Creating An Extended Shelf Life

In an era when every square metre of real estate is worth its weight in gold, something as indulgent as a home library might feel like an anachronism. If we can store thousands of books in our smartphone, why line a room with potential dust collectors?

Despite the technological revolution — or perhaps because of it — the traditional home library space is holding its ground. As work infiltrates our homes and trickles into family life, many homeowners are purposefully carving out a corner of their home in an homage to a low-tech life.

Reading the room

Award-winning architect Luigi Rosselli says while the pandemic may have brought the office home to the fore, he’s witnessing a revolution against remote working.

“It depends on the client, but I’m mostly seeing two generations interested in libraries. One is the older generation who grew up with books, they still read a lot and like to get up and refer to a book or even feel the ‘microwaves’ from the pages reminding them of these wonderful stories or knowledge that can be passed on through,” he says.

“Then there’s the younger generation who are working long hours in front of a computer or some other electronic device and they are rebelling. They’re reacting to a sort of technology addiction and finding instead an interest in books and reading.”

Smaller footprints, especially in city residences, are notoriously challenging when it comes to storage and function, but Rosselli says libraries needn’t be single-use spaces.

“That’s very much my challenge; people saying they want a room for this, they want a room for that,” he says. “What I’ve done quite a few times is give a dual use to libraries. In fact, books only use up wall space, so in between those walls you can have quite a lot of space leftover.”

In his Bondi Bombora project, Rosselli created a stairwell library to accommodate the resident family’s large — and growing — book collection.

“One storey wouldn’t have been enough. So a stairwell worked ideally in the sense that it now has two functions.

“We also retained an old bay window underneath the stairs to make a study nook that is cocooned and separated from an active house filled with lots of kids.”

For a book-loving calligrapher in Sydney, Rosselli designed The Books House, which resembles a random stack of books from the outside while inside there is a private library hidden behind a moving bookcase.

While a home office and library fusion seems like a perfect match, savvy design and innovative thinking can marry a library to alternative rooms.

“In my house when the children were young they had a library room where the television was not allowed, they could do homework there but also it was a relaxing space with a couch so you could sit and read,” Rosselli says. “Now our children have grown up and moved out we put a table in there.

“It’s ended up being our favourite dining area because it’s in such good company, and the acoustics of books is fantastic.”

A turn up for the books

Whether it’s a limited footprint or a client seeking a hint of James Bond-style intrigue at home, professional cabinet maker Amos Groth of Groth & Sons says libraries are only limited by imagination — and budget.

“It’s a balance of what you’d like in your wildest dreams and what we can give you practically. But we try to really push the boundaries on the aesthetics to get all those bells and whistles,” Groth says, adding that private libraries can cost between $25,000 and $250,000. “A lot of my clients tell me when they go into their libraries and close the door they’re transported to London or Bath or anywhere in the world.

“Libraries offer an element of escapism.”

Over three decades, Groth & Sons has become known as “the bespoke library outfitters” fitting books into almost any space.

“We’ve done libraries in dining rooms, in hallways, as long as you’ve got enough space to get a floor lamp, a library ladder and a comfy chair. It doesn’t have to be an entire room,” Groth says.

“Today, people realise libraries aren’t about showing off a book collection, but are more about what a space represents.

“For me, in my library, I feel like I’m surrounded by my best mates.”

A home library might seem like an old school luxury, but Groth says they have come full circle.

“When I first started, some people thought book-filled rooms were ostentatious but today they can be really practical and fun spaces. It’s about getting away from the stresses and strains of technology to go into a low-tech room for a breath of fresh air,” he says.

Floor-to-ceiling walls of books, secret doors, cabinets on hydraulics and rolling library ladders might seem like the stuff of movies but Groth says fanciful libraries do exist.

“People have the fantasy of a library ladder, it makes them feel like they’re in a film with Audrey Hepburn or Rex Harrison,” he says.

“We often get asked about secret doors — we’re currently working on one where you actually pull a book and the door opens. They’re not the cheapest things, and there’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work because you can’t just put them into a regular doorframe.

“A lot of what we do are one-offs.”

Developing a love of books

A challenge for homeowners “rightsizing” to apartments is giving up superfluous living spaces, but developers are taking note of what buyers want, both inside and outside their residences. Along with private dining spaces and fully-equipped wellness spaces, libraries are seen as a desirable option for buyers.

Alceon has answered the call for more communal retreats on site, starting with Akoya in Sydney’s north.

The over-55s project is home to 39 apartments but includes approximately 700sqm of common areas such as a residents-only library to be stocked with 100 books from local bookshop Constant Reader.

“It’s not a tokenistic space, it’s a purpose-built library with a fireplace, a lounging section and plenty of shelving for residents to add more books to,” said Todd Campling, development director at Alceon Group.

“Our goal with the library was to recreate the creature comforts of home for residents who might be relocating from quite substantial family homes.

“There’s also a commercial-grade bar next to the library and personal lock-up wine cellars so people can enjoy a glass while they read.”

Campling adds that as Australians, especially in major cities, move towards multi-density living, it is the developer’s responsibility to create areas where neighbours, friends and family can enjoy social moments.

“Additional amenities aren’t for everyone and they aren’t for every development, it’s about curating spaces that are the perfect blend of what you’ve had — and what you wish you had,” he says.

And as generations age and needs evolve through a building’s lifespan, he says such communal spaces should be adaptable.

“The notion of a library with the Chesterfields lounges and balloons of bourbon could also become multi-generational spaces used by the grandparents down to their grandchildren. We envisage these library spaces or co-working areas can be a place to catch up with your neighbour, sit in a nice quiet space by yourself or hold a book club.”