Yes, well, moving right along... Kinda. This is what I should be doing today...
Sprucing up Gull Cottage
from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
The Ghost and Mrs. M is also on my Netflix these days. What fun! I love that movie!
So I'm not scrubbing floors...I got sidetracked by books. It's always the books!
When I got to the library I came to a standstill, — ah, the dear room, what happy times I have spent in it rummaging amongst the books, making plans for my garden, building castles in the air, writing, dreaming, doing nothing.
But it is impossible, I find, to tidy books without ending by sitting on the floor in the middle of a great untidiness and reading.
(Both quotes are from Elizabeth von Arnim books)
Did you ever get in on that color coding thing for your books?
Foolish me. I did. I don't care for the look now; John doesn't either. (I messed with his books and he has a perfectly good method understandable only to him.) I would mess them all up all over again, but I'm going to allow them to drift naturally. John has already set plenty adrift, believe me. This used to annoy me. Now I see the error of me ways.
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Here's a cozy living room with lots of books. The child's chair is loaded with books.
What I like best is that poster!
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A classic New England library...white and blue with a punch of red for good measure.
Which room would you prefer to read in or are you an outdoor under the tree reader?
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I'm thinking this would work well for me. It is the best of both worlds and when, after I've read a page or two, I feel the need of a nap, I'll be all set.
(If you are a pinner, please pin from the original source. Thanks!)
Oh no, Dear is not going to be happy with all these new inspirations swimming around in my head now that I've seen these spaces. Love that New England library...sigh.
ReplyDeleteI like to read in an open quiet room. I don't find it real easy to read on an airplane.
My house is so too full of books, but I have a difficult time weeding out for the Elizabeth von Arnim reasons! But during my last ten days at the cottage, dd Emily helped me fill more than three loads of books to send to the Salvation Army! It really is freeing! Now, in time, I hope I can do that here!(But don't worry, I will have shelves and shelves of books left!)
ReplyDeleteIn between "fill" and "more" I forgot the words "my car with"!
ReplyDeleteEven before it became trendy, our daughter was organizing her books by the color of the spine. She said it's because she always remembered what color it was and that made it so much easier to find a book she was looking for. :-) Mine are organized by category. I love tidying my books, although it is an all-day job at least. Have you heard - there are actually homes with NO BOOKS. Can you believe it? I walked into one recently and asked the person with me (not the owner), 'Where are the books??' She responded, 'Yeah, I know.' Isn't that sad?!
ReplyDeleteI have so many books that I don't re-read. I really need to send them on to good homes and stick with the library. Truth be told, I was once an avid reader and now find little time for it. I love these rooms, but keeping the book clutter looking that good is no easy thing!
ReplyDeleteI could curl up with a good book in that cozy living room for sure! Love the airiness and the lighting in the bedroom too (the quilts are beautiful). I like the feel and smell of books, but also enjoy my Kindle Reader when reading in bed or on the beach!
ReplyDeleteI always put books by the same author together and then I put them with "like" books. Decorating, fiction, inspirational….
ReplyDeleteI love these rooms - the poster too! I guess I would chose the room with the punch of red, but I do like that room with the day beds and windows! Fresh air, but a comfy bed for a nap!
Deanna
I have a few treasured books. Those I display in different places. I buy, read and then recycle back to the thrift store all the paper backs I like. Lately I've been hooked on John Grisham novels (Love court room drama's) and have seen most of his books that have been made into movies. Got 10 of them for 50 cents at the Thrift store and I'm half way through! Been reading by the pool. Nice get some sun, take a swim and real a thriller trial scene.
ReplyDeleteBTW... I would take the last picture any day!
My very favorite place to read is in the 5th wheel, sitting in my glider. It's the coziest most relaxing place I know. If only it could be more often. . .
ReplyDeleteJohn had a bookcase put where a fireplace would have been in this house. He has all his books, cd's etc. within arm's reach. I'm sure it is in some kind of order, known only to him!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a life-long girlfriend who shares a home with her sister. They had a designer to makeover their home and the lady had to BUY books to put on display!
Mama loved for me to read aloud to her - mostly good, clean mysteries. Often, we would fall asleep while sitting in our recliners!
Wishing you a nice day, Vee.
I like the classic New England room (of course I do!), although the reading/napping couches also have appeal! I have never color-coded my books, but Ron thinks that my system is impossible. I think it is perfectly sensible. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen those photos with all the books with their spines facing in and the pages facing out? Ack!! THAT would make me nuts!
Yes, and since I have nothing good to say about that look, I'll say nothing at all. ROFL!
DeleteI didn't know about the colour coding method of arranging books, My gardening, wildlife and health books are by subject and the only reading books I've kept are a set of nicely bound Reader's Digest that have 2 or 3 condensed books in each.
ReplyDeleteYou may find this odd, but I rarely keep books I buy or that are given to me as I've always passed them on and never requested them back.
I would choose the room with the twin beds because it's nice and bright for reading and perfect for an afternoon nap before tea. :-)
Oh, such lovely rooms. I want more bookshelves. Nice tall ones, like in the New England room. How I arrange my books - now that's a thought that made me stop. Do I need a specific way of arranging them? On the piano are the pretty books and the ones I refer to, like the bird book. My dictionaries, thesauruses and French grammar books are kept handy on the bookshelf behind the computer. Cookbooks in the kitchen. Sewing books in the sewing room. And scattered among them all are the fiction books, wherever they happen to land. That's my system and I'm sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteI like to read in the living room. I start out in the armchair, move to the couch and, if on a reading binge, end up supine, propped up by pillows. That bright bedroom would be a great place to read.
Hi, I love bookshelves myself, but I must limit myself to how many books I keep. I have a craft room and the house is not big enough for a library. But we are getting a new one in our rural town...
ReplyDeleteLoved the quotes and the picture of the ladies cleaning.
I am off for a fun day with a dear friend!
We will talk about books...
Books, Books and more Books !
Roxy
My hubby and I admit to being bookaholics. I am a librarian, and group books by subject, not by color. Ha ha, but true. I like the quotes you include. I saw a funny one which describes me. It says "I am going to clean my house, I am definitely going to cl....., oh look, a book."
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS have a book close at hand and I read some every single day. I cannot even imagine life without books!! We have a morning book basket with the Bible and devotionals and such and then I carry whatever I am currently reading in a book cover with handles. I have stacks and shelves of books and a whole bookcase of cookbooks. Generally I recyle the ones I have read or sell them on my eBay account. SOME books are to be kept forever, though!
ReplyDeleteI recently went through all our books...we really need to downsize! I did do the color sorting with them, I am happy with the look, although it does take a bit longer to locate a book when sorted by color and not subject! :)
ReplyDeleteLove that movie!
I love to read real stories of famous murders and trials.
ReplyDeleteNow a days I am reading Dr. Seuss Green eggs and ham,
Charlottes web, and The hungry caterpillar...
Maybe one day I will get back to my books lol
have a great week-end
You can't go wrong with Charlotte'sWeb no matter what your age! =D
DeleteI've got a couple that are calling my name...dang this move! I understand completely, XOXO
ReplyDelete(I messed with his books and he has a perfectly good method understandable only to him.) I would mess them all up all over again, but I'm going to allow them to drift naturally. John has already set plenty adrift, believe me. This used to annoy me. Now I see the error of me ways....
ReplyDeleteThat paragraph could me me, and Joe... I'm chuckling as I read this! :)
I got rid of many of my books (my daughter took many) when we moved here and were forced to downsize so much. I have one lone book case left and I have been considering getting rid of those too. It won't be easy. I get soo attached to my books. I go in phases though. Right now I have nothing that I am reading with the exception of my Bible and my devotional. I do need a good book. Enjoy your week-end Vee!
ReplyDeleteI love a house full of book shelves!
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone sort through books without browsing through the pages?
Not me! If I even think of rearranging I know it's going to take all day.
Oh and yes, I love The Ghost and Mrs. Muir movie too.
I like that last room....nice and bright and a bed for each of us! lol I just got all of the bookcases in place in this house last summer. So it's been fun to get my books organized. I have categories...pretty much. And I keep a shelf of books I haven't read so I can choose from them when I'm in between library books. I bought some books today as a matter of fact! I LOVE books! They feel like HOME! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteOh I really like your idea of keeping books you haven't read separate! Good idea!
DeleteI've been reducing my library recently, keeping my very favourites and letting the ones I know I'll never read again go to new homes. :) I still have too many books and I think it will always be that way! Most are contained in my reading room with my home decor and quilting books in my office. But books still manage to find their way into every room in the house. A place to curl up and take a nap while reading is always a good thing! xo
ReplyDeleteps - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir was one of my Mom's favourite movies.
I can't tell you how many books we gave away or donated before we moved here..we had books everywhere..sigh..I could sit at the library all day. Maybe I ought to be a librarian?--ANYWAYS--love the New England look.--btw, Since I spend a lot of time now at the library, I asked them again today did they have the Lobster Chronicles. Do you know..they didn't. It is by Linda Greenlaw, right? I ask them each time I go in..they prob are tired of me asking, lol. Unfort..they know me by name now..that might be a prob, you think? (giggles)--Great post, Vee. Blessings
ReplyDeleteI wish I could get hubby to reduce his books, but, we have book cases in every room but one and baths. I have never thought of color categorizing, though I do that with my closet. I did watch your movie and enjoyed it. Thanks for the rec and have a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for reporting back! So glad that you did enjoy it. Did you watch with your hubby or did you go it alone?
DeleteWe got Enchanted April in the mail today and will be watching it later.
ReplyDeleteI have my books in alphabetically order by author. Fiction and Nonfiction.
I read all over the place. : )
I could live in a room lined with books and a comfy bed, I could get the beer fairy to leave food at the door but the washing up would never be done, well we can dream.
ReplyDeleteMerle............
No color coding for me- but I sure do have piles and shelves and boxes of books that need to be organized. One day, soon. I tell myself wistfully...and maybe never.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I LOVE The Ghost & Mrs. Muir! did you watch the TV series when it was on back the late 60's early 70's? I never saw the movie...just watched the show. Will have to look that up on Netflix! I prefer my reading out on the swing in the front yard in early evening after the sun loses it's brightness :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I loved the sitcom, but the movie IS the thing!
DeleteI'm pretty sure I left a comment but where is the question. I was saying that I like the room with cots which seems like a finished attic. I love cookbooks mostly.
ReplyDeleteAs they say, whomever 'they' may be - "books do make a room".
ReplyDeleteHow about the stupid idea of turning books with the spine inward so you only see the pages? It actually looks very creative for a small group of yellowed French antique tomes, but with hundreds of regular books in a large bookcase, crazy!
Happy weekend - will you be reading?
Mary
Just give me a recliner and a stack of books and I'm a happy camper! No, I would never color code my books. Since I'm a very eclectic reader, my books are filed...sort of...by subject matter or author.
ReplyDeleteI like the last photo, Vee, because there's a comfy bed with a quilt to cozy up in and a beautiful view of the outdoors. Yes, I'd be happy reading a book there!
ReplyDeleteSo funny Vee...My daughter just LOVES books and is such a reader. She gets sidetracked too. I say just enjoy and reading is such a good thing.
ReplyDeleteYou need that poster Vee and that is the room I would be reading in. I have stacks of books like the ones in that image.
ReplyDeleteLying in a hammock under a tree sounds great to me but that bed looks inviting too so I could just doze off.
ReplyDeleteI love a feel of a good book.
Have a good weekend.
Blessings,
Aida
I LOVE , LOVE , LOVE THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR!..
ReplyDelete.I'm an under the tree, in the tub, on the sofa, in the bed or the car reader. I particularly like that little room with the cubby like beds.
I even liked the short lived Ghost and Mrs. Muir television series.
ReplyDeleteRe: Book shelving. I once saw a decorating magazine that shelved the books pages out instead of spine out.
Ca-Ray-zee.
Love the photo of the woman scrubbing the floor. Yes, I let the floors go in favor of a book all the time! I organize my books by subject, but now I have piles on the floor as we have no more shelf room. I have gotten rid of all I possibly can. And I can't imagine never buying another book, so we will probably get more shelves. I have a kindle but don't care to read from it. Love the feel of a real book.
ReplyDeleteI can't read 15 minutes without getting sleepy and I'm sleepy right this minute..........
ReplyDelete..................
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Hi Vee
ReplyDeleteFirst I LOVE The Ghost and Mrs Muir!!! I prefer real books to kindle or nook and I let them be in a free for all! I'm a big old comfy chair reader, surrounded by people. It doesn't have to be quiet, just me and a book and I'm in another world.
Leann
I'm a book lover Vee and have several bookcases through our little house... somehow there's always room for another book!
ReplyDeleteI really like the light and airy living room but for reading I prefer my own quiet space so it's the pretty bedroom for me - can I bags the bed on the left?!!!