Libraries provide quiet retreat in electronic age

"The two-story library has become very popular over the past few years," said Steve Miller, vice president of London Bay Homes. That company currently has estate models at Grey Oaks, Estuary at Grey Oaks, Mediterra, Bonita Bay, Quail West Golf & Country Club and Aqualane Shores. "The two-story design has dramatic architectural allure, but the appeal is personal, too. Homeowners find a quiet contentment among their books. The two-story design -- and custom millwork in the library -- showcase these personal collections."

Throughout history, books have been a valued possession. Handwritten and painstakingly bound, early publications were owned by a privileged few. Even after the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, while newspapers and other printed materials were more commonplace, books were a treasured rarity. In the finer European estates, collections were displayed on handcrafted bookshelves in wood-paneled rooms. In this country, private collections of scholars and entrepreneurs such as J. Pierpont Morgan were legendary. Woodrow Wilson, a noted scholar, had more than 5,000 volumes in his home after his presidency.

Placement of the library today varies according to the homeowners' preferences. It is sometimes a nod to custom, when business was conducted in a parlor toward the front of the home. Guests walking into the grand foyer of The Gabriella, a 9,022-square-foot estate home built by London Bay Homes in the Estuary at Grey Oaks might be guided directly into the library at the right. The room is a fully appointed destination with desk, bookshelves along the wall, a club chair and a powder room. An elevator provides convenient access to the second floor balcony, which can be seen from the library, for the perusal of books on additional bookshelves or leisurely reading on upholstered window seats. Like many contemporary libraries, this setting is part of a multi-purpose design; the second floor reading area is adjacent to a bar, billiards and a home theater.

In many homes, the library is a very personal retreat.

"Rarely do our clientele work out of their homes in a capacity where they're actually receiving guests," said Miller. "Many of them are retired executives, very much involved with business, but via a phone or computer. They dictate where the library will be, and very often they want it toward the rear of the home, adjacent to the master bedroom suite, and where they're sure to enjoy a golf course view."

In The Caterina, a 9,315-square-foot home by London Bay Homes in Mediterra, the library offers the best of both worlds. Near the grand foyer and approaching the master suite, the two-story library serves a variety of functions. On the first floor, the dignified setting serves as a "meeting and greeting" parlor, with an uninterrupted view of the exterior of the front and rear of the home. On the second floor, floor-to-ceiling custom maple bookshelves and cabinets wrap entirely around a spacious interior balcony. A spiral staircase leads to the library loft.

As in the past, books and personal memorabilia still provide the mainstay of the library.

"People may have extensive book collections, and they also have personal items, family photos and things from their travels that they've collected over the years and want to showcase," said Jennifer Stevens, senior designer with Romanza Interior Design. "While there's something to be said for a library that is lined with books, people enjoy a mix of personal objects and books."

While it is a quiet retreat for reading, the library is also powered for the latest in technology with high-speed cable, sound systems and task as well as ambient lighting.

"The older bulky TVs with a 24- or 28-inch depth would not fit into a 12-inch bookshelf and were housed in armoires or larger cabinets," said Miller. "Now, plasma TVs, with their 4-inch depth, can be integrated discreetly into the bookshelves. They're high definition and can even double as computer monitors or be used for video conferencing."

Most libraries are also studies, Stevens has found, and as such, they need to be places of inspiration.

"I cannot recall one that I've worked on that is not also a functional study," she said. "My clients want to be surrounded by their personal belongings, to have a comfortable refuge so that they can be creative at all times."

More than other rooms in the home, the library is generally darker, reflecting a subdued ambience. Textured wallpapers of natural materials such as cork, sea grass or leather tend to soften the atmosphere.

"We might strive for a lighter look throughout the home with a fairly light palette, but then use the darker woods and leather upholstery in the library," she said. "This room can be a place of departure, and it does not have to set the tone for the entire home."

Perhaps more than any other room in the home, the library usually features a good deal of custom cabinetry, intricate parquetry and carved moulding.

"The whole idea is that you walk into this room, close the door and you're surrounded by wood," said Gary Fusco, president of The Woodworker's Cabinet in Naples. "The custom woodwork creates an incredibly warm presence."

The choice of wood has changed over time. "Years ago it was all pickled maples or pickled white oak," said Fusco. "Now we're using medium browns and cherry. In the past year, we did two rooms in walnut -- really a beautiful look -- with a combination of walnut on the cabinets and walnut burl on the door fronts."

In the more elaborate libraries, reaching that elusive book on the top shelf can be a trick. Putnam Rolling Ladder Co., in business since 1905, supplies ladders made of any hard wood including Honduras mahogany, maple, birch and cherry. The ladder can be secured to a brass rail that runs around the room.

For a bit of whimsy, many libraries harbor mystery.

"Almost every library that we do has a secret door, which is just a wall of bookcases," said Fusco. "Just touch that bookcase and it swings open for passage into another room. People get the biggest kick out of them. From my perspective, they are nice because you can have a series of bookshelves and not be interrupted by a doorway."

To more than a few, books are an essential part of life, and having a quiet spot to settle down with a book is truly one of the finer things in life. In the luxury home market, the fully appointed library is a mainstay.

"With walls of books, the hand crafted wood cabinetry and the classic, deep leather club chairs," explained Fusco, "these tranquil retreats really are something special."

Homeowners have embraced the concept of a two-story library with enthusiasm. The design has been so well received that London Bay Homes is including a two-story study/library in its newest model at Grey Oaks, The Isabella. The Isabella is a five-bedroom home with 7,417 air-conditioned square feet and a total of 11,238 square feet under roof.

"The library was lost in the homes of the past few decades, but it has been rediscovered as a treasured feature today," Miller said.