Decorate with dark color...I have heard this recommendation from many interior designers. But I have never seen it done so well as in the library at the Mayflower Inn in the idyllic town of Washington, CT. We just got back from a wonderful week on the east coast. Once I catch my breath, I will organize my photos and do a full blog post on the trip. But just for now, I wanted to share this photo I took of the library at the Mayflower Inn. This was taken in the late afternoon on a crisp fall day. All of the rooms at the Mayflower Inn are lovely, but this one in particular caught my eye. It just envelops you and invites you to curl up with a good book. And there were so many to choose from. I went with an Anita Brookner title I had never seen before. And though I didn't make a lot of progress, I will try to get a copy now that I'm home so I can read the whole thing.
It was the perfect library, deeply atmospheric and enticing. The dark brown of the woodwork, the warm colors of the books, and the patina of the well worn leather chairs and pillows added up to a cozy haven for hiding out on a cold winter night. But the next day I discovered there were other uses for this room. One evening it was closed off for a private dinner party. I peeked in and saw a round table glowing with candlelight and flowers set for about 8 people. I've always thought that a dinner in a library would be delightful. Surrounded by all those great books, conversation would flow. I tucked that idea away for the future: a small dinner party for four or six in our tiny library. There's something very appealing about eating in a room not meant to be used for dining. I love the idea of combining dinner, wine, conversation and good books.
And speaking of good books, I just finished Lauren Groff's new book Fates and Furies on the plane coming home. It was strange, intense, and riveting. It's about a marriage seen from the perspective of both spouses. There seems to be something Shakespearean about this book. I enjoyed it and will write a review soon. Have you read it? I would love to know what you thought.
What have you been reading lately?
I have sadly neglected my reading during the summer months. It happens every year. I lose patience with everything in the summer heat. Now that room looks like the library of my dreams and one day I will have a room exactly like that.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! I can see myself reading something chunky and Victorian in that library. I did read Fates and Furies and, though I admired the writing, I didn't like it very much over all. I just started 'Thirteen Ways of Looking' by Colum McCann and it's wonderful so far.
ReplyDeleteI love that room and have been wanting to turn our useless "den" into a dark library and will use this as inspiration for sure. Love Anita Brookner, and think I've read them all. As for "Fates and Furies", I started it and found the writing pretentious and annoying at the beginning so I've put it down for now. However, I am curious to read it at a time when I don't mind sort of plowing though, as it's been reviewed so well.
ReplyDeleteA fave of mine as well!! Sorry to have missed you - next time!
ReplyDeleteLiving in a 16th century barn most of our rooms are dark and atmospheric!! The hall/library is similar to the above having stone flagged floors is far too cold for eating even in our Summers' lol!
ReplyDeleteHave just been to the cinema to see the film "45 years"with Charlotte Rampling (divine!) and Tom Courtenay both gave brilliant performances about a couple looking back on a long marriage,your mention of the Fates & Furies sounds similar,off to check out.
Am in the middle of reading Jane Brown's The Omnipotent Magician a biography of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown 1716-1783 our finest landscape gardener.
Oh that library looks so very inviting. I could definitely curl up on one of those chairs for hours. I agree that having a dinner party in a library is such a wonderful idea - the atmosphere would be so cosy!
ReplyDeleteMiranda xxx Oh I love those pineapple earrings too!! Julia's blog is one of the best - I'm so excited to see this great new collaboration!
Miranda xxx http://www.mirandasnotebook.com/
Whoops! Somehow I copied in another comment by mistake! Trying again:
ReplyDeleteThat library is just so gorgeous! I could curl up in one of those chairs perfectly happily for hours. And I so agree that having a dinner party in a library is a fantastic idea - the atmosphere would be so cosy and inviting!
Miranda xxx http://mirandasnotebook.com/
I love dark rooms, I think they are romantic!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you stayed at Mayflower it is our favorite. I love the bookshelves in the spa room which were chosen principally for their bindings/covers of soft whites.
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