Literary Layout
Quiet, Please
Curling up with an absorbing story is as crucial to your well being as leafy greens or sunshine. And it's especially restorative if you have a corner dedicated to the printed word, with all the comforts—say, a cool linen-covered chaise lounge; plump, embroidered pillows; a cashmere throw; a good lamp as well as lots of natural light. Of course, you want well-stocked shelves within reach. Don't be surprised if you catch yourself napping between chapters.
Curling up with an absorbing story is as crucial to your well being as leafy greens or sunshine. And it's especially restorative if you have a corner dedicated to the printed word, with all the comforts—say, a cool linen-covered chaise lounge; plump, embroidered pillows; a cashmere throw; a good lamp as well as lots of natural light. Of course, you want well-stocked shelves within reach. Don't be surprised if you catch yourself napping between chapters.
Page-Turners
Art books are thrillers of a kind—but their drop-dead dust jackets and brilliant insides often remain unlooked-at after the first brief infatuation. Don't treat these weighty tomes as if they were museum pieces; leave them open on a coffee table, and turn to a new page each day for a changing display. A lusciously textured rug and raw silk cushions allow you and your guests to browse while lounging comfortably on the floor.
Art books are thrillers of a kind—but their drop-dead dust jackets and brilliant insides often remain unlooked-at after the first brief infatuation. Don't treat these weighty tomes as if they were museum pieces; leave them open on a coffee table, and turn to a new page each day for a changing display. A lusciously textured rug and raw silk cushions allow you and your guests to browse while lounging comfortably on the floor.
Booked Solid
You might sometimes want a light read, but you never want a flimsy bookend. Substance is the whole point. A wooden slab made from a recycled railroad tie, a steel and wood construct adorned with glass, and burnished metal blocks, do a handsome job of propping up your library. Don't be too conventional about where your books live. Any surface—desk, refrigerator top, windowsill—will work. For instant art lean a volume with a stunning cover against the wall.
Next: How to downsize and organize your collection of books
You might sometimes want a light read, but you never want a flimsy bookend. Substance is the whole point. A wooden slab made from a recycled railroad tie, a steel and wood construct adorned with glass, and burnished metal blocks, do a handsome job of propping up your library. Don't be too conventional about where your books live. Any surface—desk, refrigerator top, windowsill—will work. For instant art lean a volume with a stunning cover against the wall.
Next: How to downsize and organize your collection of books
From the July 2006 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine