A Touch of Tuscany in North Carolina

I think North Carolina is one of the most underrated states of all. The weather is gorgeous and the coast couldn't be more relaxing. My family and I used to travel to Cape Hatteras in the summertime, and I truly think those memories have kept me sane for many, many years.

And although we never stayed in a villa quite like this Gorham Drive beauty, I still have quite a thing for North Carolina. Which is why I'm taking my dream decor game to the east coast this week, to make over the over-the-top library of this Tuscan-inspired home.

After all, a library should be cozy and comfortable --- and this room looks a bit too much like an over-styled furniture store that I'd never dream of setting foot in. Let's lighten it up a bit, adding a few textiles, patterns and depth and bring in some glamorous touches, shall we?

For inspiration, I'd like to channel my favorite hotel library: the Santa Monica Viceroy. I'd incorporate a few diagonal bookshelves for an unexpected surprise focal point. And because every library needs a good Chesterfield, I've chosen this buttery soft leather version from Horchow.



To match the glam factor of the Viceroy, I'd splurge on the Mooi horse lamp, which I've been eyeing for ages, along with a Louis coffee table in black. Underfoot, an ivory Flokati rug will round out the glamorous edge.

Of course, every library needs a bit of coziness infused, so I'd add some comfy touches, like two Relief chairs, a llansteffan blanket and some scattered urchin poufs for additional seating.

Ahh, that's better. The perfect mix of glamour and coziness -- goodbye, over-furnished villa! Hello, dream library.

Do you love a great library? Read more:
-Library Card Catalogs as Storage
-The Library of Congress Shop