Now
Over the last few years since the renovation, our home and bookshelves have evolved. Before, we had a built-in multipurpose bookshelf that housed books (images further below), television and a host of other items like photos and art.
Nowadays, our bookshelf is dedicated for the most part to books - ahem - with the odd basketball and some art and storage that inevitably fill an empty shelf between book purchases. It is lovely to have a dedicated library wall that leads out to our covered deck, also grounding the sofa placed not too far away. I have to acknowledge hubby here who insisted on creating a wall partition during the renovation so the bookcase looked intentional and could eventually be built in without too much effort.
For now, we are just enjoying having all our books in one spot. I have to say, it gives me a little thrill when I see family standing at the bookshelf, browsing, like they would in a bookstore or library. It is serving it's purpose, and that makes me very happy.
The plan in terms of making it a fully functional library wall with rolling ladder has been put on hold, and I have to admit, with little children in our extended family, seems more like a hazard so I have left the indulgence for a little longer. I continue to 'pin' ALL THE LADDERS because somehow the bookshelf looks incomplete without it, but maybe that's just in my head ha! In the interim, I have extended the shelves with separate shelf units (IKEA, your Billy combination is GENIUS!).
I continue to make an effort to surround our home with shelves and books of all kind, in the kitchen, study and reading nook to encourage reading whenever the mood strikes, even if it is as simple as reading a recipe book!
Reading fills the soul, and I hope a love of books stays with and continues with my boys long after they have left home.
Then
If you have paid a visit to my picture book blog you will know that we are an avid household of readers. There has been a collection of books and magazines in almost every room in the house, and we hope to continue this tradition in our new space.
My husband confesses to being a bigger reader now than before he met me (thanks, I will take that, dear), so has no problem with me
When it comes to books and reading for kids, I am a complete and utter advocate for reading to children from birth. My boys both have bookshelves near their beds, in their game room and ofcourse scattered throughout the house to encourage them to pick up a book and take a journey.
When we renovate I will be transferring these reading spaces to their new rooms and rumpus to continue the reading habit, one which has worked fairly well. Naturally, and as statistics would indicate boys generally stop reading sooner than girls, so the challenge has always been to keep books and reading visible in our home.
As a child I was always found reading in corners with a little torch. My father had a study that was out of bounds when he was home, which I sneakily crept into when he was out to climb up the ladder and take the books from the top shelf. It's no surprise that I will be incorporating a book shelf ladder in my own home for my children to explore and create memories.