Library From HGTV Dream Home 2021

Located off the living room and dining room and across the hall from the main floor guest suite, this understated library and home office offers a stylish spot for learning and working from home.

By: Jeannie Matteucci

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Color Contrast

The deep shade of chocolate brown used for the walls provides a rich backdrop for this understated library. “Because it’s dark and dramatic, we decided to leave everything else in the room white,” says designer Brian Patrick Flynn.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Custom-Look Storage

Three wood bookcases with a white finish were pushed together to create user-friendly storage with a custom, built-in look. The bookcases are filled with two decorative navy book walls, vintage books, and other good reads that fit society right now. “Everything has been really thought out for accessories to be sensitive to things, and also be current,” says designer Brian Patrick Flynn.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Coastal Style

Two cane armchairs provide an easy way for parents to help kids with homework at the desk, or for someone at home to quickly join a conference call. The commissioned abstract wall art above the armchairs reflects the home’s coastal location. “He used plaster and put together all these different triangles, and then connected them for an abstracted take on a sailboat silhouette,” says designer Brian Patrick Flynn.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Versatile Stool

A sturdy white ceramic garden stool with a classic imperial scroll pattern acts as a side table by one of the armchairs, to provide a spot to rest a cup of coffee or favorite book. The stylish stool can also be used for extra library seating when needed.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Perfect Backdrop

Books stacked horizontally and vertically with non-skid bookends, framed photos, a white pot with no-fuss artificial foliage, and nautical-inspired decorative items like a wire sailboat give the bookshelves a curated feel. The shelves provide the perfect backdrop or “shelfie” for social media photos and video conference calls from home.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Fit Your Needs

The adjustable shelves make it easy to display large items like the vintage model sailboat that adds local flavor to this space. Lower shelves can be used to hold fabric bins and attractive storage boxes that group smaller items together, to keep the space organized, user-friendly and free from clutter.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Versatile Speaker

A portable voice-controlled wireless home speaker in the library is a handy all-in-one device you can move room-to-room, or use away from home via Wi-Fi. When outside of Wi-Fi range, control the portable speaker with your smart phone, tablet, or other favorite device.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Do Not Disturb

A full height glass door separates the library from the home’s main floor living spaces just steps away. The glass door makes it easy to see the activity inside, so you don’t have to worry about knocking and disrupting someone on a conference call or video chat.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

More Custom Art

The large custom abstract black and white horizon framed painting on the library wall captures the understated mood of this library, and coordinates with the simple black and white color scheme that gives this space a calm feel.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Light and Airy

The library’s elegant vintage-style desk with 24-inch tall white table lamp and a modern white wicker chair sits under large windows that bring in lots of wonderful light. Natural looking faux potted fiddle leaf fig plants in woven baskets on each side of the desk area help brighten up the room, with colors that never fade.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Scenic Views

The large library windows offer a stunning view of the natural beauty that surrounds this classic maritime escape, located on an extra deep lot at the top of a bluff in the charming New England seaport of Newport, Rhode Island.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Advanced Features

From a tablet in the library, you can control the system that constantly monitors indoor air quality and temperature, to automatically control the skylights and shades to your comfort level. The home’s first-rate wireless security system can also be controlled by tablet.

Modern and Vintage Mix

The library’s elegant vintage-style desk has a solid mahogany wood frame and trumpet legs, with a distressed white finish. The desk’s more modern white wicker side chair has an almost S-shaped silhouette, with a rounded back, curved seat, and wide, hollow base.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Patterned Planks

The library’s engineered hardwood floor has patterned planks arranged in a custom zig zag pattern. The elegant floor’s handcrafted distressing reveals natural graining and rich brown hues.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Stay Safe

A motion sensor located on the wall in a corner by the library’s glass door is part of the home’s advanced wireless security system. The sensor has a 90-degree field of vision, which provides a full range of coverage when placed in a corner.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Easy Access

The open library door shows the bold berry-red hallway just outside, and highlights the library’s location just across the hall from the main floor guest suite. “We included a full height glass door for a balance of light, and to keep the room included to the rest of the house,” says build manager Dylan Eastman.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn