Inside 2 inspiring home libraries in SLO County

Fortini noted that some enjoy their home libraries as a space to showcase prized collections, such as pottery and art. For others, a library is a way to showcase one’s hobbies, interests and tastes. And many bibliophiles simply enjoy the tactile pleasure of pulling a book from the shelves and thumbing through pages — something not equaled by the swipe of a touchscreen.

Here, we showcase two homeowners for whom a library is an integral space in their homes. One is space-conscious, the other grand in proportions. Both demonstrate how a home library can be far more than just a collection of books.

Merrill Library

A home library may be an afterthought for some, but for Craig and Lisa Merrill of Nipomo, it was the inspiration for their entire home.

The couple and their children have long treasured their collection of books. What’s more, “libraries can be such magnificent-looking rooms,” said Lisa Merrill.

They envisioned poring over favorite volumes in an overstuffed chair, in front of a roaring fire. The perfect backdrop for this, they decided, was Old World, traditional architecture, much like they saw among old neighborhoods in Carmel (Craig Merrill is originally from Pebble Beach).

He is also a Disneyland aficionado, so the room was inspired by the library in Toad Hall, featured in Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

The library informed design choices for the rest of the house, but it is not the centerpiece. “We didn’t want it as a room that everyone walked through,” said Lisa Merrill. “We wanted it to be a quiet place where people could come to read or study and it would be separated from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house.”

So the octagonal-shaped library is set apart in its own wing, accessible through a secluded passageway. Stepping inside offers the feeling of entering a sanctuary, with its cedar-clad walls and soaring ceiling that peaks at 17 feet, crowned by a massive iron chandelier.

Both the library and home were built by local contractor John Kilpelainen and master carpenter Carey Bennett. Kilpelainen worked closely with both of the Merrills to design the space.

The couple wanted the woodwork to be highly refined and furniture-like, which required multiple coats of varnish — a process that took weeks to complete. A light stain keeps the space bright. “We liked the idea of our library not being as dark as a typical library with floor to ceiling bookshelves,” said Craig Merrill.

The space has classic library features including a ladder that rolls almost all the way around the room. The item that gets the most attention, however, is the hidden door, where a section of shelving rolls forward to reveal, not a secret laboratory, but a very handy storage closet.

The busy family doesn’t find time to read in the library as much as they had hoped, but Lisa Merrill enjoys it as a spot to escape the hubbub of the household. “It’s quiet and nobody thinks to look for me here,” she said. “It’s my place to hide.”

Reynolds Library

When Jeff and Anita Reynolds of Shell Beach were making plans to add bedroom space while awaiting the birth of their fourth child, they began plotting another addition: a new family library.

Their space-conscious solution was to fit the library into a 7-by-8-foot space, accessible both from the den and the kids’ rooms so that the entire family could easily access books. It would be small in square footage, but tall: 17 feet, with shelves extending nearly to the ceiling.

They sought advice from architect Jeb Thornburg of Indigo Architecture and cabinet maker Don Culver. Culver warned the couple of the “geometric complexities” of fitting a library into such a tight space.

“At the end, several months later, he said the project made him smarter but may have also sprained his brain,” Jeff Reynolds quipped.

Reynolds didn’t just want a space for books. An avid traveler, he hoped to intersperse artifacts and mementos. So he chose to make shelves deep enough to accommodate display items in front of books.

Alternatively, the shelves can hold two rows of traditionally sized hardback books, which “nearly doubled the capacity of the library,” he said. There is also space for oversized “coffee table” books. Shelving is made of five layers of wood, bonded together “for enhanced strength and integrity,” he said.

The library ladder had to be custom built by Culver in order to be narrow enough to turn on the tight circular pathway of the track rails. Ladder wheels would have been too cumbersome and wide, so his solution was to use felt pads that glide smoothly on the polished floor.

Reynolds chose ornate crown molding and a turquoise finish to fit in with the Mexican style and hues of his home. The color also reminds him of his travels, a “palette of adventure, of ocean and sky,” he said.

The library contains standard paperback novels, along with first-edition volumes and collectible books including one signed by Clive Cussler. Books are intermixed with maps, fossils, souvenirs, and “treasure boxes” containing family mementos like favorite toys and baby teeth.

There are themed vignettes, such as a marine mammal vertebra in front of a leather-bound copy of “Moby Dick.”

According to Reynolds, the finished library offers more than books — it provides the opportunity to “browse and glance and focus and be entertained by the zoo of content.”

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Inside 2 inspiring home libraries in SLO County."