"My perfect library would be a wing of a country house, with very high ceilings and a gallery; below it French windows opening on to a meadow with trees in the distance. Shelves would cover all the walls, with an oak staircase on wheels to get at the higher reaches, and a spiral staircase to the gallery, also full of books. A door would lead to an inner room, my study, with French windows leading on to an orchard. A spiral staircase within this room would ascend to a small bedroom above, with a tiny bathroom and rudimentary kitchen. So I could, at need, live a self-contained existence within my library-stronghold. In the main room would be a large mahogany table with racks containing portfol-ios of drawings and watercolours by its sides. No pictures on the walls — just books — and no nonsense of terrestrial and celestial globes."

Mine would be large and dark, with a single leather-topped, wooden desk illuminated by a single light.  A single leather chair illuminated by another single light.  A bank of switches would control the lighting of floor to ceiling shelves.  A ladder could be moved around the room to provide access to the books.   "Come here for knowledge; leave too with wisdom."

Paul Johnson at The Spectator.  A must read.