At Marilyn Rose Interiors, we believe in designing spaces that will actually be used. We don’t believe in show rooms behind a velvet rope that can never be touched – we want the homes we design to be lived in and loved!
Our clients often request libraries for their homes and estates. The owner of this Muttontown home knew that she wanted a library before her home was built. We had great fun designing it with her!
Our top library design tips are:
1) Give the room a purpose besides just being a place to store your books. This homeowner uses her beautiful library as an office – we installed a desk for her to place her laptop on. Her husband uses it as his “man cave” – his humidor is in the next room, so the library is a perfect place to enjoy an evening with the guy as well.
2) Design it with a hint of classicism in mind. When most people think of libraries, they envision the classic wood-paneled libraries of yesteryear, and for good reason. Because there so many bookshelves and cabinets in libraries, it makes sense to panel the whole room in wood to give it a sense of uniformity. In this room, we chose a deep wood stain that envelopes the room and provides warmth.
3) Pick a killer light fixture. Libraries are a great space to really show off a great light fixture – you can choose something a little more exciting than you would in a family room or dining room.
4) Accessorize! This homeowner and I had the best time hunting antique stores for the best accessories to put on the bookshelves. There are LOTS of shelves in a library, so lots of space to style!
If you’re interested in hiring Marilyn Rose Interiors to design your library space, email us today!