Custom Libraries & Studies, Built to Disappear Into the Architecture.
A great library reads as architecture, not as furniture. Floor-to-ceiling shelving sits exactly between two pilasters that frame the room.
What a Forest Heart Library or Study Includes
- Floor-to-ceiling shelving with adjustable shelves on hidden pin supports.
- Paneled walls integrated into the shelving system.
- Hidden doors flush with paneled walls opening to adjacent rooms or closets.
- Custom desks pedestal, partner's, or built-in waterfall matched to the library cabinetry.
- Library ladders on brass or bronze rails where the room scale supports them.
- Integrated lighting picture lights, valance lights, shelf-edge lights designed in from the start.
Editorial
A great library reads as architecture, not as furniture. Floor-to-ceiling shelving sits exactly between two pilasters that frame the room. The crown is the same profile as the ceiling crown. The base matches the room base. The shelves are adjustable but invisible. The bottom cabinets are inset and run the full perimeter. A door disappears into a panel and opens to the next room. A ladder rolls on a brass track. The result is the most private and the most calming room in the home.
FAQ Libraries & Studies
What wood species work best for a library?
Quartersawn or rift-sawn white oak, walnut, and cherry are the most common. Painted libraries in a deep forest green, a soft white, or a navy are popular in transitional and traditional homes. The species and finish choice is a conversation about the overall design vocabulary of the home.
How tall can the shelves go?
Shelves run to whatever the ceiling height supports. In rooms with twelve-foot or higher ceilings, a library ladder on a brass rail becomes both functional and architectural. In rooms with standard nine-foot ceilings, the top shelves are typically deep-storage shelves for less-frequently-accessed volumes.