Sitting with Books

A while ago I wrote “How to Sit” on finding an ideal way to sit when working. I decided on a silver exercise ball and have been happy to have that be the center of my work space.

But I’m also a bookworm and so have been tempted by a couple new designs that are making us book lovers and design geeks salivate. I’d be hard pressed to pick which of the two I like better of the Bibliochaise and the Bookshelf Cave, which are innovative integrations of chairs and bookshelves.

The Bibliochaise is an arm chair turned bookshelf and I love its aesthetic. Having all one’s book within reach while sitting and reading would be excellent for scholars who enjoy comfort. I’m in the process of cutting down my physical book collection to some essentials, so a setup like this would hold all my books nicely and look beautiful while doing so.

The Petri Project has a compelling little article on The Cave that explores the experience of being “simultaneously sheltered and engaged.” I found the concept as interesting as the design itself, in part because I’m fascinated by the tearing down of the wall between the private and public spheres and introducing intimacy into the latter. I imagine the cave in a cafe and having the nook disarming us in public.

The multitude of pigeons in London quickly became her muses. Ms. Adachi said she was struck by how the birds roosted in the alcoves of older buildings, just beneath the eaves of roofs. The pigeons went about their business in these nooks, seemingly oblivious to the pedestrians below, she observed.
Her goal was to make a piece of furniture that replicated the experience of dining al fresco on a busy sidewalk—a pastime, Ms. Adachi said, that makes someone feel simultaneously sheltered and engaged.
– “Curling Up With a Bookshelf

Which do you prefer? Is there a seating and bookshelf hybrid that I’ve missed?

10 comments on “Sitting with Books

  1. Personally I love and adore the cave. The bookshelf chair is an awesome design, but it looks less comfortable to curl up in. Nothing beats the panda chair though!!!

  2. Personally I love and adore the cave. The bookshelf chair is an awesome design, but it looks less comfortable to curl up in. Nothing beats the panda chair though!!!

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