A Home for My Books

image via amberinteriordesign.com

I have an interior design question...

Where do people keep their books? I’ve been scouring home decor sites and designers' Instagram feeds, looking for inspo ahead of a big move next month. I keep looking at living rooms and wondering, where are the books? Yes, there are bookcases and built-ins. But they are "styled" and have very few books adorning their shelves. Typically there are a few coffee table books and a handful of knick-knacks and small framed prints. Where are all the well-loved hardcovers and dogeared paperbacks? Not in the living rooms I'm looking at, which all have a "clean aesthetic." Apparently the clean vibe doesn't lend itself to lots of books.  

Right now I have our books stacked in an aesthetically pleasing and slightly OCD color-coded arrangement. But the books are stacked horizontally vs. inserted vertically, and the whole thing requires too much upkeep. The girls bump into the books, knock them over, and then I have to painstakingly place each tome back where it belongs. Plus, each time I finish a book I have to find a place for it in its same color stack. I'm over it.

I once dated a guy who was super zen about his books and gave away all his favorites. I admire his non-attachment. I am the opposite. I hoard meaningful books, keeping the extra special ones close to my bed in a basket.

Am I a basketcase? Maybe. But I still need to figure out how to tastefully display my most prized possessions. One decorator I found on social media placed all his client's books in backwards, so that only the white pages showed and not the mismatched spines. While I appreciate the monochrome look, the whole concept is torture to a book lover like myself. As Meatloaf said, I’ll do anything for (design) love but I won’t do that. No I won’t do that. There has to be a better way.

My home decor style is Amber Interiors meets Nancy Meyers movie sets. If you can find a home for my beloved books in that interior vibe, please advise.

AES