A House Built for Books
Posted by Qais Fulton
Due in no small part to my parents’ arguably accurate viewpoint that literature is the pinnacle of art, I have alway had a savage love for books. The fantastic fictional worlds I’m drawn to lose myself in are but a small part of my affinity; I love the smell of books, the way a book feels in my hands as I read it, the familiar thump of a paperback in a pocket, and the way a home adorned with countless shelves of books is truly made complete.
When I saw this home, constructed by Gianni Bartsford Architects for an unnamed writer, seemingly built for the express purpose of housing, enjoying, and creating books, I was immediately filled with an avaristic lust. Oh sure, it’s also located on a private, quiet, topical beach-front forest in Costa Rica and that sounds heavenly; but you could put a room such as the one above in the most foul armpit of the world and still I could be found reclined in my chair, lost to the world by dint of the book in my lap.
Gianni Botsford [FFFFound : ectochat] Thanks, Xiph!
Categories: Architecture, Books, Design, Librophilia
Posted at 9:34 pm on February 20, 2008
60 Comments -
All class.
Comment by Sharky — February 21, 2008 @ 3:43 am
thats awesome. i think every house should be like that
and maybe it would inspire people to read more
Comment by adrienne — February 21, 2008 @ 10:00 pm
That’s sweet, every house should have a room specifically made for books, if not the whole house itself.
Comment by Matt — February 21, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
I don’t like the rugs in this room. Too small. The piano doesn’t fit the style, either. Are those bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling? No, I don’t like this room. Sorry.
Comment by QueenVelveeta — February 21, 2008 @ 11:02 pm
I think I would end up getting really irritated by the fact that every shelf has a diagonal line going through it. Would damage my pretty hardbacks.
Comment by ayche — February 21, 2008 @ 11:59 pm
I think its a wonderfully warm and comfortable room. I would feel absolutely safe and snug in a space like this.
I might add a comfy couch and a small wine and coffee nook. Other than that it is perfect.
Comment by herkateness — February 22, 2008 @ 12:17 am
You don’t like the RUGS!! And piano perfectly belongs, whether the owner plays it or not. Friends do. It’s PERFECT!!
Comment by vvginstepginstepvginstep — February 23, 2008 @ 3:06 am
Oh wow. I love that! Can I have it in my house? xD
Comment by Jenny — February 23, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Oh man, wow. I saw that and got shivers up my spine. This is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Comment by JMB — February 23, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Reminds me of what Groucho Marx said:
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
Comment by quotes — February 23, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
Every house should have a room like this. Give me a comfortable chair, a nice warm blanket and a pot of coffee and I could get lost in a room like this!
Comment by Christine — February 24, 2008 @ 12:31 am
I don’t think there would bee enough shelf space in that house for all the books that i have collected over the years!
Comment by Stephen — February 24, 2008 @ 4:43 am
ugly.
Comment by url — February 24, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
great room. it’s nice to see books in rooms other than the bathroom.
Comment by theBlueTick — February 25, 2008 @ 7:52 am
please, please post a larger/higher resolution of this!!!!!
Comment by ahna — February 25, 2008 @ 9:45 am
Its sad to say, but many of the youth of today would just not understand this.
Comment by OnlineColleges — February 25, 2008 @ 12:24 pm
[...] angle and geometry makes it incredibly more appealing that a simple series of vertical lines. (via) Another view [...]
Pingback by I am made of blue sky and hard rock and I will live this way forever » The House Built for Books — February 25, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
OnlineColleges – It’s true that many youth would not appreciate this, but I’m a college Freshman and about fainted when I saw this. It’s gorgeous and amazing. I’m saving this picture for when I design my own house in the future.
Comment by CollegeGirl — February 26, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
I want to sit and read them all. Great post. V
Comment by veronicaromm — February 27, 2008 @ 9:00 am
What a nice room. What the hell is with the stupid ass placement of the piano and other junk in there. What a retard.
Comment by OpenTheDoor — February 27, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
OpenTheDoor-
Oh, how brave you are online with such
an infantile remark. Would you actually
in the real world, tell the owner of the
house that he was a ‘retard’ for daring to
put a piano in this room, in his own freakin’ house? A RETARD??? OK, so you think the room sucks. Show some class,
fucktard.
Comment by LordFool — March 1, 2008 @ 5:58 am
Can I have 2 please – one for my home and one for our bookstore.
Comment by Fran — March 1, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
People complaining about the piano- silly people!!! I didn’t even notice it, just saw those amazing shelves, and started drooling…
every room of every house should be filled with books like that shelving is, absolutely beautiful. And to OnlineColleges, although I agree with your comment, I would consider myself to be part of the ‘youth today’ and am currently drooling over this picture!
Comment by Laura — March 1, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
Lovely!
Like Christine I would ask a comfortable chair, a warm blanket and a pot of hot chocolate (instead coffe), and my glasses, of course!
Raquel
Comment by raquel — March 2, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
nice house, good idea for building this kind of house, its a cool place to read books. and more inspiring…
Comment by sylph — March 3, 2008 @ 2:32 am
Nice post, but it’s your logo that I love the most! Very cool octopus-thingy!
Comment by Utah Joe — March 3, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
oh my goodness; i am in love with this room! and for those who think youth wouldn’t appreciate this; i’m 16 years old and i find this room quite remarkable. gimme! i want it. haha. it’s cozy, and i love books. whoever said it was ugly probably doesn’t read at all. sad, really.
Comment by ashley — March 3, 2008 @ 11:30 pm
It’s interesting how many people feel called upon to state their negative reaction to the design and decor of this room, instead of commenting on its function. Frankly, nobody cares if you don’t like it. You don’t have to live there. But it would be beyond wonderful to have the luxury of being able to devote all of that space to the love of books and music. THAT’s the point.
BTW, If the owner of this luxurious home lives next door to a hovel inhabited by desperately poor, starving people (have seen such irony while on a trip to Mexico), please don’t tell me about it. Let me dream the world is fair, even though I know it isn’t…
Comment by Guinnevere — March 5, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
I lived in Costa Rica. It is the most foul armpit of the world. Don’t buy the tourism hype. Enjoy your vacation – but don’t underestimate the crime rate if you move to San Jose.
Comment by theophilus — March 5, 2008 @ 6:48 pm
I lived in Costa Rica. It is the most foul armpit of the world. Don’t buy the tourism hype. Enjoy your vacation – but don’t underestimate the crime rate if you move to San Jose.
Love the room.
Comment by theophilus — March 5, 2008 @ 6:48 pm
Anybody that reads is either a commie bastard or a fag.
Comment by Noone — March 5, 2008 @ 11:21 pm
I like the big bookshelf, but it’s really not that creative or impressive. I’ve seen many pictures of warmer, more inviting rooms than that.
It’s missin ga comfy chair and a comfy couch for reading, with a nice lamp that provides warm yellow light that only illuminates you and your book. I love the feel of being in my own isolated bubble of light while I read at night. I like to be able to flop on the couch or the floor to read – not much possibility of that with all the hardwood and the lack of couches. I don’t see a sound system for any nice music while you read.
It’s not a bad room, but why do people think it’s some kind of ultimate reading room?
Comment by Brian — March 6, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
dude sounds like u came when u were writing that paragraph calm down lol
Comment by Zac — March 6, 2008 @ 10:47 pm
i like da book shelf.. its pretty awesome. im not crazy about da rest of the room but i need a book shelf like that.. i have way 2 meny books and that would come in handy.
Comment by mallory — March 8, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
This was in Wallpaper last year. Its an incredible library.
Comment by Brad Dunn — March 8, 2008 @ 8:57 pm
What a wonderful combination of books and music . .no one ever has too many books or enough time.
Comment by Dawn — March 17, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
I wish i just had that piano! let alone the whole room
Comment by Sarah — March 19, 2008 @ 7:20 am
Whenever I see a book display – I want to see the titles!!!
Comment by Heather — March 19, 2008 @ 9:31 am
I don’t see what the big deal is, it’s a library in a house, ok most people don’t have one but still, not unheard of.
Comment by Paulaner — March 19, 2008 @ 11:47 am
By the way, I’ve been studying design for 7 years now and the design of the shelves is not exactly earth shattering either.
Comment by Paulaner — March 19, 2008 @ 11:55 am
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this room! I actually like hardwood surfaces a lot, maybe its the scandinavian in me. I’d exchange the desk for a large sofa with big, soft cushions, some bigger rugs and a coffee table. and a reading lamp, of course. And maybe a bed, as it would be my favourite room and I’d probably not want to leave it.
Comment by Susanne — March 27, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
where do you sit?
Comment by anon — April 15, 2008 @ 11:56 pm
I love the start of Paul Auster’s Moon Palace where all of Marco Stanley Fogg’s furniture is made of books, but they slowly disappear as he sells them to keep going.
Also, The Guardian newspaper has a brilliant site showing different writers’ rooms, revealing the influence books have on them. One day soon I hope to be featured!
Comment by Keith Mansfield — April 20, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
… but something is missing. I wonder what it could be.
Comment by Mark — April 22, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
Love it. Though needs a nice chair and a lamp. Screw u all the piano rocks. The books shelves rock. Though u said youth wouldnt appreciate this well ha. I do love this room. I need the storage for all my books
Comment by Noah — May 6, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
that’s just gross – i mean, who wants such a freakishly perfect room to read in and play the piano in :( I’m green with envy and bile. It’s so beautiful (sniff…sniff)
Comment by tammy — May 14, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
The space itself is awesome, though far from “the most beautiful room” I’ve ever seen. And I have to agree that the rugs and light bulbs are kind of stupid looking, but to each his own, I guess. I dig the big windows and the fact that everything is wood. I think that the diagonals in the bookshelf, while cool looking, are a bit impractical and would probably get kind of annoying. Interesting room, though.
Comment by Cello — May 15, 2008 @ 3:00 pm
this is very much along the lines of a room i have dreamt about owning ever since i was little.
please don’t slag it off, just be safe in the knowledge that if you were ever to own a room like this you could design it exactly the way you wanted it!
off to read in the corner of my living room now and dream! :(
Comment by jammyd — June 9, 2008 @ 5:15 pm
My wife would love it!
Comment by iorr — July 1, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
I’ve always wanted a room like this.
One day maybe, I will.
Comment by David — July 7, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
I feel it’s a safe bet that anyone who notices anything about this room but the wall of books is not a true lover of literature. I grew up in a house where 2 of the four living room walls were made entirely of bookshelves, and we still didn’t have enough room for them all. I long to have a home like that again.
Comment by XMalice — July 14, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
hi
r1ylcc1d7uk7q4n7
good luck
Comment by Abigail Bradford — January 9, 2009 @ 4:52 am
I would love to be able to go to a bookstore and pick out any books that I want and fill my entire house up with them but that would never happen and I probably wouldn’t have enough time to read them anyway. Tee hee
Comment by Adeline — May 3, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
awesome bookshelves, thanks for sharing. i love books as well, and i would LOVE a room like this in my home. i would love to have space to keep all my books.
ps…for those who commented on the ‘aesthetics’ of the room, or the other drawbacks….really????
Comment by maria — May 12, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
As a classical pianist and an avid reader, this room sits well with me. However, I think that I’d be quite unable to leave it and thus would be found years later covered in books and sheet music; atrophied and smiling ear to ear…
Comment by Jamar — May 14, 2009 @ 4:54 pm
That is so sexy. You do, however, need to put a much more comfortable chair in there. Then it would be perfect.
I didn’t even notice the other furniture in the room at first… just the books. LOL.
Comment by Serena — May 14, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
This, and a gorgeous man by my side, would undoubtedly be my idea of the garden of earthly delights.
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
Nobody mentioned what would make this room perfect (if possible). Move the piano closer to the windows. In the middle of the bare wall should be a fireplace or wood stove. Large sofa, comfy chair etc. and a place to rest your beer (OK, wine).
Comment by Thor — March 6, 2010 @ 11:35 am
I forgot. There probably aren’t many fireplaces in Costa Rica. I live more north.
Comment by Thor — March 6, 2010 @ 11:43 am
I stumbled this room… I would love living in a room like that
Comment by Rain johnson — March 21, 2010 @ 1:03 pm