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How to survive the literary season
What? 589 French and international novels are being released and you haven’t even finished your pile of summer reading? Here are some tips to survive the literary season.
1. A beautiful and functional bookcase
When these books aren’t on your bedside table or in your tote bag (the one given to you by your favourite bookseller, for example), you have to put them somewhere.
If you don’t choose to have something custom-made, you can dress your walls with great flexibility thanks to modular storage solutions that allow you to incorporate beautiful closed compartments in addition to classic shelves.
In a study, books are arranged in straight lines but in a living room you can choose to leave some breathing space between two authors or themes using objects, a vase or frames (with regards to the thorny issue of classification, we refer you to the unparalleled High Fidelity by Nick Hornby).
If your space allows, you can also make room for a real reading nook in the corner of a room that’s cosy and conducive to concentration, surrounded by your favourite books and the ones you’re reading at the moment, as well as a magazine rack for periodicals, some familiar trinkets, and little coffee table on which to put your tea or a fresh drink, and especially…
2. An excellent armchair
If you’re reading this article it’s because you’re no stranger to spending hours lost in an essay or a novel, and that’s to say more or less in the same position. But which one? Are you more of a reclined reader (on the beach, bed, day bed, chaise longue or sofa) or do you prefer to be seated (at a café, on an armchair, or among some cushions)? Or both (on a sofa or a relaxed armchair)?
To better concentrate on this solitary activity, we often need to have our favourite “reading chair”, like an ersatz “blanky” that can help us to forget about all the other activities happening inside and outside the house. Whether it’s a corner sofa or an easy chair, a chaise longue or a club chair, make sure to choose your seating as carefully as you choose your books. And if you’ve always wondered what could work well as a footrest, maybe now’s the time to try something out.
Si vous lisez cet article, c’est que vous ne craignez pas de passer des heures plongé dans un essai ou un roman, c’est-à-dire peu ou prou dans la même position. Mais laquelle ?
3. Proper lighting
Just like your brain and your back, reading can put strain on your eyes, so choosing a reading light is just as important as choosing an armchair (or a book, if you’ve been paying attention). Forget ceiling lights, spotlights, and other general lighting that’s more or less blinding. Opt instead for lighting that’s intimate like a bedside lamp and preferably directional so the light can be oriented towards the page. For example, an arc floor lamp with a dimmer, or a table lamp that can hang over your armchair and allow you to see clearly while creating a soft ambience.
Tineo, leather armchair and its footstool
Photographic, the iconic lampshade, Arc, a marble base that lends stability
