A comfortable library

I finished styling the library / TV room last week. You can read about the project here but to quickly remind you, this was a pool room (as in pool table) and the husband wanted to turn it into a library and TV watching room.

My inspiration boards for the room

 Before you get all "what is up with the bricks" on me, the clients love their brick and it was not an option to change it. And although they wanted to have bookcases on either side of the hearth, they were not interested in built-ins. Some of the bricks/stones project out from the wall and so that we didn't have to cut them off, we needed to use open shelving. It was tricky (well, it took some precise measuring) to find bookcases that fit the space and where the shelves hit in just the right places. 

The bookshelves before styling

We used these from Crate and Barrel. I like that they have a drawer and the height was exactly what I wanted.

Moore Media Tower | Crate and Barrel

In addition to the bookshelves, we purchased a sectional, a long sofa table, a leather recliner, a storage ottoman coffee table and a large area rug. The TV will be installed next week over the fireplace and the pool table light (stained glass) still needs to be removed but it was time to get some accessories in this bare room. Here is what I started with (the lighting was terrible so the colors are off ... the area rug is actually a perfect navy blue):

Braylin Rug | Pottery Barn

We purchased the table from Pottery Barn. We saw it when we went in to look at the rug. I loved the length and the fact that it was wide enough to put a lamp on but not too wide to cramp the limited space behind the sofa. We needed a table without a bottom shelf so we could put two ottomans underneath the table. Here is the furniture installed ... looks pretty boring without any accessories:

Before

After

I did my usual HomeGoods hunt for the perfect accessories, picked up some pillows and a lamp from West Elm and came out with a carload of stuff. I wanted to put a combination of the client's books and interesting objects to break up the shelves and as always, I wanted the accessories to look collected and also reflect the client's personalities. I also thought it would be fun to make them a little bar area.

Ready to see how it turned out?

I placed two swivel leather ottomans under the sofa table to be used for extra seating. The second lamp will be delivered in a few days.

I think it turned out great and the best part is that it is exactly what the client wanted. It will be a cozy and comfortable room for reading or TV watching and a nice place for the family to gather ... and I am happy the client's books have a new home.