Shelf talk: Good book storage & library walls

Treasured tomes taking over the house? Read on for a little design inspiration, writes Sarah Pickette.

Book lovers are among the most devoted of collectors – because favourite stories are impossible to part with. But to keep tomes in your home you need the right storage for them. “Books add warmth and personality to a home,” says Dana Goldberg, interior designer and director of Nido Studio. “But they can present a storage issue in smaller homes and this is where you need to get creative.” Custom-designed floor-to-ceiling joinery may be the ultimate solution, allowing you to set shelves at just the right depth for your books, but sometimes slimline floating shelves or beautiful freestanding bookcases suit a room better.

IT’S A WRAP

With a major renovation underway, the owners of this Sydney home seized the opportunity to include an abundance of book storage. Interior designer Lisa Burdus came up with the ingenious solution of wrapping 20 metres of shelving around the mezzanine area that looks down onto the dining room. For uniformity, the shelves are set at a consistent 35cm depth and textural interest is delivered via the V-groove rear panelling. “On completion, we discovered the owners had more space than books, so a book-buying spree was in order. Lucky them!”

Lisa Burdus Design & Decoration, Crows Nest, NSW; lisaburdus.com.au.

BY THE BOOK

In this South Australian home, book storage has become part of the fabric of the building, says Susanna Bilardo, director of design firm Enoki. “For the owners of this home, books are a big part of the everyday – in an academic sense, but also because they feed the soul. The family wanted their books to be at hand.” This spot is located off the kitchen for that reason. “Books give an insight into the character of the family itself,” says Bilardo. “A home without books is like a home without family photos – a little empty.” Enoki, Adelaide, SA; enoki.com.au.

NOW AND ZEN

The owner of this Melbourne home asked Splinter Society Architecture to design a living room that was modest, intimate and would house her book collection. “My two passions are reading and entertaining,” she says. “This living room functions brilliantly as a cosy but light-filled library that can be opened up onto the deck and garden to create a large indoor-outdoor entertaining space.” The joinery utilises Armourpanel hardwood plywood in spotted gum. Splinter Society Architecture, Fitzroy, Victoria; splintersociety.com.

BUILT FOR BOOKS In this renovated Melbourne home the fine profile of the white B&B Italia ‘Flat C’ bookshelf was the point around which the entire study was designed. “We selected a deep, earthy charcoal for the walls, to offset the white geometry of the shelving,” says interior designer Fiona Lynch. “The slim lines and openness of the unit reveal the pressed metal of the original walls. There’s a lightness to the shelves that allows the qualities of the historic home to sing.” Fiona Lynch Interior Design, Collingwood, Victoria; fionalynch.com.au.

TA L L O R D E R T H E B E AU T Y O F A D O U B L EH E I G H T C E I L I N G I S T H AT I T O P E N S U P S PAC E I D E A L F O R B O O K STO RAG E . I N K E E P I N G WITH THE REST OF THIS BRISBANE HOME, THE J O I N E RY I S C U STO M - M A D E IN DARK AND MOODY P O LY T EC ‘ B L AC K N AT U RA’ . B O O KS STO R E D H E R E A R E ACC E S S E D V I A A N A N T I Q U E LADDER FROM HOBOHEMIA. T H E R E A R O F T H E S H E LV I N G I S PA I N T E D D U LU X E B O N Y. STAG G E R E D P E N DA N T L I G H TS , SA LVAG E D F RO M A FAC TO RY, P L AY U P T H E CEILING HEIGHT IN THE DINING AREA. ELLIVO ARCHITECTS, F O RT I T U D E VA L L E Y, Q U E E N S L A N D ; E L L I VO.CO M . Custom joinery means you can maximise your storage space.

NE W HEIGHTS A C O O L , Q U I E T S PAC E , T H E ‘MUSEUM ROOM’ OF THIS RENOVATED QUEENSLAND HOME IS WHERE THE OWNERS CAN SIT AND E N J OY T H E I R C O L L EC T I O N O F B O O KS , A RT A N D C U R I O S . A RC H I T EC T ST UA RT VO K E S S P EC I F I E D F LO O R - TO - C E I L I N G B L AC K B U T T J O I N E RY A N D A M ATC H I N G L A D D E R F O R T H I S S PAC E ( A L L CO N ST RU C T E D BY LO C A L J O I N E R D E S KS E TC ) . THE VINTAGE BENTWOOD C H A I R S A N D TA B L E W E R E SOURCED FROM EBAY AND T H E PA I N T I N G O F SA N D GAT E I S BY G . DW Y E R . VOKES AND PETERS, W E ST E N D, Q U E E N S L A N D ; VO K E SA N D P E T E R S .CO M .