Double-Duty Design: The Library and Guest Room
These 6 book-lined guest rooms offer the best of both worlds
For some, a home with a dedicated library featuring a fireplace and overstuffed leather chairs would be the ultimate retreat. For others, a hotel-worthy guest room to wow friends and family would be a dream come true. Unfortunately, space is often limited and sacrifices have to be made, but with a little ingenuity, you can still have the best of both worlds. Creating a guest room that doubles as a library just might be the answer for you. Here are 6 library-guest rooms that are (leather) bound to inspire you.
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1. Pullout power. If you host guests only occasionally, a pullout sofa might be the most practical option for your guest room. This Boston home features a pullout sofa in the center of the room, making it an ideal spot to plop down to read a good book.
Weiss Architecture Inc, original photo on Houzz
2. Cozy chair. You’ll notice that many library-guest rooms feature an accent chair and table. This simple gesture has the power to style a library out of what would otherwise seem to be just a bedroom with a bookcase. Having somewhere to read besides the bed increases the likelihood that you’ll use the space even when guests aren’t around.
3. Knockout nooks. Slip back and forth between daydreams and dozing with a built-in daybed and bookshelves. Built-in units like these help maximize space in a small room, and selecting a double or queen-size mattress makes the space feel more like a legitimate bedroom than just a reading nook. This room even tucks a second mattress behind the headboard wall and continues the book theme overhead.
4. Small wonder. Long, skinny layouts like this can be tricky to furnish, but using a tall bookcase to form a little entry vestibule preserves the privacy of whoever snoozes here and zones the space into more pleasing proportions. With so much useful space on the shelves, the walls and floors remain uncluttered, which is essential to keeping a room this size feeling cozy rather than claustrophobic.
Give Your Books a Beautiful Home
5. Two styles in one. This guest room features the characteristics of both a traditional, academic library and a light, crisp bedscape to create what feels like two destinations working harmoniously together. To sit at the antique table and peruse a novel must truly feel like a different experience than waking up in the hotel-worthy bed.
PLATEMARK DESIGN, original photo on Houzz
6. Headboard highlight. Who needs a grandiose headboard when you’ve got books galore? Placing the bed under a wall of custom bookcases is the perfect setup for those who like to read in bed. Both the books and reading lamps are easily accessible for an easy transition from wakefulness to sleep.
Shed Some Light on Your Favorite Book
