What I Want Most

[kellychambliss]

Enough bookshelves! That's what I want most. Oh, sure, I could stop buying books and even get rid of hundreds a few, so that I wouldn't need new shelves, but yeah. The likelihood of that happening is as slim as a first edition of Poe's "Tamerlane".

So you can imagine how much I enjoy looking at articles like this one, about where to put more

Comments

[inamac]

In our last house we built bookshelves lining the hallway - every single tradesman or delivery person who saw into the hallway remarked "What a lot of books - have you read them all?"

And that was only the SF paperbacks. (So the answer, unlike for the reference collection in the living room, was 'yes - several times')

How do people live in houses without books?

[ysilme]

How do people live in houses without books?
That is one of the large questions of the universe I'm continually asking myself. I haven't found an answer yet, but I do love this quote:
"A room without books is like a house without windows." (And I hope I remeber it correctly.)

[kellychambliss]

"What a lot of books - have you read them all?"

Haha! I get this question all the time, too -- from repair people, students, new friends. I haven't been able to say "yes" for a long time. (But just wait till I retire!)

[lordhellebore]

There are NEVER enough bookshelves! And sadly, never enough space for them . . . I do love those pics. Giving me ideas ;)

[kellychambliss]

You're right -- never enough space. I just wish i were a handy sort and could build my own shelves.

[ysilme]

Lovely (new?) icon! And I so hear you on sufficient bookshelves... *sigh * I also dream of shelving all my books just in single rows on a shelf, not double or even triple... *sigh* I also dream of a custom-made, built-in shelving system in the study and guest room. They're both under the roof slope, like all rooms upstairs, and exactly for that purpose, we had built these two rooms with a (joined) 4m high inner wall perfect for the job. I've long since realised that I never will manage to do real built-in shelves, what with all the jobs around the house still to do and my irrational-but-strong fear of the circular table saw. But I've devised a compromise, influenced by this Ikea hack", just not done with Billys, but with a more flexible shelving system. The system I have in mind allows you to use your custom shelves, which are hold by metal supporters, like this, but a more solid system from the local hardware store. I've once seen this done with the wall supports hidden between wall panels, with a plinth on the floor, added lateral

[kellychambliss]

I love the recycled Billys. I'd be happy with a lot of Billy shelves. One of these days, an IKEA will be built close enough to Rural Hamlet that I'll be able to get some.

[ysilme]

Oh, poor you - no Ikea close enough! I totally forgot about that. Of course, that hardens the shelf situation considerably ;o).
I keep my fingers crossed for you. Hey, they were just building an Ikea where we were holidaying, in the middle of nowhere - rural hamlet must be much further up on the list!

(Another lovely icon! ♥)

[therealsnape]

I fear Delphismith is right. Enough bookshelves is like Shangri-La. Only I fear that an 'enough bookshelves' isn't really such a very good state. What would have to happen before we stop buying books?

But some of these ideas are great.

[kellychambliss]

What would have to happen before we stop buying books?

Die or go blind, I expect. Otherwise. . .

[cranky__crocus]

Oh, some of those are marvellous! I would love to live in a house with in-built bookcases some day; I highly doubt it will happen unless I make good friends with a DIYer and lots of extra money.

I'll admit, though, that the number of books I actually keep is reasonably small compared to the books that I will keep until I've read them (and pass them on) or the books that I borrow from the library and never feel the need to own for myself. My "to read" pile often grows, though, and that increases the likelihood that I will end up with new books to keep. I suppose I'm not a very good book-collector in the end, what with feeling I can actually have enough bookshelves!

But in that I can always find things to keep on/in a bookshelf...then yes, never enough!

[kellychambliss]

I trade in a lot of books myself and go to the library. . .but I also have to OWN books. Have to, have to. I have no choice in the matter; it's a compulsion.

My bookshelves never hold anything except books -- it would be a waste of necessary space /g/. Though I do have a sock monkey, a puppet of Oscar Wilde, and a small version of the Nag's Head, North Carolina nag mascot sitting in front of some of the books.

[cranky__crocus]

*Grins.* Now, I've told you all of the above as a 22-year-old who has never had more than one room to truly call her own. Let's see how the answer changes if at some point I end up in a living space that is more than just a bedroom, hmm? (Well, I could fight for some space in the communal rooms, but with too few bookcases and too many book collectors in the one house, I think I'll pick my battles.)

Ahaha, those are great things to have on your bookshelf! I have a "How the #*@!! did I get to be 50" mug in front of my books (it's clever, too, in that the handle is the question mark). One might think I'm getting ahead of myself, but it's for my mother. (: