Tags
Art, Book, Book Shelf, Books, Bruno Rainaldi, Compasso d’Oro Award, Design, Design Award, Design Classic, Ernest Hemingway, Fiction, Groucho Marx, Horace Mann, Interior design, IPad, Italy, Ptolemy, Reading, Shopping, Space Furniture, Sydney
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.(Groucho Marx)
In addition to being a dog lover, I am both a reader and lover of books. I mainly read fiction, but occasionally not. I mainly read popular stuff, but occasionally not. I like to escape into a book. I have had a love affair with books for as long as I can remember. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without books. Fortunately for me, I don’t have to. Also fortunately for me, LM is a reader, too.
I have an iPad. More than anything else, I use it for reading. I currently have 273 books on my iPad. I know that’s a lot. Gave me a fright, too! Amazon loves me! I find my iPad is great at night because you can read without having to worry about keeping your bed-partner awake with the light on. It’s also great when travelling.
But, my iPad will never replace the old-fashioned book for me.
There is no friend as loyal as a book.(Ernest Hemingway)
I love the smell of books. I love receiving books. I love browsing bookshops. And, I only like reading fiction on my iPad. Anything else, give me a hard-back all the way. Cookbook? – hard-back. Design book? – hard-back. Art book? – hard-back. Poetry? – hard-back. You name it, if it ain’t fiction, I want it in hard back, or at the very least, paperback, please.
A house without books is like a room without windows. (Horace Mann)
With all these hard-backed books lying around, a girl needs a place to store them. And in my opinion, there is nothing sexier – in the way of book shelves, at least – than an original Ptolomeo book stand, designed by Bruno Rainaldi. This ingenious book stand, with many imitations, turns the traditional bookcase on its side with horizontal dividers in a vertical column.
Named after Claudius Ptolemy (c. A.D. 87-150), the influential astronomer, it was the winner of the ADI Compasso d’Oro Award 2004, one of Italy’s leading awards for design. The Ptolomeo book stand also makes vertically stacked volumes easier to access – especially those titles at the bottom of the pile.
The design started a trend, and towers that allow you to stack books have now become a staple of modern interiors.
The original Ptolomeo doesn’t come cheap. But, original designs never do. I’m lucky enough to have one. It’s enough. For now.
If you would like to own an original Ptolomeo book stand, get thee to the Opinion Ciatti website here. They are the global distributors for this design classic.
If you happen to live in Sydney, Space Furniture is where I got mine. You can access their Opinion Ciatti details here.
birdcagedesign said:
I am with yo on the hard back! …although have not quite crossed to the Kindle yet!! 🙂
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birdcagedesign said:
with you even!! (Me speaks good Englishly!)
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This Sydney Life said:
BCD – your mind just works faster than your fingers. I have the same problem (refer my crochet post!!!)
My Mum has a kindle AND an iPad. She prefers reading on the kindle (and it even fits in her handbag!)
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magsx2 said:
Hi,
Oh yes I also love books, the smell and the feel. I think the stands are very nice, they would look great in a home library or each side of a bookshelf.
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This Sydney Life said:
See, Mags. A design classic! 🙂
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ANF said:
Amen.
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This Sydney Life said:
Knew you would agree! 🙂
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thiara said:
Oooh sexy indeed. I love to hoard books!!!
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This Sydney Life said:
So do I, T. An expensive, yet very rewarding, habit 🙂
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whatimeant2say said:
So I guess just stacking my books like that is out of the question?
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This Sydney Life said:
Its cool… until you want the bottom book! 🙂
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marinachetner said:
i heart books too! how lucky you have this beauty! i have an Archos (like an ipad but not…. Apple!) and I just cannot read books on it. I have to have the actual book – Amazon loves me too 😉
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This Sydney Life said:
I have never heard of an Archos. Off to google it now…! 🙂
Good old Amazon 🙂
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barbaraelka said:
Great bookshelves … With books looking good
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This Sydney Life said:
Now I just have to sort out all my magazines, B…!
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Shira said:
It’s the real thing for us all the way! We’ll never give up on the book..
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This Sydney Life said:
Never, ever, ever!!!
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Shira said:
Lights out in Ottawa! 😉
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paintlater said:
Mine look like that sometimes without the sexy bookcase to separate them and the one I need is ALWAYS at the bottom. Have you seen the Ipad case in the guise of an old book? Very alarming – but very yummy. Cheers
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This Sydney Life said:
Which is why all my design and art books are in my Ptolomeo!
I haven’t seen the iPad case, J. I’ll have to check it out… 🙂
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paintlater said:
In the Apple store…you’ll love it.
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EverydaySparks said:
The title of your post made me snort with laughter on the ferry to work this morning. Love it! And the bookshelves are fab. Always need more shelving to keep pace with my book buying habits, but might have to make do with more traditional shelves so I can afford more books!
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This Sydney Life said:
I bet you didn’t snort, Sparks. You are far to ladylike! 🙂
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theglobalgarnishgeek said:
Nifty. Nothing like a real book and there are never enough places to put them.
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This Sydney Life said:
Maybe a cookbook post, Global?
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