Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Home Libraries......Create One For Yourself


Whether you are an avid reader or a collector of beautiful books, creating a home library is a fun way to display your interests while establishing a special space for reading.Your conception of a home library may be leather-bound books, wood paneling and classic yet comfortable furniture. But home libraries can be a dynamic expression of the owner's personality. The pictures below are for inspiration and hopefully will give you an ideas or two for decorating your own library.



That place that does contain
My books, the best companions, is to me
A glorious court, where hourly I converse
With the old sages and philosophers;
And sometimes, for variety, I confer
With kings and emperors, and weigh their counsels;
Calling their victories, if unjustly got,
Unto a strict account, and, in my fancy,
Deface their ill-placed statues.
Beaumont and Fletcher The Elder Brother, Act I, scene 2,




Yes, this is my dream library! If my old home had just one more room.......

While it might be difficult for a book lover to spend money on something other than books, at some point, you will need some bookshelves. There is a variety of way to store and display your collection.


Recessed, or built-in, bookshelves can provide floor-to-ceiling storage and space savings.



A house that has a library in it has a soul.
- Plato



A prized antique can be home to a small display of treasured leather bound classics.

What can I say except this homeowner is lucky to have these wonderful Gothic style book cases!



 Sting's home library. I love how books are displayed in different styles of old bookcases. They are still a cohesive unit because the wood is stained the same color. This is probably my favorite because of the interest it adds.

"I cannot live without books," declared U.S. President Thomas Jefferson to his friend John Adams.

I love, love, love this reading nook!!




Small but very decorated library. I could read here for hours!



If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. -Cicero



Yves Saint Laurent's beautiful library




While modest, this home library is big on style!


“No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books.” 
― Elizabeth Barrett Browning


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Don't forget a library is a good place for an office too.

We all need a chair like this to read in. Seriously though make sure your  library has a super comfortable chair or sofa to read in.

Don't think toy have to have expensive leather bound books.......these rooms are examples to inspire you to create YOUR home library. Hopefully you will come away with some good ideas....like lamps on columns!!

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A lovely library. Your shelves can hold other objets d'art and family pictures. All the things that make you happy!!


Actress Christina Ricci's home library. Libraries are best when tucked into quaint spaces.

A great reading nook!


I like the built in seats for reading in this hallway library.


They can be tucked under staircases or other out-of-the-way spaces.


“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” 
― Jane Austen   



Definitely original and very artistic.

Library by designer Kelly Wearstler.




There are different kinds of bookcases as this library so wonderfully reminds us.



Keith Richards's home library.

And who wouldn't love a secret door!!


“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”  - Groucho Marx

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Friday, June 14, 2013

Tropical British Colonial Interiors



I fell in love with this style when I vacationed in Barbados several years ago and stayed at Sam Lord's Castle, the former home of actual pirate Sam Lord, who lured ships aground by hanging lanterns in the coconut trees. Captains mistook the lights for the nearby port city of Bridgetown and ran their ships into the reefs. Sam and his men then promptly looted them. This beautiful plantation was decorated in authentic West Indies British Colonial style and couldn't help capturing my heart. Unfortunately this beautiful historical landmark burned to the ground in recent years, a sad loss for the people of Barbados.

As the British colonized the world, from America to India and the West Indies, they left a distinct style behind. This worldly and timeless design was influenced by the climate and cultures of the places the British inhabited. And British Colonial style was created. At its largest, the British Empire covered approximately one-quarter of the world. It truly was the empire on which the sun never set. As British subjects were sent around the world to the colonies to govern, do business, and protect the home country's interests, they brought with them the traditional decor from home which they intermingled with local materials and styles and adapted them to suit the practical needs of climate and landscape. They produced a unique and beautiful blended colonial style.

Built upon the romance of its bygone namesake era, tropical British Colonial and it's beautiful Caribbean Plantation homes recalls the exoticism of the tropics with the substance of traditional design.




Let the music whisk you away to the islands!




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Tropical British Colonial furniture takes its utilitarian influence from the tropical environments in which it was found. Using generous proportions of local wood such as Teak, Mahogany, and Mango Wood, this furniture was designed to absorb much of the humidity found in those areas.


Since the wood expands and contracts, much of the construction also used natural grasses and rattan to allow for this movement. I love the woven straw walls of this interior space.


British Colonial floors are often covered with woven sisal or reed mats, baskets are used for storage, and caning and weaving is used in chairs and furniture like this headboard.


Bamboo is also a popular material for bedding and other furniture.


Walls in British Colonial interiors are usually light in color which is lovely contrast to the dark wood floors and furniture. The pale colors help make the rooms seem light and airy which is important, at least psychologically, to counteract the oppressive heat. 




Tall, rounded windows or garden doors - An elegant touch often found in British Colonial decor.



Shutters to keep out the hot midday sun and ceiling fans with wide, rattan fanlike blades that helped to decorate as well as cool plantation rooms are all with us today. Other elements for your tropical British Colonial interior include mosquito netting draped around beds for a fun touch and bamboo shades for covering windows


To truly evoke a tropical paradise, dot the room with exotic plants.



Many times a room would be decorated with a trompe l'oeil effect adding depth and drama to an otherwise blank room or wall.


British Colonial furniture is a great complement to both traditional and transitional furniture designs and that's what keeps it relevant to this day.


Adding elements of this style to your home not only brings an air of romance and sophistication to the overall design, but will make you feel as though you've traveled around the world collecting without ever having really left home at all.



Tropical and British Colonial styles mesh together well because they both rely on themes of exotic islands and far-off travel.




Be sure and include large potted plants such as ferns and palms as well as orchids in your design.




Add a four poster bed to your bedroom. Decorate it with rich colors reminiscent of the tropics or Asia. Wicker and rattan furniture also fit well in a tropical or British Colonial bedroom. Add cushions or bed covers with a large tropical floral print. Use a large rattan trunk for storage at the end of the bed and look for heavy dressers and armoires with ornate Indian designs and rustic hardware.
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This style is equally fabulous  outside as well!!


Visit my website at www.lisafarmerdesigns.com


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