Fall calls to mind cozy mugs of hot drinks, scenic views, and a stack of great books. So it only seems appropriate that after Labor Day, a holiday that heralds autumn, we’d have two literary holidays!
Read A Book Day is observed on September 6th. And to continue the spirit of celebrating reading, International Literacy Day comes right on its heels, on September 8th. So, between these upcoming holidays and the fact that reading is simply an excellent pastime, we’re going to dive into a book-related topic today.
A MOBILE HOME LIBRARY
Perhaps you’ve always nurtured the dream of getting stuck for a few days in a library. Since you wouldn’t have anything else to do, you could simply read books. No laundry, no housecleaning, no job. However, most of us know this is both unlikely to happen and probably would be inconvenient if it did happen.
Still, you may be wondering how you could incorporate your love of books in your home more than you already have. If you’ve got stacks of books sitting around looking like a weird form of furniture or decor and you’d like to move a step up, read on.
ONE ROOM OR THE WHOLE HOUSE?
So, there are two options for you. Technically, there are probably far more than two, but we’ll limit ourselves to two here. First, convert a single room in your mobile home into a library. Second, opt to turn the entire mobile home into a library. Whichever you choose, you’re going to want something to put those books on!
LET’S TALK SHELVING
First up: what to do about crazy, disorganized stacks of books? Of course, shelving is a natural option. This provides an opportunity to organize the books while keeping them available.
Whether you decide to buy shelving or make some yourself may depend on your personality and how much time you have available.
When it comes to bookcases, check out some options The Spruce has put together. And once you’ve gotten a feel for the variety of options, take a peek at Apartment Therapy’s Top Ten: Shelving Units & Bookcases.
BUILD IT
Conversely, if you’re in a mood to make something, check out Jennifer Pointdexter’s 51 DIY Bookshelf Plans & Ideas to Organize Your Precious Books.
Before we move on, here’s a helpful reminder. Take care that your bookshelves are well-made. Books are heavy objects, so go to extra trouble on the front end to prevent collapsing shelves and book messes.
LET’S TALK AMBIANCE
The atmosphere or ambiance of your space is an important thing to consider as you design your library. In short, ask yourself the question: what “feel” do I want my library to have?
WARM & COZY
Should the library be warm and cozy, stacked with books from floor to ceiling? In this case, you may be trying to recreate a look you remember from elsewhere. Perhaps you want to model it after a favorite old bookstore or historic university library.
Even though you want your library to feel cozy, remember that you need to have adequate light to read by. So, choose your lights carefully. Perhaps dark wood shelving or bookcases will help you achieve the look you’re going for. Additionally, choose some oil paintings and antique furniture to complete the look.
COOL & LIGHT
Not a fan of warm and cozy? That’s okay. With light colors and plenty of natural light, you can create a library you find inviting. White, gray, or light blue walls are all options. Plus, add white trim to the gray or blue walls.
Consider white bookshelves and be sure to bring in some green plants to help you keep the place looking fresh. On top of this, you can group your books by color for a very pleasant look. For instance, a whole cluster of red books is very striking on a small white bookshelf.
JUST ONE ROOM
If you only have one room, one option is to place shelves throughout the room, not just around the outside edges. Try placing shelves or bookcases back-to-back in the middle of the room. Now scatter a few comfy chairs and side table with lights around the room as space allows.
NEED MORE SPACE
However, your book collection may not be small enough to fit in one room. If this is the case, and you’ve got the option to turn your whole mobile home into a library. Here are some thoughts:
Since you’ll have several rooms, remember that you don’t have to paint them all the same color. However, you may want to try to keep a cohesive look and prevent colors from clashing between rooms.
If you’ve got the whole house to work with, don’t force yourself to simply line the walls with books. You have space, so why not use it? Create some reading nooks and even conversation areas for book discussion groups. Plus, enjoy setting up your books alongside decor that you love.
LET’S BE SYSTEMATIC
Take time to plan your library creation. You may want to check out this article on 7 Apps for Cataloguing Your Home Library to help you get organized.
Additionally, remember that you can swap out your library’s decor according to the seasons. Have a little fun with this. If your mobile home library needs a fall look, gather some thoughts here.
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