My books have a new home!
As I was scrolling thru Pinterest the other day I found an article on book memes. There were some that so reflected me that I laughed out loud.
I love books, they are an integral part of my life and I can’t imagine not being able to have them.
Before I go into a bookstore, I have to set a budget! I am a shopaholic and try not to go shopping unless I really need something. But every now and then I need to be in a bookstore.
A couple of years ago I finally broke down and bought a Kindle.
But, I only bought it so I wouldn’t spend money on new authors and then find out I didn’t like them and had wasted my money. So, while I still use my Kindle, nothing beats being in your jammies, curled up on the sofa with the kitties, a glass of wine and a good book. And if it happens to be raining outside? All the better.
When I bought my little Cape Cod, it needed (still needs) a lot of work.
So for several years, my books were stacked everywhere and in just about every room. Several piles in my bedroom and next to the sofa, some on the dinning room table, a few in the guest room…you get the idea.
Last year I was finally able to think about bookcases.
My house was built in the early 1900s.
It is an adorable home to me and my kitties. There are lots of things that still need to be done.
But after finding out the previous owners had torn out the built-in bookcases….what’s up with that?!
I told my brother that replacing the built-ins were the next project.
My dad and older brother have helped me with fixing up my home. We converted the upstairs into an apartment I rent out, gutted and redid my bathroom, replaced the roof and several other projects. And the list hasn’t gotten any smaller! But I will share those tales another day.
Back to the bookcases.
My brother drew up some ideas and I choose one and we got started.
I don’t have many pictures – wasn’t thinking about sharing this story. But have a few. The picture to the right is my cat enjoying the beginnings of the window seat which is in the middle of the wall of bookcases.
Now – my brother is an engineer and he thinks like one.
Why do you need to know that? So you can imagine his reaction to some of my ideas. He’s pretty conservative in most things and I can drive him crazy with some of my ideas and the way I live.
How I wanted to paint the bookcases was one of those ideas. My living room is painted a medium grey with hardwood floors. I have a dark grey sectional with jewel-toned velvet pillows and the area rug is a deep teal.
As you can see in the pictures – I choose a light eggplant color for the bookcase (or deep amethyst in keeping with the jewel tone theme).
My brother couldn’t even begin to imagine that – he wanted me to paint them grey to match the walls with white trim.
Ah,that would be a big fat no! lol!
close up of paint color
back color
So then I really blew his mind when I painted the back walls of the bookcases acid green.
Then I found the amazing doorknobs below on Etsy and it came together.
Even my brother loved it when it was done!
hand-painted door knobs
But! They didn’t hold all my books! So now I am trying to see where I can build some more.
Maybe the guest room? We shall see.
Do you collect books? How do you house them? Do you arrange them alphabetically? By authors? Or totally decoratively?
I have been designing some t-shirts based on the things I love! Below are three from my Library Collection. If you click on the picture it will take you to the shop. Let me know your thoughts on them and if you buy one!
