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For as long as I can remember I have been a huge lover of books. Not so much reading, per se, but rather the book as an object. Perhaps this is why I have such a hard time reading anything other than the news or emails on my iPad. When I sit down to read and retain, I need a book in my hands and the sound of pages turning and marking my progress.  There is something quite ancient and fascinating about books.  Few things have survived in their original design and intention for so long. From the time of Gutenburg and the invention of movable type in the mid-Fifteenth century, our use of printing, binding, and distribution of literature has remained the most important advancement of mankind.

A printer's press, like the one above (c. mid 16th century), could print up to 240 pages per hour.(From Wikipedia)

Books for me have been an escape and obsession.  I began collecting art books in high school and by the end of college my "library" outgrew my dorm room. Perhaps this is why I was initially drawn to my first apartment in New York. Once the broker told me that it was originally the library of the foundation that previously occupied the building,  I was sold. Two walls of the living room were lined with beautiful old bookshelves.

Georgia and I are kindred spirits in this regard, and it shows in much of the design work that we do and the furniture we have created. Both the Bibliophile's Dining Table and Collector's Coffee Table were born out of a need for some way to contain our amassing collections. When my husband and I were beginning to plan the layout of our new apartment, we  knew that we wanted and needed plenty of bookshelves. As planning turned to design, I began scouring the internet (and my books of course!) for images of the perfect home library. Over the course of the past few years I have found a new obsession-photographs of libraries and books. Below are a few of my favorites. Starting out with one of my dog, Bailey, happily resting on one of our new shelves.

All images above, except for "Bailey with Books" and where otherwise noted can be found on favim.com and or tumblr.com