In September, Hermione Granger, Stephen King, George R. R. Martin and Roald Dahl Birthday all have birthdays. Given that nearly all of them are favourite authors of the Ponderings team, we decided to dedicate this auspicious month to an assortment of bookish loves.
We thought it quite fitting to start it off by having a peek a boo at some of the best book nooks and bookshelf styling ideas. Instagram feeds full of them, and there are thousands of Pinterest boards dedicated to them. There’s nothing more divine to an avid reader than a bookshelf or cosy space to absorb one’s treasured paper gems.
Bookshelves have so much potential when it comes to practicality and design. While some might want to use shelves simply because they need somewhere safe where their precious volumes will remain dust-free, others may wish to utilize the space to showcase goodies. Mine is a mix of collectible figurines of the book characters and some lego, always a conversation starter!
Are you a book nooker or a style maestro? How do you organize your books? Are you a cataloguer, colour coder or topic/genre arranger?
I started as a Genre l’ organisateur and graduated to Author piles, and now I am playing with colour coordination during COVID. Hey, don’t judge me; it is my thing; at least I am not a compulsive book sniffer -this is a compulsion, truly. I know a book sniffer is reading this looking shamefaced. It’s ok; I get it.
We loved these looks; they might give you some inspiration for your next home library or book nook.
Partition Magic
A piece like this allows plenty of light, and with an open concept space, the divider acts as a gallery-style partition to keep the books and things you love.
Quirky
We couldn’t get our eyes off this fine piece of master crafting with lighting from Wilson and Bradley Lighting. The sleek lighting is an example of Wilson & Bradley’s L&S Mini Octopus Flexible Strip Reel Lighting. A very sexy finishing touch to a visually interesting bookcase.

A View
A window seat with a view. All I could think here was bring me the grapes James, a glass of your best Chardy and a new Lianne Moriarty book and call me Queen of the views. This stroke of perfection we found over at ICM.

Clever
When the team was scrolling through, this one was chosen for practicality; a featured window seat, bookshelves within reach, and then check out the window/ bifold doors. Imagine this in Spring? Opening those windows open and bringing the outdoors in. This is a super cool example of making a space functional and aesthetically pleasing by pairing it with cohesion. This means that you want the style choices to be unified throughout the space to maintain continuity. So having the minimalist white cabinetry and window furnishing is a great way to showcase your favourite items inside your home – especially the books!


Whimsy
Just a touch of whismy, this little cottage lover loved this one, goodness gracious. Snuggle me in and call Mr Tumnus won’t you? Photo credit to Southern Living, TI Inc. Lifestyle Group, Robbie Caponetto. The wooden elements, the ladder and that lighting creates a story and none of them contast too much, they all compliment the overall vibe.
Fancy
This look will make you the pink of the ton, swooning, waiting for the duke. I sip my tea from none other than a gold edged teacup from Cristina Re of course. Have I been watching Bridgerton? Of course. iCab cabinets are the folks behind this falir of fancy -don’t forget to tip your pinky.

Work from Home
This combination of a wide desk and a beautiful library make me want to drop the lot and get cracking on a novel; it screams writer. But, mind you, it would also make a fabulous space for the homeschooled student. The Hamptons theme with panelling and a touch of darker timber is my personal favourite. Worth noting- my digital media brain did a high five when I saw the window, desk, and shelving position. With working from home and Zoom meetings, this is the perfect spot for a live stream with the lighting provided by nature and a studious backdrop. I know, right? I’m a thinker. (or so they say.)

If you liked these and want some more inspiration, check out our Pinterest style guide.
In the meantime, drop us a line and share your favourite book nook!
Ponderers and counting...
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