As a luxury real estate marketing professional, it is important to keep up with the trends of luxury home design. Although kitchens, man/woman caves, master suites are still considered as leaders in exceptional home designs, the home library is emerging as a “must have room” in luxury homes and apartments. Architectural Design magazines have dedicated a large portion of their recent issues to library designs, featuring many luxury homes with exceptional libraries.
The idea of having a home library can be traced to Roman times. A sign of a well respected Roman was demonstrated by his library regardless of whether he could read or not. It was a symbol of status and intelligence. Today’s home owners are designing llibraries as an expression of their personality, a retreat from all the usual home noises, a way to display their book collections, and a comfortable place to curl up to read a book.
With the advent of digital readers, and the closing of many of the larger book chain stores (Borders and Barnes & Noble), it seemed that “real” books were doomed to extinction. However, used book stores are reporting a large uptick in sales to a new customer base: 30 plus years old. These young homeowners are walking in to buy books by the foot, or specific collections to display in their newly designed libraries. They want their children to experience “real” books. Rare book dealer Donald Heald a 40 year old New York company has noticed that his clientele now also includes a growing number of individuals in their 30’s.
"If you want to own a great atlas of London from the 18th century, that when you hold it in your hands you're transported, there is no app for that," Mr. Heald says.
The trend for a library in the home is also appearing in median home prices. Many home owners are building shelves for books. DIY shows and magazines are giving detailed instructions on how to build shelving and library nooks. From a book lovers’ perspective, it is reassuring that all things digital do not always rule the home roost.
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