I keep thinking of the perfect book-lined room in Aberporth, mid Wales, where I’ve stayed several times in the past few years.
I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time jjust sitting and staring at them, drinking in the colours, and thinking how fascinating that they are vintage books yet such ‘now’ colours: millennial pink, ink blue, gen z yellow and fresh spring green (and a bit of purple thrown in for good measure). I think that’s why I love them so much: they’re the perfect blend of old and new.
Then there was the rearranging – I rearranged them at least five times (it’s ok, I was actively encouraged to do so) and finally left them in a satisfying state of spectral glory.
I live in hope that subsequent visitors to the house will play around with them, too, like a dynamic book installation (though judging by the fact they were as I left them last year I suspect this may not happen.
Should I have left a sign on them, I wonder: ‘Please play with me’?). I know how much you loved these modern, punchy colours when I served them up a week ago so I thought I’d present them to you again but this time in rainbow rather than random order.
Tell me, how do you order your books? Height? Colour? Alphabetical? Or subject? And would you have the temerity to ever arrange someone else’s?…..
Martha, The Colour File x
