So … the books that you own (however many there may be) … do you display them proudly right there in plain sight for all the world to see? (At least the world that comes into your living room.) Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?” I wish I had the space to display my books properly. I would love nothing better than to sit and rearrange them. It's the geek in me (or anal retentive depending on how you look at it). I have thought about how I would display them when I do have the space (my ultimate goal). First of all I have so many they will need a room to themselves. Would I alphabetise them a-z by author? Or would I split them into genre and then alphabetise? I have a pile of precious signed books, would I keep them separate? Would I keep my craft books (of which I have over 60) separate? I can't decide. I would probably play about with them and change it several times before I am happy. I have a friend who has floor to ceiling bookcases round two walls of her living room and they are displayed in alpha order. I would have thought it would make her living room cluttered but it doesn't. I must have sat admiring them for a good twenty minutes. My books are piled everywhere. My bookcases are doubled up. I have one space especially for my signed and limited edition books and that's full. I have stacks in wardrobes, piled up anywhere out the road. They are tidy and in some kind of order and done in a way so that the house doesn't look cluttered and the books won't be damaged. Every so often I do a cull but there are some books I just can't part with.
If you love book displays you should go to a website called Bookshelf Porn. It's not how it sounds. There are some amazing photo's of different ways books are displayed. One of my favourites at the moment (which seems to be fairly popular just now) is to display them in order of colour. Looks quite effective. The image below isn't the best I've seen but it gives you the idea (was also taken from the above website). Honestly, go check it out.
Whenever we get a bigger house, my husband and I want to start and honest to goodness, floor to ceiling library/reading room! I think that would rule!
ReplyDeleteHere's my post:
http://www.violethourbr.com/2011/04/booking-through-thursday-47.html
That bookcase picture is awesome! It's a constraint in our house to have big furniture...it eats up the space mostly.
ReplyDeleteIf I had more room I would definitely arrange them alphabetically - no more endless hours hunting down a book I really really need to read.
ReplyDeleteSally.
http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/04/booking-through-thursday-12.html
The book case is awesome. A friend did that on a smaller scale. Looked really good but sadly don't have a photo.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those sad people who could probably remember the colour of the books so if it was sorted that way finidng a book specific one wouldn't be a problem.
I love the look of books in every room...While I would love to have a room designated just for books, I would still want them everywhere!
ReplyDeleteHere's MY BTT POST
Realistically I would have books in every room. Cook books in the kitchen, coffee table books in the living room, my craft books with my sewing machine and of course whatever I am currently reading next to my bed.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be able to show off my books.
Great bookcase!
ReplyDeletestop and see mine and my giveaways.
I decided to organize my shelves the most boring way possible: Dewey Decimal. It's been easier for me to find what I'm looking for but it definitely doesn't look all that nice.
ReplyDeleteI love Bookshelf Porn too :-) Our books are all over the place, but I can't say that they are on display. They are in crammed bookcases all over the place. We live with books, we don't display them
ReplyDeleteI have come across a few people who mentioned they organise their books by Dewey Decimal. If I had worked in libraries rather than bookshops then maybe I would be tempted to do the same.
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing website. So many good images. If I had the space and didn't think I would damage my books I'm sure I would try out a few.