Book Accessories & Home Libraries

Bonheur du jour (”daytime delight”) is a very specific term for a kind of lady’s desk that became popular in the late 18th century. These exquisite furniture pieces are not as heavy as traditional desks. They are designed to be moved around the room and, as a result, their backs are often decorated. Much attention is paid to detailed ornamentation of the drawers.

A phrenology head is a teaching tool that could help you easily learn the location of all crucial areas of the brain supposedly responsible for intellectual and moral faculties. It is a curious extension of the more traditional busts and sculptures, but they have a distinct Victorian flavor. Great for a steampunk home library!

This 1816 etching by John Britton represents a typical home library during Regency. The library is located at Cassiobury Park and it was used similarly to many other home libraries of the time — it was essentially the most important room of the house and could be easily referred to as a family sitting room.

Initially I was hoping to find a set of Wedgwood bookends. So far, the best I could do is two excellent sets of Waterford bookends – Waterford, of course, is (since not too long ago) the parent company of Wedgwood, if you did not know.

It is no surprise that steampunk aesthetics are easily applied to home office equipment. A home office is really an extension of the traditional home library or study which reached the heights of design in Victorian times. So, if you want to achieve a sleek steampunk look you should start with a traditional home library design, not much different from what you can see in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Jay Walker’s famous library can also serve as an inspiration. Note how the lighting has been updated, compared to the more …