Collection by William Lamb

Library Style: 6 Looks at Books in the Modern World

In the Kindle era, it's possible to do away with ink-on-paper books in the name of decluttering. And yet there's something about those old volumes that, for many of us, helps make a house a home. Here are six modern living spaces that use books to make a simple, elegant statement.

The living room is five steps down from the kitchen and office space and features textured black slate tile from Olympia Tile, Voyage Immobile sofas with Farniente collection upholstery (a wedding present from Flanders’s mother) by Roche Bobois, and a rug from Turkmenistan the couple picked up in Jerusalem. The sliding glass doors are by Loewen and the glazing above is by Inline Fiberglass. Sawatzky relied on Wayne Arsenault for the custom millwork and carpentry.
The living room is five steps down from the kitchen and office space and features textured black slate tile from Olympia Tile, Voyage Immobile sofas with Farniente collection upholstery (a wedding present from Flanders’s mother) by Roche Bobois, and a rug from Turkmenistan the couple picked up in Jerusalem. The sliding glass doors are by Loewen and the glazing above is by Inline Fiberglass. Sawatzky relied on Wayne Arsenault for the custom millwork and carpentry.
Yuko Shibata, a Tokyo architect, wanted more shelf space in her home office, so she added a plywood door with built-in bookshelves that opens into her bedroom to form a reading nook. Glimpsed from the adjacent room, the space looks larger than it actually is, thanks to the bright green walls. Photo by Ryohei Hamada.
Yuko Shibata, a Tokyo architect, wanted more shelf space in her home office, so she added a plywood door with built-in bookshelves that opens into her bedroom to form a reading nook. Glimpsed from the adjacent room, the space looks larger than it actually is, thanks to the bright green walls. Photo by Ryohei Hamada.
Mathieu Vinciguerra reads in front of the distinctive storyboard shelves in his Paris apartment, which H20 Architects designed to accommodate a portion of his massive comic book collection. “We wanted to feature the comics without letting them become visually overwhelming,” says Antoine Santiard of H20. “So we developed this box concept, where bits of white space separate all the shelves.” Photo by Céline Clanet.
Mathieu Vinciguerra reads in front of the distinctive storyboard shelves in his Paris apartment, which H20 Architects designed to accommodate a portion of his massive comic book collection. “We wanted to feature the comics without letting them become visually overwhelming,” says Antoine Santiard of H20. “So we developed this box concept, where bits of white space separate all the shelves.” Photo by Céline Clanet.
Ran and her brother, Gen, read on one of the structure’s 44 continuous steps.
Ran and her brother, Gen, read on one of the structure’s 44 continuous steps.
Allison Orr stands in the kitchen; the new half of the house is behind her.
Allison Orr stands in the kitchen; the new half of the house is behind her.