21 Rooms That Will Change The Way You Think About Bookshelves

21 Rooms That Will Change The Way You Think About Bookshelves

These hyper-organized rooms will inspire the best in your home

Decorator Estelle Réale infused an ancient Roman house in the South of France with dramatic colors. The library's bookshelves, constructed inside a stone archway and edged in bright pink, hold an array of treasures, including wood religious figures from the 18th century and pumpkin-color ceramics from India. A pair of red leather armchairs made in Tunisia in the 1920s flanks the doorway.

In a London home owned by hoteliers Kit and Tim Kemp, the round table is French, the painting on the floor is by Duncan Grant, and the mantel is limestone.

For the dressing room of his Chicago apartment, interior designer Nate Berkus opts for a sporty blue closet. The space has vintage touches, including a wardrobe and mirror installed during the apartment's 1940s renovation by architect Samuel Marx, as well as a midcentury French light fixture. The 1960s Paul McCobb stools are upholstered in men's suiting corduroy.

An Urban Archaeology tub, a Waterworks tub filler, and an early-20th-century French steel bookcase in the master bath of a Tampa, Florida, home designed by Nate Berkus; the 1940s chandelier is by Lobmeyr, and the walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Paper White.

In a Manhattan library/guest room, the remote control–operated bed slides out from the bookcase; the linens and cashmere throw are by Schweitzer Linen.

Rows of fabric-covered boxes containing shoes and hats fill the dressing room shelves in textile designer Gretchen Bellinger's upstate New York home, decorated by Andrew Fisher and Jeffry Weisman. The Frog chair by Michael Taylor Designs is upholstered in a Bellinger cotton velvet.

Circa-1950 French armchairs and a custom-made desk, rug, and shelving in the library; the table lamps and globe are from JF Chen.

J. Randall Powers, designer: "A combination dressing room and bathroom is fantastically convenient. Mine has a shower, a Japanese soaking tub, overhead cubbies for luggage, and built-in drawers for everything from jeans to belts. The bench makes it easy to sit and put on shoes or lay out an outfit or suitcase when I'm packing."

Inside the home of Mark Badgley and James Mischka with a selection of copper and stainless-steel pans, and some of their many cookbooks.

In the living room of this home, the wood stump and cowhide rug are from Jayson Home; the bookcase is by IKEA, and the vintage porter's chair was found in Palm Beach.

In jeweler Loree Rodkin's Los Angeles apartment, which she decorated with the help of Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, the dressing room reflects the home's subdued color scheme. The island of drawers and shelving by Poliform provides ample storage and display space for Rodkin's shoe collection. The vintage brass pendant lights are from Rewire, and the antique bowl is from Jacques Carcanagues Gallery.

Inside the home of Candace Bushnell a 19th-century Venetian chaise is dressed up with a pillow from Geminola; the palm-leaf lamp from Le Décor Français dates from the 1800s.

The standout among Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon's multiple closets is the one created especially for her collection of more than 400 pairs of shoes, arranged by color and type. Pairs not on display are stored in boxes labeled with photos for easy identification. Mellon also has a separate closet for her jeans, and she color coordinates her wardrobe seasonally with the help of a firm called the Practical Princess.

The spacious master bathroom of the Bel Air, California, home interior designer Michael S. Smith shares with James Costos does double duty as a dressing area with glass-front closets; the Town tub and fittings are by Smith for Kallista.

These efficient spaces were designed to keep a modern family organized for any activity. Anyone can create a closet, customizable by finish and size, with free online or in-store design services.

Original article and pictures take www.elledecor.com site