Home libraries of the past are known for being dark, dusty, and dull. But this is no longer the case today. As more people stay at home to work and study amid a pandemic, home libraries are being redesigned. From dark and dusty, these areas turn into bright, functional, and Instagram-worthy places—helping people focus on work and giving them a professional and aesthetic background for their Zoom meetings.
If you need help building or redesigning your home office, here are several ways to make it modern.
Add a reading nook
Home libraries aren’t meant to be intimidating and purely academic spaces. If anything, they should bring the joy of reading into your home and make your day-to-day office or school tasks a bit more convenient. Adding a reading nook near your home office window is an easy way to achieve that vibe. That’s the perfect place to curl up with a good book during breaks or sit and sift through business documents.
Install creative shelving
If you already have wooden shelves in your old home office, you can repaint it and get termite treatment (remember, termites don’t only eat wood but also books!), so you can use it comfortably again. But if you want a totally new look for your home library, consider installing creative shelving in the space.
For example, cube cubbies installed diagonally aren’t only useful and create visual interest in your home library. Go outside the box when it comes to bookshelves to add that modern touch to your space.
Incorporate living room elements
To do away from the traditional home library’s dark and stiff look, integrate a few living room details. Adding an overstuffed armchair placed on a patterned rug can make your home office look cozy. Fresh flowers and large windows that let natural light seep in can also brighten the area. But be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want a space that’s too relaxed for you to be productive at work daily.
Look for a wall
Here’s another good news for those who want a modern home library: it doesn’t have to be a room. If you have limited floor space, you can create a small corner in the living area or even in the dining room to be your mini-home library. All you need are a good desk, headphones, and a wall. Any wall can have floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books and decors that can light up the room and keep you in work mode.
An additional tip for your floor-to-ceiling shelves: arrange the books by color. This helps you transform an overload of random objects into a bright, orderly, and cohesive design element that’s perfect to be a focal point of your living room or dining area. Also, paint the shelves white for a cleaner, sleeker look.
With these pointers, you can transform wasted space in your home into a modern home library or give your existing dark and dull home office a new look. As the world fully transitions into a work-from-home future, you need a bright, inviting area in your home to help you stay productive and focused on your career.
