My Own Private Library

I've always wanted my own library. I like to cook and while a gourmet kitchen would be nice, I'd still rather have a floor to ceiling bookshelves – comfy leather chairs – wood paneling everywhere library in my home. I once worked with a woman who had an authentic library in her house. The home was over a hundred years old and was complete with a fireplace. When I visited it was being used as a storage room. What a waste.

Last spring we set up a corner of our basement as a make-shift...