From Loft to Hunt Country Library

From the moment we saw the loft in our home during our first viewing, we had a vision of turning it into an old world library. I knew from the start I wanted classic hunt country equestrian colors and textures – olive green, buttery tans, and tufted red – to harken my equestrian days, the fond memories of our tack room, the scent of sweet feed, fescue, and Old English oiled saddles.

I had read about Farrow and Ball French Gray paint, and it seemed the perfect backdrop for our vision. The name French Gray is deceptive, as it is truly green with a hint of gray. In my opinion it is a perfect Edwardian green. It sets a cozy yet refined yet peaceful mood – just the kind of space one could not resist lingering with a book for hours, which of course was our intention.

THE FURNISHINGS

Our first find was a gorgeous statement piece that serves as the focal point of the space – a tufted red velvet Victorian loveseat, which seemed the quintessential addition to a Hunt Country library. In truth it serves more decor than function, as I found it not to be the ideal piece for long hours of working or reading. I love nothing more than to sink into a plush sofa with a cozy blanket, to wrap myself in the the comfort of escaping into another time, place, and world captured by the greatest minds of the centuries.

Most of our furnishings are secondhand finds, which I sought for highly discounted prices or were gifted through partnerships to stay on a tight budget. One of my first goals was also to find proper reading chairs for my husband, as that is a high priority for him, and he is extremely choosy about his reading chairs.

The search led to the most bizarre experience I have ever encountered on marketplace. I happened upon these classic Queen Anne wingback chairs, upholstered in gorgeous tapestry with primary shades of olive green, burgundy, and earthy brown. Then, mere hours later, I found a sofa in the same style, era, and upholstery. I took it as a sign it was fated, and the trio have been by far the coziest addition to our library.

But now you are wondering about the books. It is a library after all. Yes, there are books. Tons of books! Between my husband and me, both avid readers and book collectors, I can’t count the number of books. And that’s not even including the twenty book boxes of mine still stored at my parents’ house from when I was apartment living. Truthfully, we still don’t have enough room for our books, but we will collect more bookcases in time.

I was really stuck on the idea of barrister bookcases. Over the years, my book spines have faded from sun damage, and now that we are collecting more vintage and antique books, I am quite protective of them. Glassed bookcases also keep dust and bugs at bay, and in my opinion add a refined look to a library.

These were not secondhand, but they are crafted in midwestern America of solid oak. I especially love the leaded glass in the top shelf. We have two of them on either end of the library – one for my husband and one for me. Still, with all our books, we had to double up, placing two rows of books on each shelf. Luckily they are deep enough for it to work.

ACCENTS

I first found these vintage silhouettes (the largest ones) from Debbie Perkins of Unique Objects to create a gallery wall over the loveseat, and then found some additional smaller ones to fill in the gaps. I also sourced, of course, English Equestrian scenes.

I searched all over for vintage pieces of art from my beloved alma mater and found three small framed vintage postcards. But I truly wanted a sketch of my favorite campus scene. I found an artist on Etsy who sketches colleges that can be personalized. Though I found one readymade of my husband’s alma mater, mine had yet to be created. I reached out to the seller with a photo of the campus, and within two weeks a custom sketch arrived beautifully matted at our doorstep. I purchased simple antique style frames and framed them myself. My husband and I now each have our sketches of our alma maters over our reading chairs, which make for the loveliest nostalgic touch.

Our rug – an authentic vintage Turkish rug – cost just over a hundred dollars, and it came with fast free shipping straight from Turkey. Mind blown. It is simply the most gorgeous rug I have ever seen in my life, with the loveliest shades of sage green and blush. My aim was to soften the red of the loveseat, and it does so perfectly. I so wish I could capture the colors, but again photos just don’t do it justice.

I’ll leave you now with a few detail shots of other pieces in our space, including a corner reading nook, and a shot of Gatsby, who seems to have taken over one of the reading chairs. He is The Great Gatsby, after all, so he seems deserving of a place in the library. The world is his oyster. Unless, of course, he falls in love with Daisy, which we all know would most likely not end with the best outcome. Fortunately, he seems quite content with his reading chair.