Master Bedroom Library Wall

7 years ago

(No pics. Home still under construction). My new house doesn’t have a ton of storage/display space and I have lots of books and collectible pieces I don’t want stored in boxes. I’ve always wanted a library with a sliding ladder. My Master has one wall broken up by two doors (entry and bathroom) and the wall across has a giant window. There is then the front and back wall which are completely blank. The room is large enough my king bed could go flush against the back wall or moved off a few feet towards the center of the room. I’d like to have a built in library wall added to one of the walls with ladder. My concern with the back wall is if it would make the room feel cramped, walking behind the bed to access it. My concern with the front wall is, for resale, would people be put off by not having an area in front of the bed for a TV on the wall? My concern in general, is a master library wall too outlandish for most people? I’m not planning on moving for decades so resale isn’t a top priority, but I’m just curious peoples thoughts on this. Sometimes things happen and you have to sell unexpectedly. Conversely maybe there’s something practical about this I’m missing people might warn me against. It’s an expensive undertaking so I want to think it out thoroughly.

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Comments (3)

Mrs Pete
7 years ago
I don't think this is outlandish at all. I think most people would welcome such a wall -- even if they aren't "book people" -- everyone has framed pictures, board games, etc., which can also be stored on a library wall.

I am doing something similar in my new house, but rather than planning a solid wall, I am planning:

- Cabinets on the bottom -- books can be stored in cabinets, but so can craft supplies, etc. I see this as "neater" and more versatile.

- We are spacing the shelves so that a TV will fit in the space directly across from the bed. A TV in the middle of shelves will fit just fine.

- I don't care for the idea of a library ladder, even if your bedroom were large enough for it to be practical. Oh, they look great, but I think that -- in real life - it'd be a trip hazzard. Instead, I'd say put pretty baskets and/or rarely used books on the top shelf.
l pinkmountain
7 years ago
I have such a wall, and it has a tv. It faces our bed. I don't like it because it looks cluttered, and is not restful. My husband insisted on putting family photos on the shelves so I wake up every morning and go to bed each night with his family staring at me. Also one one shelf he has a statue of an eagle with talons extended heading straight for us on the bed. My husband thinks all of this doesn't matter. But he also has trouble sleeping at night. Something to consider. Bedrooms should lack things that are too visually stimulating and remind us of work tasks or things we should be doing at other times. I would advice against it, and I have books in almost every conceivable space. We do have some bookshelves adjacent to the bed, but not a full on library. You could also stack books under the bed, I have seen that . . . http://www.mobusproperty.com/best-bookshelf-ideas-top-underneath/

Also books gather dust, so you are creating a lot of dusting work for yourself. We sleep better in a room with as little dust as possible.
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hollybar
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Over the years, I've seen many iterations of this. Most are bedrooms with lots of shelves, sometimes there is a library with a bed in it. In either case,like everything else in your home,some potential buyers will be turned off, some will love it. Best plan,I think is to choose the plan that best encompasses your vision for the space & execute with love and care. Somehow that authenticity translates into a warmth most potential buyers respond to... or as a witty and highly-ethical former boss once told me, "people fall for integrity all the time".
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ps- one practical matter is to make sure you don't end up with a ladder that is basically vertical or conversely, one with a too large footprint for the room.