Photos: My Library Takes Shape

My reading corner

Chris and I moved into our new house a couple of months ago, and while we still haven't completely gotten our stuff organized, things are starting to come together.  Since it's just the two of us (for now), he took one of the three bedrooms for his office, and I took another for my library.

The shelves don't match, they are overflowing and double-stacked in some places, the books are completely unorganized, and I have yet to spend any real time in there doing what I intended to do, which is read.  But it's starting to feel like a cozy reading room, with my Aunt Mary Chair (also known as "The Ugly Chair"), which came from, you guessed it, my Aunt Mary.  It has this great pink fabric with birds all over it.  It matches absolutely nothing in my house, and I love it.

My mother suggested I have the chair reupholstered when I first took possession of it two years ago, as Chris and I moved into our apartment.  I balked at the idea.  "Reupholster it?  What's wrong with it??"  As if the garish fabric was the most beautiful thing in the world.  I think it's beautiful for several reasons: first, it came from my Aunt Mary, whom I loved dearly (and still do, even though she is in the great beyond).  Second, I'm a sucker for pink, and birds.  (Slight OT moment here - have you seen Put a Bird On It?  Chris showed me this video.  I didn't think it was as hilarious as he did, but I totally think of it now whenever I look at my chair.)  Third, it is a unique piece of furniture with a great background, and the fabric just works for it!  Yeah, this thing isn't going to get reupholstered anytime soon.  Funny thing is, my mother now agrees with me.  *sly smile*

Messy corner of the library

You've noticed on the chair is a white quilt.  Well, that was a housewarming surprise from my parents (Mom?  Was Dad involved?  Who knows.  Haha).  See, my mother told me when the lace from her wedding dress didn't really work with my veil, that she was just going to throw the thing out because it's ugly anyway.  This made me sad, because I love my mom's dress.  If I were a size two, I would have worn my mom's dress.  Alas, she was a skinny-minny when she got married, and I was not.  But I digress.  Instead of throwing away her gown (which I remind you, I love), she sent it off to be turned into a quilt.  Sewn together with some other fabric are pieces of the lace, and the satin (I think it's satin, I'm not up on my fabrics) from her dress.  Yes, my heart almost exploded from happiness when I opened it up and saw what it was.  Since I don't want it to get ruined, for now it will hang over my Aunt Mary Chair.  Hmm...I wonder if this corner is going to turn into the "things I cherish" corner...

Anyway, back to the library.  The next picture up there is of the other side of the room, kitty-corner to the reading corner.  The bookcase on the right is Chris's, and is full of his books, and the one on the left is mine, and is also full of my books.  The bottom shelf is empty right now because I moved a lot of the larger books to the bookcase by my chair, and to the bookcase in the living room.  I also got rid of a bunch of books (some by accident, but I guess if I haven't read them then I probably never would have), so there is some empty space for me to stretch the collection out a bit.

Eventually the plan is to have matching shelving, with the shelves all around the walls.  For now, it'll do.  I feel quite calm when I walk into that room, which is helped by the great window that takes up about half of the back wall and looks out on our back yard.  We got some really nice curtains for cheap for that room, and I like to point out how much I paid for them every time I give a tour ($5 in the clearance bin at Boscov's.  I know!).

In the living room I have my barrister's bookcase and the built-in that came with the house, both of which are pretty full of my special books and classics.  I hope to one day (soon) get the library organized and archived, so that I know what I have and what I'm missing.  I am still missing a few of my favorite books, but they've been missing through three moves so by now I'm sure they're gone.  I will replace them, someday.

It's nowhere near Belle's library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, but it's mine.  And I'm happy to have it.