Grouping books by colour is a perfect way to keep shelves looking tidy. Great - until you try to find a specific title. To the Lighthouse. I know it is white. The white books were on top of the armoire. I couldn't shelve them with with other books because I needed the space for the milk glass collection. The chair to reach the top of the armoire has a wicker basket, a giant atlas, a national geographic coffee table book and a plant staged beautifully on it. That won't stop me. I grabbed the stool from my son's room and groped around up there. A brass hedgehog came crashing down. Only then did I pull down every single book in the room, arrange them alphabetically, and attempt to line them up again. At the S's it became clear I don't have enough space (this is after I removed anything businessy to store back on top of the armoire). Eventually, I mashed them all in, stacks and rows. Adams to Updike. Looks like chaos, but I promise you, not a single book is out of place!
Before:
Dare I say, thank you for this. Lately the obsession with colour sorting bookshelves (hey, I did it myself) and now dear lord, putting them on the shelf spine-in has started to make me cranky when I look at house design. How in heck are you supposed to use/read a book when you have no way of knowing where it is? I sort of feel like an old person muttering "kids these days" when I see those beige-paged arranged books like they're "objects". Pretty sure I'm not old enough for that yet. Loved your recommendation of Virginia Woolf BTW.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah J! When I first grouped them by colour, I thought I knew my books well enough to always find what I was looking for. Besides, I told myself, I always read new books...actually, I couldn't put new books away until I read them, because I might not find them again!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of hand cream do you suppose librarians use?
The "unorganized" version looks so much more real, and that makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteI like this - looks like a real 'library' instead of a prop. I am trying to zoom in to see what books you have that I haven't read yet... :)
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer the "unorganized" look. You've reminded me of an awesome used book store here in Halifax - it looks like utter chaos inside (picture stacks and stacks of books everywhere so that it's hard to walk), but the employees know where everything is and it's the most wonderful store to wander through and let the book find you!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am SO jealous of your milk glass collection.
ReplyDeleteMy books are all arranged by colour and sometimes I love it but usually it drives me nuts. I love your organized chaos! And I agree with Sarah J, the spine-in trend is just ridiculous. So basically the books are JUST an accessory and not for reading! Crazy people. I love that you're a reader, and not silly books, but real ones.
ReplyDeletedo people do the spine in thing in their houses?
ReplyDeletei thought that was a magazine thing...you know...staging...
I am sort of sick of 'staging' anything or even decorating...it's like after you get an 'upDo' from the hairdresser...you can't wait to run your fingers through it and tangle it all up in a messy way again...
it only took a year or two to assemble...really easy...everything under $5...which, I mean, there is a lot up there...but not much more than buying stuff at a dollar store!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was in a used bookstore yesterday and I wish I had floor to ceiling books! I bought three more!
ReplyDeleteI will ttry to post zoom shots for you later today!
ReplyDeleteme too!! thx!!
ReplyDeleteOk, I uploaded two photos so you might be able to see...but you can also go to the tabs under my header and see books I have read recently!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the zoom shot - very graphic! I also love that you have a books tab!
ReplyDelete