Where In the World Are You Reading: Comfy Spot

Saturday, February 9, 2013



This month's Where in the World Are You Reading theme is Comfy Spot, hosted by KellyThere are lots of comfy spots I like to read, my bed, the living room couch, etc., but there's one I love more than all the others... my library! One of the very posts I ever wrote for this blog was about my library. After living in apartments for years I finally got a house and the Huz suggested we use one of the main open rooms for a library instead of a dining room. Have I mentioned I love him a lot? So although he isn't a reader, I now have a beautiful library in my home, full to the brim of my favorite books and those I still have waiting to be read. 

Above you can see the entire library with two comfy chairs (one of which has a dog in it). I have a Paddington train station clock on the wall and a canvas print of Ollie (both lovely gifts from my BFF). I have a wreath on the coat closet door made with dictionary pages. And of course, I have tons of book cases filling every available space. I also have my Penguin clothbound classics collection on top of one of the bookcases. I add to it whenever I get a giftcard to a bookstore. 


Note the string of TARDIS twinkle lights and the stacked book tables. Every single bookcase is dedicated to a specific genre and is organized alphabetically within that category. There is nonfiction, ficiton, poetry, short story collections, YA, SciFi/Fantasy, audiobooks, graphic novels, travel, classics, etc. I also have separate areas for favorite books. 


In the bookcase on the left I keep all of my vinyl records and travel books. Then there's Ollie posing with the framed Penguin postcards and a close-up of those postcards! 


The final photo is of the bookcase that holds all my favorite books. I think it's suppose to hold dishes or something, but it makes a great bookcase! I also keep fun little souvenirs in here. I have a lobster bell from my Grandma's bell collection, a cable car from our trip to San Francisco, a red London phone booth, a tea cup from my Mom, a personalized Jones bottle with a photo of me and the Huz on the label, and other random stuff. 

So that's my favorite comfy reading spot. This is where I spend most of my time during read-a-thons and where I get away when I want some quiet reading time. It's my happy place. 

Photos by moi. 

29 comments:

Kerry M said...

This is amazing!! We don't currently have an extra room to use as a library, but rest assured that when we do have a "formal dining room," it will be covered in bookshelves much like yours is now. I love the Tardis lights and the clothbound collection -- and the Penguin postcard frames! I have 6 framed in my bedroom right now, but they look AMAZING with so many together like you've done.

Ellie said...

oh. my. goodness. Framed postcards, Tardis lights, so many books...What a lovely room to read in!

Teri said...

I am so impressed with your library!! Gorgeous!! I want to come over and spend an afternoon okay?? Thanks for stopping by my blog and I'm excited to read yours too!

Donna said...

Beautiful room. Wonderful organization. I love it. As soon as my college-graduating kids get a job and move out I'm converting one of our bedrooms into a library. I hope mine will be as pretty as yours.

Leslie @ This is the Refrain said...

I am SO jealous of your library! One day I hope to have an extra room in my house to turn it into a library. Lovely!

Sandy Nawrot said...

Melissa. I had no idea of this space you have. It is AMAZING. Like sort of a fantasy come to life for most of us I would imagine.

Selah said...

Oh, I've found a kindred spirit / fellow Whovian! I love it!

Kailana said...

Wow, this is so awesome!!! I can't until I get a library of my own. I had one at my mother's, but now everything is scattered everywhere and in storage. I also can't wait until I hang my bookish postcards. They shouldn't sit in boxes!

Caro said...

How beautiful! I sat here slack-jawed and staring at the beautiful pictures all throughout this post. It's a stunning place and I love every aspect of it (including Ollie!).

Laura said...

*fans self* This is the best room I've ever seen in my life! I mean, just everything about it is the perfectest! And SO MANY PENGUIN CLOTHBOUNDS!

Ok, I think I need to go and splash some cold water on my face. Brb

Melissa @ Confessions of an Avid Reader said...

Your library is fabulous! It definitely looks super comfy and welcoming. I have a library in my home, too, and it is my absolute favourite room in the house.

Anonymous said...

Envious. :-)

Amy said...

I am absolutely, completely in love with this. In fact, I'm pinning it just so I can gather inspiration from it for when I finally do something like it in my own home. You're living my dream! :-)

Jillian said...

So in love with your space!! Wish I had it. It looks amazingly comfortable and cozy :)

Nikki Steele said...

Give Hubz all the love of the internet. What a beautiful space you have!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Kerry M - Yeah, a formal dining room was really unnecessary for us. I do love those Penguin postcards! My amazing sister-in-law got them for me and there were so many I couldn't part with!

Ellie - I used to have quotes from my favorite authors in the frames. They were part of my centerpieces at my wedding and I just recently changed them out.

Teri - It's definitely my happy place.

Donna - You should! I hope you post about it when it's complete!

Lu - I dreamed about it for years, keeping boxes of books in my parents' attic, so it's worth waiting for!

Sandy - Next time you're in Indy you'll have to stop by before we grab lunch somewhere or something!

Selah - Yay for Whovians!

Kailana - You're bookish postcards would make an amazing wall collection!

Caro - I remember when we got Ollie, one of my biggest fears was that he would destroy my library. Luckily he is amazing and just cuddles up with me when I read instead.

Laura - Ha, I'm so glad other readers appreciate it as much as I do. I've been very slowly collecting the Penguin clothbounds, using giftcards and birthday money to add one of two at a time. It's the first time I've actually had multiple copies from the same collection instead of just old library copies of books.

Melissa - There's nothing better than reading a book while being surrounded by other books you love!

Amy - I love that! You'll have to let me know if you create your own one day!

Jillian - Lots of comfy chairs, pillows and throws, it's perfect for curling up with a book.

Nikki - He deserves it. I can't imagine having a whole room in our house dedicated to fishing or something. He's a good man!

Mari said...

I love love love this room. A library is on my wishlist for when we build an addition to our house. One day maybe.

Yvonne said...

Wow! If I had a library like your's I would never leave! What a wonderful room!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Mari - I should say that I didn't buy a single piece of furniture in that room. Everything from the bookcases to the chairs are hand-me-downs from friends and family. Most are beat up (much-loved) and nothing matches, but that just makes me love it more.

Yvonne - If I didn't have a job I might not ever leave!

Carl V. Anderson said...

I love the framed postcards, those are very cool! Love the whole set up, actually, but felt the need to particularly exclaim over those. Wonderful!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Carl V - Aren't they awesome! It was such a great idea from Penguin.

Larissa said...

What an awesome room! Talk about a comfy spot indeed. You can sense how welcoming it is from the pictures.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Larissa - Thanks! It's my favorite comfy spot.

Kara said...

Oh my goodness, I'm so jealous! What an awesome room! I don't have my own library yet, but it's definitely a huge dream of mine. Yours is so lovely. Thanks for sharing! :)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Kara - Thank you! I love it so much.

Bookfool said...

Wow, what an amazing room! I love everything about it. We have that Paddington Station clock. I wanted to buy those postcards but my husband was present and he gave me THE LOOK. He is allowing me to turn one of the bedrooms in our new house into a library, though, so I forgive him for, you know, just about everything else in the world. Love, love, love the Tardis lights!!!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Bookfool - Ha, I lusted after those postcards for 2 years and then a friend got them for me as a gift. I think the Huz would have given me a "LOOK" if I'd bought them too!

Andi said...

Ohhh, I love it! I want to do a wall in my house with those Penguin postcards.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Andi - I got them as a gift and just couldn't send them all to other people! I kept my favorites and framed them.