60 Immersive Home Library Design Ideas That Will Entice You To Have One

Are you looking for beautiful home library design ideas?

Do you spend your free hours reading books? Do you have an ample collection needed to be displayed and showed-off? Do you have a personal space for you at home to enjoy this relaxing hobby?

It is every book lover’s dream to have their own cozy reading space surrounded by their very own collection of books. The solution (and dream!) is having a home library.

Now, not everyone has a huge spare room to be remodeled into a home library so dreams of a grand, spacious one can be put aside. In fact, you don’t need to have a huge space to accommodate that dream home library.

Many homes on this list of ours have made use of living spaces and even dining areas into a library, making maximum use of all and only available spaces in their homes without having to sacrifice and compromise for beauty and comfort. In a way, these rooms turn into a reading room or a sitting room.

While other homes may seem huge at a glance with the way their home libraries are designed, they really are only maximizing the spaces available to them.

A handful of homes on this list do have huge spaces and make good use of all the space so the home library design ideas does not look bare and empty.

Here are some of our picks of incredible home library design ideas!

Modern Home Library Design Ideas

Calm colors and minimalistic design, modern home library design ideas is perfect for people who like simplicity.

Global Inspired Modern
Global Inspired Modern
Glenn Gissler Design
The homeowner wanted a young, comfortable, and more feminine feeling to their apartment and so the interior designers used modern shapes and textures with the color palette used in this room being consistent with the rest of the apartment’s. In their living space, a custom bookshelf brings a casual, friendly, and entertaining feeling, coupled with large comfortable sofa and bohemian mix of pillows.

Family Apartment – Greenwich Village
Family Apartment - Greenwich Village
Glenn Gissler Design
For this home, the dining room is lined with bookshelves with the dining room itself opening into the living room. The homeowner’s a huge book collector and so it was imperative to have a place to shelf them and of course, a place to sit and read. The interior designers call this a “major architectural feature of the apartment”.

Duplex Apartment
Duplex Apartment
Glenn Gissler Design
The bookshelf design blends in well with the natural color tone in this sitting room that doubles as a library. The big window and cream white walls make way for natural light and gentle illumination of the room, making it a cozy place to enjoy a book.

Park Slope Townhouse
Park Slope Townhouse
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
Nearly a closet-sized room is turned into a cozy library for this home library design ideas. The walls are lined with bookshelves that reach up to the ceiling; hence, the attachment of a moving ladder. The sole window allows ample natural light in and a window seat is even available. The addition of a velvet sofa adds to a cozy and elegant feel to the room.

Modern Summer House
Modern Summer House Home Library Design Ideas


Austin Patterson Disston Architecture & Design
Custom-made bookshelves are attached to 2 out of 4 wall sides in this home library design ideas. The ornaments on display add some personality to the grey shelf. The plain sofa and couches are brought to life with vividly patterned pillows, creating a relaxing yet bright atmosphere to this modern summer house.

Built-in Library
Built-in Library
Arkiteriors
This home has its historical origins that brings its own style to the place. With the addition of a family room, the interior designers fixed built-in a library within the space adjacent to the kitchen. The stone fireplace stands out in the room majorly built with hand hewn wood.

Mid-Century Preservation
Mid-Century Preservation
Mark Ashby Design
This home library design ideas is inspired by a mid-century modern design, which the architects and designers preserved for the entire home. The mud red bookshelf perfectly harmonizes with the brick red fireplace and ornate rug, while also adding a beautiful contrast to the stark white walls.

Lake View Residence
Lake View Residence
Jeff Troyer Associates
The sleek matte of the bookshelf, in addition to the attached lamps, add to an elegance for a home library design ideas. The open space feel particularly brings a freeing ambience. The room is also perfectly situated to the balcony for a perfect view of the landscape outside.

Maywood
Maywood
Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects
Similar to the previous few on this list, the living room or sitting room is easily and conveniently doubles as a library. The wall are lined with custom shelves that not only display books but also framed artworks, and in effect, allows for a space for the television.

Flat Ferrini
Flat Ferrini
InHouse Design Studio
With this apartment’s limited space, the interior designers were able to accommodate for library/study room. The walls are lined with bookshelves that also make way for cabinets and drawers, even attaching a study table. The mute colors make the room easy on the eye.

Cliff May Ranch Home
Cliff May Ranch Home
Nunley Custom Homes
A clever home library design ideas combines the library into a game room. This is exactly what this home has. The chairs and the game table in the middle of the room make it the place look crowded but the space is mostly taken up by the bookshelf with a massive book collection.

Wild Goose Farmhouse
Wild Goose Farmhouse
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
This house has the coziest and most relaxing look out of all this home library design ideas. The looming wall of books is partnered with cozy window seats. Speaking of windows, this home library is well-lit with natural light oozing into the room, adding to that homey feel. Notice that a piano adds some personality.

Modern Farm House
Modern Farm House
Truexcullins Architecture + Interior Design
This custom home is supposedly part garage, part studio, and part home which explains the open spaces. The open living room, that is just adjacent to the open kitchen and dining area, makes way for a wide bookshelf, effectively doubling the living room into a home library. The ceiling-high windows even add to the spaciousness.

Park Avenue
Park Avenue
Katie Lydon Interiors
This home library design idea is quite simple-looking. With just a side of a wall of bookshelves, the room is given some personality with the sitting table, the chairs and table adding a simple elegance.

Traditional Design

Traditional home library design ideas are built on ornate designs in furnishing that adds to the sophistication of the room.

Villa Forman
Villa Forman
Susan Jay Design
Everything about this sitting room slash home library is full of ornate designs. From the beautiful etched carvings on the walls and the shelves, to the pretty light-colored sofa seats, to the ornate rug. All the ornaments bring an old traditional feel to the room.

Loft Upon Cork
Loft Upon Cork
Reader & Swartz Architects, P.C.
This home library design idea may have been inspired by the medieval castle libraries as the interior resembles that. The thing about this home library is that it’s windowless and even has a secret door leading out to another part of the house. Also, take note of the sophisticated chandelier and chairs that takes up space in the middle of the room.

West 77th Street Residence
West 77th Street Residence
Ascher Davis Architects
Another example of home library design idea of doubling the living or sitting room into a library. The shelving that encases the television also displays a massive collection of books. There is even a shelving on the outside that splits this space from the rest of the room.

Park Slope Limestone
Park Slope Limestone
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
When you make your way to this home library, you will be met with extravagant European columns. The custom shelving is well-designed with sophisticated patterns. And to emphasize it being a room exclusively for reading, you have two ottoman chairs that match with the color patterns of the walls and shelf.

House in the Bahamas
House in the Bahamas
Edward Lobrano Interior Design Inc.
Now, this family room cozies up a home library. The built-in bookshelves seamlessly fits into the overall design of the room. It’s a perfect place for the entire family to just sit down and each be in their own world reading their favorite books with an abundance of seats by the window or in the middle of the room.

Cunningham Library
Cunningham Library
Odhner & Odhner Fine Woodworking Inc.
The man who owns this home is an avid reader and so has fittingly asked for a library wall to be built in his house. The shelving and cabinetry is made of American black walnut. His massive collection of books easily fill-up the spaces. A space in the middle of the shelving for tiny ornaments (and even a drink!) is a complementary beauty to the library wall.

Rosenblum Den/Study
Rosenblum Den / Study
Odhner & Odhner Fine Woodworking Inc.
This home library / den / study screams of sophistication with an intimate feeling. The entire room is made up of subtly glazed maple wood, bringing in consistency and elegance. Not only do the large cabinets provide shelving for the books, they apparently also house a bar, large television, and a bank of AV components.

Library Addition
Library Addition
Warner + Cunningham, Inc.
A homey and cozy home library design idea exists in this library addition to an existing brick house, brought by the wooden flooring, walls, and ceiling. The heavy set sofa and couches, the window seat, and the fireplace really bring out that comfortable ambience.

Mapleview Renovation
Mapleview Renovation
Attard Construction Corp
The glazed finishing on the wood truly brings a clean and elegant look to this home library. The earth colors of the bookshelf and walls contrast yet compliments the light blue sofa.

Whidbey Island Residence
Whidbey Island Residence
Casa Architecture and Interior Design
In contrast to the regular open bookshelving on this list, in this home library, the books are enclosed in glass cabinets. The diamond-patterned sofas and ornate rugs contrast to the plain earth colors. Overall the room has this feeling of being old yet elegant.

Cole Bay Estate Home
Cole Bay Estate Home
M. Knight Construction LTD
The interior designers of this home describe their design having an “old world feel” that is very evident in this home library design. The coffered ceiling and crown moldings certainly bring out that feeling. The chandelier and the elegant matching chairs and table add to this.

Upper East Side
Upper East Side
Katie Lydon Interiors
This home library brings a lot of colors. The dark red table as opposed to the muted earth colors is definitely standing out in the background of purple-shade of the wall of bookshelf. The sofa seats are perfectly placed by the window for a perfect reading angle.

Two-Storey Oak
Two-Storey Oak
Heaven and Stubbs
This two-storey oak study is owned by the son of an award-winning mystery writer whose library is filled with his father’s novels. The highlight of this home library is a secret bookcase that leads to another part of the house.

Contemporary Home Library Design Ideas

Answering to the 21st century aesthetics, contemporary home library design ideas are a lot more appealing to the young target audience.

Airole Way
Airole Way
Susan Jay Design
This is home library is quite a spacious one. The walls are ornate and lined with shelves from the floor to the ceiling. The lounging area takes up a lot of space near the decorated fireplace.

Last House on the Left
Last House on the Left
SV Design
This house boasts of a home library that ranges to two stories. It has the semblance of public libraries in a way. The lower floor provides the only seats while more books and bookshelves are available upstairs. Like the rest of the home, this room has a simple but welcoming atmosphere.

Newport Beach Residence
Newport Beach Residence
Paul Davis Architects
The clean white custom shelving goes so well with the marbled floor. Adding ornaments on display makes it a pretty sight. The furniture even add a sleek contemporary look.

Hollywood Hills Residence
Hollywood Hills Residence
Griffin Enright Architects
Your home library design idea doesn’t have to be grand or two-stories tall. This house proves that even with a limited space you can make something great. It helps that the open floor plan makes the library a spacious feel. That lone chair in the middle of the room makes it inviting to sit and read.

East Harlem Brownstone
East Harlem Brownstone
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
In this home library, it looks like a bookshelf is built into the frame of the window. Because of this, lots of natural come into the room. The room is quite bare though with the lone desk and chair.

Montclair House
Montclair House
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
The tower of a bookshelf sits on the side, providing a clean and comfortable look to this home library and making way for a wall of window to illuminate the room with natural light.

Ft. Greene Brownstone
Ft. Greene Brownstone
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
The high ceiling of this house makes way for this high shelving. The open space, the high ceiling window, and the fact that the library leads to a garden outside give a light and free atmosphere. The couch makes it even more inviting to sit, read, and relax.

Contemporary Country Club Loft Apartment
Contemporary Country Club Loft Apartment
Jerry Jacobs Design
In the same wavelength as a handful of these home library design ideas, the living room also acts as a library. The custom shelf allows for the television and AV components to be up on display as well. Worth-noting is that the high windows offer a great scenic view.

Calistoga Residence
Calistoga Residence
Strening Architects
An exclusive room downstairs that is not only a library but also acts as a media room. There is an entire curve of a wall dedicated to keeping books (plus television and speakers) and a space big enough to get the whole family down.

Park Avenue Apartment
Park Avenue Apartment
Gillian Abrams Design, LLC
Another home library / family room on this list of home library design ideas. The bright blue color of the shelving, cabinetry, and walls is quite the strangely pleasant sight. It takes away some attention from the plain colors of furniture.

Willow Glen Residence
Willow Glen Residence
Lizette Marie Interior Design
The bright orange couch stands out in the room of dark color tones. The pretty patterned wallpaper is a unique choice compared to the plain colored walls. The row of picture frames right above the shelf is also a nice touch.

Villa Nuevo
Villa Nuevo
Webber + Studio, Inc.
The reddish hue light brings quite a vintage yet cozy ambience into this home library. The choice of sofa chairs is unique and adds to that coziness feel. What’s interesting is that instead of having every inch of the wall lined with bookshelves, one side of this room has only half of it.

Fossett Library
Fossett Library
Karin Payson Architecture + Design
Another home that can afford to have a two-story library, connected by a spiral staircase, bookshelves abundant with books. The fireplace and the lounging spaces adds to the cozy and snugged atmosphere.

Sophisticated Glamour
Sophisticated Glamour
Kendall Wilkinson Design
When the interior designers were fixing up this place, they had the idea of adding stylish touches in rich textures and soft, curvaceous furniture. And that’s exactly what this home library design is – a stylish and sophisticated glamour.

Library Between Two Trees
Library Between Two Trees
Chang + Sylligardos Architects
The homeowners had specifically requested for a library, seminar and work rooms, and additional reading spaces and book storage when this house being renovated. Hence, it is no surprise that this home library design quite almost resembles that of well-funded and well-maintained public libraries.

House 249
House 249
InHouse Design Studio
The earth colors bring in a warm but homey feel in the room, a perfect atmosphere for a home library. This room is completed by a study/work table. It also leads to the garden with its sliding door, providing much natural light.

Sonoma Home
Sonoma Home
Studio Bergtraun Architects
The most interesting thing about this home library that behind this wall of books is a bathroom that was an addition during renovation. The seats right outside or by the entry are made of reclaimed wood that the family can sit and pick up a book.

Library House
Library House
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
This home was originally a public library and repurposed. The big open space was kept by the designers for this living area that also serves as home library. The unique bookshelf was built-in along the archway frame.

Soho Loft
Soho Loft
Matter of Architecture
With the limited space of this loft, the home library is connected to the kitchen and dining area by its open floor plan. The high loft ceiling also makes it possible for a tall bookshelf. And for convenience a stylish chair is just right by the shelf.

Home Library Addition
Home Library Addition
Owings Brothers Contracting
This home library addition is quite spacious having the space for cozy-looking lounging area while on the sides, the walls are lined with bookshelves. There is even a window skyline that adds into the light ambience.

Riverhouse
Riverhouse
BWArchitects
Surrounded by large windows with a scenic view outside, with a stylish and comfortable seat, this home library is quite the ideal relaxing space. In contrast to the bookshelves previously seen on this list, this one has open book shelves adding to the refined stylish aesthetic.

Forest House
Forest House
Kube Architecture
The huge space and huge windows provide a comfortable light and free atmosphere in this home library. The custom made bookshelf is stylish and unique that reaches up to the upper floor.

Book Tower House
Book Tower House
Platform 5 Architects
At the heart of this house is a double-height library space. Oak wood was used in building the bookshelves that wraps around the staircase. On the top of the staircase, there is a built-in desk to serve as a small study area which also has a view of the ground floor.

Rustic Home Library Design Ideas

The rustic home library design ideas root in the use of reclaimed wood to give a warm and homey atmosphere, with the feeling of being in a cabin in the woods.

Georgian Revival
Georgian Revival
Tim Barber Architects
The earthy dark, green shade gives off a nature-inspired theme and ambience to this home library. The striped couch compliments this room’s aesthetics.

Craftsman Chalet
Craftsman Chalet
Tim Barber Architects
The historic character of this home brings out the rustic feel. With the spatial limitations met by the designers, they managed to squeeze in a mini home library in the sitting room.

Canyon Oak
Canyon Oak
Jeff Troyer Associates
A small attic room turned into a home library is made possible in this house. The built-in bookshelf frames into the architectural structure of the roof which then gives reading space to the rest of the room.

Tiny House
Tiny House
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
You have a tiny house but want your own home library? No problem! In this tiny house, they made is possible by having a built-in bookshelf along the architectural frame of the house, and then doubling the space as a living area, complete with couch seats.

Hackney Shed
Hackney Shed
OFFICE SIAN Architecture + Design
Built in the domestic garden of a house and with a limited budget, this “shed” is a workspace studio and library for the homeowners. Oak frames the entire structure with doors that are fully retractable and has a nice “hidden” rooflight, giving a scenic view of the garden and sky respectively.

Industrial Home Library Design Ideas

Industrial home library design ideas usually require for spacious rooms with towering bookshelves looming over.

Boerum Hill House
Boerum Hill House
Delson or Sherman Architects PC
Before being converted into the house that it is now, the Boerum Hill House used to be a warehouse (then a church). This explains the industrial character that the architects kept when they renovated the place, lining the wall with the bookshelf while offering up huge space to accommodate the long table for work and study.

Austin City Loft
Austin City Loft
McKinney York Architects
Technically, the home library portion of this house is just on one side. But the bookshelf extends up to the upper floor and keeping up with the industrial design of the loft. Point of attraction to this home library is the very interesting chandelier.

Brooklyn Artist’s Studio
Brooklyn Artist's Studio
BWArchitects
Similar to the first house on the list of industrial home library design ideas, this house was converted from a light manufacturing warehouse. The industrial exterior contrasts with the clean interior that has kept some of the industrial character. The home library/work studio boasts of towering book shelf.

Transitional Home Library Design Ideas

The blending of modern and traditional designs make up for transitional home library design ideas, offering classic elegance and modern materials.

Classic Transitional
Classic Transitional
Jauregui Architect
This fancy two-story study truly boasts of that classic elegance with the European flair of decorative elements on the wooden structures, furnishing, and railing. The modern spin comes in with the stylish and sophisticated furniture.

Bohemian Home Library Design Ideas

With the bright and bold colors and carefree layers of pattern and texture, bohemian home library design ideas are playful and just screams a lot of personalities.

Bohemian Apartment
Bohemian Apartment
INC Architecture & Design PLLC
The bold patterns on the walls of this home library – that resembles a box – is the first thing that catches one’s attention. The combination of enclosed built-in and open bookshelves adds flavor. The homeowners wanted their home to evoke playfulness and outdoor lifestyle, creating a unique ambience.

This variety of home library design ideas surely has given you a lot of inspiration for you to build your dream home library!

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60 Immersive Home Library Design Ideas That Will Entice You To Have One