipline, I would say you just need the right text. My husband HATED reading, which about broke my heart when I found out. I was convinced he just hadn't read anything which personally interested him. I tried to convince him to read something along with me, but he wouldn't agree until we went on a RIDICULOUSLY long car ride the summer after we got married. I started reading Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone aloud, and he was hooked within a chapter. Since then, we've been exploring the world of literature together, finding things he loves and broadening his horizons (this post is starting to feel "rambly" to me-I'll try to get to the point!), since the only thing he'd known before this was textbook-reading in school (DON'T EVEN get me started about the lack of quality texts read in public schools!! ).


All this to say, I LOVE my books; the places they take me are far beyond where I could ever go, and the lessons I've learned have impacted my life more than I ever imagined. That being said, I want to give my books a lovely place to live in my home, so here are some inspirational bookshelves that my books would be lucky to call home...

via Metropolitan Home
All this shelf is missing are books ;) I love that it spans the entire niche, though. What a great architectural detail.

via Elle Decor
Easy access to books while lying in bed is a wonderful idea. I don't love that the pictures would get in the way of my access to some of the books, but they are adorable, and give the space an extra punch of style.

Horizontally staking books looks so adorable, and it makes for easy access as well. I am constantly fighting my books to remain upright when another is removed from the set.

Organizing books by color is such a cute idea! Although I think I'd need an indexing system so I could search by genre or author as well (It's sick, I know...).

This room looks like heaven. Loads of comfortable and adorable seating, a picture window, and a GIANT supply of books!

via Elle Decor
Another addiction? Cookbooks. Holy love, I can't get enough of cookbooks and new recipes. I have roughly one bazillion cookbooks and I'm actively acquiring more. Also, I LOVE the way the pans are hanging here!

Another amazing reading room. Fireplace too?? Perfect!

I go back and forth here... Do I love the animal head? Do I hate it? I'm uncertain about it, but it's certainly original. And I like the idea of displaying vintage books all together on one shelf.

The painted farmhouse-looking shelf here is awesome. If I had horse show ribbons, I'd display them with my books too =)

via Lonny
Even though this ENORMOUS built-in is for storage, how chic would it be filled with books?!

via Lonny
Remove the TV, and you've got yourself a winning bookshelf (I HATE it when TV's dominate spaces). Also, I'm dying of amazing because of that regal, full-length mirror in the corner... Just sayin'.

via Pottery Barn
Don't you just flip when this catalog comes in the mail? I certainly can't afford anything there, except on uber-clearance, but their concept rooms are out of this world. I love having books in an office. My under-the-desk-space at work is CRAMMED full of books. It's a little gross... yet totally awesome.

Another picture in front of the books. Hmmmmm.... still not sure about the functionality of it, but it does look amazing. An office full of books is a great thing.

How about you; do you love reading or hate it? Can I convince you to read something you'll like?? I swear you'd fall in love with reading if you found the right text! Read a little something today that you love... and happy hump-day, friends!