The “Finished” Library Tour
I grew up adoring books and the worlds found within them. Each summer, my mom would take us to the library to load up on books, and I always left with an absolute pile of them. I would stack them in the corner of my room, and pore over each one.
The tiny bookcase in my childhood bedroom went through periods of being absolutely stuffed to the gills with books. One of my bedrooms even had a window seat, the perfect spot for an afternoon read.
Then, I saw Beauty and the Beast. I watched Belle glide across a bookstore on a library and the Beast gift her a room filled with nothing but books, and a dream was born: Some day, I would have my own library.
When I was pregnant with my youngest and attempting to clean out our spare bedroom to make way for another little boy bedroom, a thought occurred to me.
We don’t even use the dining room; it’s small and situated super awkwardly. What if we turned it into a library?
As sad as I was to part with our first dining set as a married couple, I was even more excited to begin the process of giving my huge stash of books a permanent home.
On top of storing books, I originally saw the library as being a more traditional post-supper gathering place. I wanted an area for reading, maybe a spot for playing board games or constructing puzzles, and definitely a bar cart for those infrequent night caps.
I started with an old pine bookshelf that took up half the wall; it reminded me so much of a similar bookshelf at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings estate. We traveled across the state to pick it up, and it was worth every penny and bit of hassle.
From there, I snagged the real library dream: that rolling ladder.
Within the six months, I’ve really focused on fine-tuning the space. Swapping out the chaise lounge for comfy vintage rockers. Substituting our bar cart for an actual bar cabinet. Outfitting the cased opening with two antique built-ins.
And I found and restored the pine cabinet of my dreams, replacing the original dream pine bookshelf. The only thing I haven’t been able to carve out space for is that little game area; but I have ideas for that in other areas of the house.
The library has taken many shapes throughout the past three and a half years. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before some other vintage treasure catches my eye and forces me to reconsider this space again. But for now, it feels so wonderfully complete and “finished.” I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour!
