Visiting the Library

28 Monday Jun 2010

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“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” —Cicero

Image via Country Living---great place to read a book!

I enjoy reading, honest I do, but I must confess I prefer reading about home design and related topics (my passion). Up until recently I wouldn’t have uttered those words out loud—does posting count as “out loud”? I prefer reading design books over thought-provoking fiction and non-fiction most of the time and it was thanks to a designer friend of mine that I felt it was okay to mention that fact.

This is the left side of our family room bookcase; the books share space with the speakers.

Pardon the Nike commercial that is currently on the screen on our TV in our family room bookcase (my husband was watching the World Cup...as you can see my library shares space with other entertainment tools!

We happened to be at a ladies luncheon together and at the time I belonged to a book group. The topic of what everyone was reading came up and as we went around the table, when we got to my talented designer friend she simply said, “I only read design books”. Not with a defensive tone but just a matter of fact. I felt free, I thought, “well, if my friend, who I know is intelligent and interesting to converse with can do this, so can I!”

This is a very inviting living room/family room library.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been reading a murder mystery series by Louise Penny that is wonderful, but I confess that there are some books that don’t hold my attention. So, I borrow from the library any and all interior and garden design books I hear of. If I LOVE them I put them on my Amazon wish list and hope that someone in my family will buy it for me for birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day or Christmas.

A library can be as little as 7 books for some!

I’ve been introduced to a library website you could easily get lost in—I’ve attached the link but I am not sure of the name of the site. Their HOME page reads, “Booklovers never go to bed alone.” The site is open for folks to post pictures of libraries—public and private, on a daily basis {so the pictures change daily}.

Books can add color and design to any room.

Then my husband sent me a link to this website where you can record the titles of the books you read. It’s great because, If you’re like most of us, you read books and then forget the title and/or author’s name. This offers you your own private journal of books/authors and your review of the book. If you keep it to just the record of your personal reading-list the Library Thing is free.