Time to Get Out the Magnifying Glass

Please help me put my mind to ease. Am I the only one who gets out the magnifying glass when I see a particularly inviting bookcase featured in a magazine or book? (Something tells me the answer is no!). I think I do this partly out of curiosity- is the homeowner interested in design? Architecture? Modern American fiction? The other reason is because I'm always looking for new books to add to my library.

The library that still has my keen interest is that of Christopher Spitzmiller, above. What a fabulous library! And how disappointed I am that many of the book titles are too small to read! It's been murder on the eyes trying to catalogue Spitzmiller's library. From what I've been able to make out, Spitzmiller and I have numerous books in common, but his library still beats mine by a long shot.

Here are a few others that gave my magnifying glass (and my eyes) a workout:


First, this Chinoiserie bookcase in the home of designer Alex Papachristidis is divine, but the books within it are pretty stellar too. A few noted titles: Beaton in Vogue, Sister: The Life of Legendary Interior Decorator Mrs. Henry Parish II, and Waddesdon Manor (photo by Roger Davies; Elle Decor 11/07)


The one that got away... This shot of Michael Devine's library looks promising. Alas, the books are blurry. But I know that Michael has an interesting library. A few I was able to make out: In The Pink and Cecil Beaton (Photo from Domino, Dec 07. Photographer Marcus Nilsson)


My neatnik gene prevents me from piling copious amounts of books on the floor as Keith Irvine did here in his Manhattan apartment. Nonetheless, he has some erudite reads: London Perceived and Pleasure and Privilege


The library of the late Timothy Mawson. This bookshelf has numerous books on Beaton as well as Poiret and David Hockney. You can tell that this was a library of a serious collector- the books are the centerpiece here.


And speak of the devil, after I wrote this post my copy of Elle Decor came in the mail. Time to pull out the magnifying glass again! I don't know if this is Ms. Russell's personal library or that of Elle Decor. Nonetheless, it's a good one. I spy Horst Interiors, At Home with Books, and David Hicks Living with Design. (Elle Decor Mar 08)

Image at top: Christopher Spitzmiller's apartment, Elle Decor Dec 06; photographer William Waldron)