Monday, February 27, 2012

promise me you'll never do this...

This, dear bloggy people is a travesty...
An all white bookshelf. It's just plain wrong. When I first saw this picture I thought all of the books had been covered with white paper, and I wrote quite an impressive rant about that!  Which I had to delete when I realised that they weren't covered...that they were in fact books with only white spines. Which, I concede is not as bad, but it's still wrong. 
In my book J
You know I'm a book lover...and this just makes me wonder if these books are really loved for what's inside their covers, or if they're only in those shelves for their decorative appeal. Call me odd, but that makes me a bit sad.
Would you do this?  Would you, in the worst case collect, or if not collect because you already owned them (in which case I'm prepared to cut you some slack)...would you only display certain coloured books to fulfil a room vision? Could you? Should you? 
I really, really hope there's another room in this home with a bookcase full to the brim with books in every colour of the rainbow. But not colour coded...no, not that.... even though I will confess to having done it myself once upon a long time ago. Before it became a trend! 


Thank you for the kind comments on my last post and welcome to a few new readers...it's lovely to have you here in the townhouse, where the books are colourful and placed by height and sometimes category...so I know where to find them! 

26 comments:

  1. That really reminds me of the white library art installation out at Mona. Did you see it? It's not a look that suits me. I'm a height and category girl, otherwise I'd never find anything.
    Have a great week Kerry x

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  2. I did see that Sarah...it was one of the few exhibits that left me cold xx

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  3. Where's the character, the smell of books the patina of well thumbed spines? I am with you Kerry.

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  4. Having just purchased a book about Decorating with Books, I had a quick look through to see if they included rooms with all white books and they don;t.

    Personally I am a book a week girl and love to show my spines. I think that room is lovely but the white bookcases and books look washed out and blah. How lovely they would look with colours. In my new book they show a room with the spines all grouped in colours and it makes a lovely colour blocking effect. To me, this wall of books screams..."I am not a reader, I purchased books to fill me shelves" Maybe they are into the Kindle.

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  5. You can buy books for decoration here - by the square yard.

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  6. That is right up there with designers covering books with brown paper. You should have books that you love - not books that are the right colour. Mary

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  7. Those bookshelves with colour-coded books leave me exhausted - but this? C'est terrible! I love being able to sit in my study and turn left and gaze adoringly at my big bookshelf with the ladder, crammed with books I love. Or, to the right, to the little bookshelf lined with vintage classics and the odd teacup. But all white? That's not all right.

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  8. I colour-coded books once, and then realised what a ridiculous concept that was.

    Of course none of those books have been read.

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  9. I must admit I collect vintage Agatha Christies just for the wonderful Tom Adams' illustrated covers.

    I have a brilliant idea for this room though: I think they could do a Yayoi Kusama style makeover, that would make it F-U-N. (see link below)

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/feb/01/obliteration-room-yayoi-kusama-in-pictures#/?picture=385335985&index=0

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  10. I saw this or something similar in a magazine awhile back and I was actually going to write a letter to the editor. I was so appalled that this could be construed as decorating. Why have the books at all? The next months issue showed that the article and photos had received a lot of admonishments.

    This is very tasteless. Hopefully the people had a "turn around".

    XO,
    Jane

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  11. What the?? That room above would look so much more vibrant and 'lived in' if only the books were colourful spined ones. I must admit, on top of my fridge where my cookbooks are displayed, there's one hot pink one that I always feel looks out of place but I could never cover it or turn it the other way :) And I don't colour code books as such but I do try to display them in an orderly kind of way rather than haphazard :) Books as decorating features really reflect a homeowner, their interests and their tastes and for that reason I feel should be colourful.

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  12. I had to look twice. I didn't even know what was in the shelves. I am a fan of turning some around just for contrast though.

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  13. I don't like to discriminate on the basis of colour when it comes to my reading materials...This look is way too contrived. xx

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  14. Even if it is for decoration only it still doesn't work!!! With the white lounge and white bookshelves the books themselves get totally lost so what was the point?!!!
    My bookshelves start once a year alphabetically by author until I realise that I can't remember the name of the author and so can't find the book I want and they all get tipped up and out and by the end of the year are in great random piles,,,not pretty to look at but pleasing to me!!!!!! Dickens and Shakespeare rub shoulders with Mary Wesley, Susan Brown and Dick Francis all quite happily!!!!!!

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  15. QUICK! Someone get the maid. The books on the couch have escaped from the red and orange room next door.

    Order must be restored.

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  16. It's probably a French collection. Many French paperbacks have white covers so it's actually not that difficult a look to achieve.

    Personally I prefer my higgledy piggledy shelves but I do have an all green shelf full of Virago Modern Press books.

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  17. Those bookshelves are weird! I don't like them at all. There's something creepy about those books - it seems like they're dead.

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  18. Don't love the look but maybe it's a French apartment, most French books have white spines!

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  19. Oh honey, I see this all the time when I'm shooting homes for magazines. It's nuts, isn't it? Why oh why? I will never understand.

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  20. One definition of blasphemy is, the using of noble things for an ignoble purpose: sacred words as swear words, books as decor...

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  21. I'm with you - although I do like a lot of white, I'd have to draw the line at all white books. The thing that draws me to a book is its colour and the writing on the spine. They say don't judge a book by its cover - but I'm afraid I tend to when it comes to books! :)

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  22. I read this blog.It really wonderful.Interior designs are so creative and wonderful look.Thanx to share with us.

    Promosyon

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  23. This is the craziest thing! For those of us who actually read books, it's in the poorest taste.

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