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A Love of Books


Despite living in this digital age of iPads and Kindles, nothing compares to the romantic experience of flicking through real pages and the familiar old age smell of a book.

My very favourite rooms are always libraries where books look so comforting upon the walls, making a room feel like a home.

At The Whitby Hotel in New York, The Reading Room features a curated collection of books on backlit shelving spanning the entire wall. It is a dramatic way of accommodating decorative objects which are stylishly arranged amongst the books.

As you step into The Whitby Hotel’s Penthouse Suite, you are greeted by a book-lined entrance hall. In front of the shelves is a hand-carved antique console and a mirror depicting Neptune’s kingdom and all the creatures of the sea. The more you look at it, the more fascinating it becomes.

We often hang paintings in front of bookcases. The books themselves are a backdrop to the artwork, adding depth and layers to a room.

The Library at Ham Yard Hotel has a traditional English feel. The walls are lined with my ‘Ozone’ fabric designed for Christopher Farr Cloth. Here the bookshelf is almost made invisible by colour matching the wood paint to the walls. This way, the gorgeous colours of the book spines spring to life against the more muted tones of the walls.

Another attractive design feature is placing an antique mirror behind the books, not only does this give a high quality finish, it also gives the illusion of more depth and space in a smaller room.

Tiffany’s Library at Covent Garden Hotel captures how we imagine a traditional English library. It’s the perfect place for a nightcap with its open fireplace and stacks of leather-bound books.

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