19 hours ago
Wealthy families desperate to fill shelves so they appear well-read are snapping up books by the metre
Bookshelves in luxury homes are being filled with envy-inspiring collections – which will never be read by their owners.
Specialist wholesalers have long sold books intended only for decorative purposes to hotel chains and film set designers.
But these companies have seen a growing trend in wealthy homeowners buying vintage and award-winning books by the metre in a bid to make their homes look more sophisticated.
Experts say a well-stocked bookcase has become a symbol of a 'luxury lifestyle' and being well-educated. It comes amid a growing trend driven by social media, with 11.8 million posts across Instagram and TikTok under the hashtag #bookshelf.
Lauren Giles, founder of Curated Books, told The Mail on Sunday: 'So few of us have time to read any more, so having a well-stocked bookshelf has become a way of signalling that you have the luxury of time.
'It's an indicator of a high-end lifestyle, as well as giving people credibility and making them appear intellectual.'
Her business, based in West Sussex, sells everything from vintage Pelican paperbacks for £79 per metre, to antique leather-bound tomes costing between £330 and £990 per metre.
She has seen a 'huge shift' and now around a third of her customers are interior designers working for private buyers, including celebrities and MPs.
Ms Giles said: 'Only about 5 per cent of my clients are actually interested in reading the books. For most people, it's about the aesthetics or to help create a good impression.'
Sue Williams, co-founder of London-based Books By Metre, has also seen a rise in requests.
Her company covers old books with new dust jackets to match a colour scheme.
She said: 'More people like the idea of having lots of books around. But it's about filling the shelves to match a scheme, usually [our customers] are not intending to read them.'
Interior design lecturer Hannah Soulsby, who founded design firm Anima & Amare, regularly buys books to improve the aesthetics of a room.
Ms Soulsby said: 'Being able to buy a bulk load of books that match a specific colour scheme makes life much easier.
'Only you and the [home] owner know the books aren't going to be read, but when people walk into the room they are pleasantly surprised because books make a space look much more aesthetically pleasing.'
