A room tour filled with thrifted furniture, secondhand books, vintage artwork, and cozy cottage details.
This room began as our formal dining room, filled with cottage style furniture, blue-and-white dishes, and many of the vintage pieces I had collected over the years. Although I enjoyed decorating it, we rarely used the space for formal meals except for the holidays. I love to read and I began dreaming of a room that felt more comfortable, useful, and personal. Today I am sharing how I transformed a hardly dining room into a cozy cottage-style home library using mostly thrifted furniture, secondhand books, vintage artwork, and affordable decorative finds. I’ll take you through the entire makeover and show how each collected piece helped create a warm, inviting place to read, relax, and enjoy the charm of it all. Here is a before photo of the room when it was my dining room.
Let’s begin! If you look at the previous picture you will notice a brown china cabinet on the back wall. I decided to rip it apart and upcycle it. I took the top hutch section off and cut it in half vertically. Um YES I DID! I paired it with a plain thrifted book shelf I picked up “on the cheap” and screwed it all into the wall. I crafted two doors with chicken wire to dress it up a bit
The bottom half of the walls got a touch of elegance with custom wall panels and molding. I created them with embossed paintable wallpaper, molding and wooden appliques applied with wood glue and small nails. Everything was painted white. The panels go around the entire library.
And now for the really fun part. Decorating!! Although I must admit, I had a vision in my mind’s eye but the visual chaos had me a bit overwhelmed at first. This cozy home library did not come together overnight. It evolved slowly as I found and stockpiled furniture, books, artwork, and accessories that felt right for the space.
And once I started actually working on the room itself it took me a few weeks to complete. Ok. So. Are we ready for the unveiling? Yes? Good! Let’s Go! WELCOME TO MY NEW COZY HOME LIBRARY!
Framing the Entrance With Floral Drapes
The dining room already had a wide doorway leading into the hallway, and I wanted to make the entrance feel softer, more inviting and a little Victorian. I used thrifted blue-and-white floral drapes to frame the doorway and give the library a sense of separation without closing it off completely.
The curtains add pattern, movement, and a little drama. When they are tied back, they create a welcoming view into the room and almost make the library feel like a hidden retreat.
Adding Personality With Collected Objects
One of the things I enjoy most about this room is that it is filled with objects that reflect my interests. There are books, globes, vintage dishes, old silver, travel mementos, artwork, and pieces that simply made me smile when I found them. It is filled with things I love.
Set right in the center of the room sits a one of a kind, hand painted Paris drop leaf table. This was a $75 Marketplace purchase. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it for the space.
For a centerpiece, I added a thrifted framed tray, brown transferware plate, a silver footed bowl and an upcycled candle holder. All I did was glue a glass hurricane glass to an ornate candle holder. I added a bunch of rolled up book pages to the inside for a little touch of the unexpected.
Repurposing a Cabinet for Book Storage
The white wall cabinet with chicken-wire doors was another piece I enjoyed putting together. The wire door fronts allow the colorful book spines to show while adding a bit of farmhouse and cottage charm.
Inside, I arranged books by color in some areas, but I did not follow a strict system. I mainly wanted the cabinet to feel cheerful and visually interesting. The books are part of the decor, but they are still easy to reach whenever I am looking for something to read. It is also the home of one of my favorite Aunt Dimity mystery series. This series is one of my favorites. They are cozy mysteries that take place in the English countryside and quaint villages.
Above the cabinet, I displayed a globe, candlesticks, books, and several thrifted objects. The mix of academic-inspired decor and cottage pieces gives the room a subtle light academia feeling without becoming too dark or serious.
This side of the cabinet combines several things I love, including more blue-and-white dishes, vintage books, old silverware, and travel keepsakes. The postcards, globe, scrapbook, and tiny European souvenirs add a sense of adventure, while the cottage-style china keeps the display connected to the rest of the room. The scrapbook was actually my Grandmother’s. It holds post cards she collected in her own travels.
I filled this side of the wall cabinet with a mix of blue-and-white transferware, vintage silver pieces, old books, and a few collected treasures. I love how the polished metal, aged china, and blue book covers create a layered cottage look while still feeling right at home in the library.
The Little Thrifted Bookcase
One of my favorite finds was the small vintage bookcase that cost only twenty dollars. It was the perfect size for the wall beneath the larger cabinet and helped me make use of an area that might otherwise have felt empty.
I placed it on top of a low black shelf to create more height and additional book storage. The two pieces were not originally meant to go together, but I liked the layered look they created.
I filled the shelves with vintage books, miniature globe bookends, silver pieces, and small decorative objects. An old trunk, Eiffel Tower, and wire birdcage beside the bookcase add to the collected, travel-inspired feel of the room.
That is one of my favorite things about decorating with thrifted finds. Sometimes completely unrelated pieces come together in a way that feels more interesting than a matching furniture set ever could.
I used this thrifted $20 dark pedestal table to create a slightly mysterious, old-world vignette with stacked books, an antique-style lantern, an owl figurine, a magnifying glass, a vintage bottle, and an old memento mori photograph. These small thrifted details add personality and help bring the light academia feeling into the room.
Finding Creative Ways to Display Books
Not every book in the room lives on a traditional bookshelf. I love finding unexpected ways to display them, including inside this vintage wire birdcage.
The birdcage was too pretty to hide away, and filling it with old books turned it into a decorative feature. It adds texture to the wall and gives the books a charming, slightly whimsical home.
I also tucked books into baskets, stacked them on furniture, and used them beneath decorative objects. Old books make wonderful risers and add warmth, color, and age to almost any vignette.
A Thrifted Bookcase Makeover
This large bookcase was a Facebook Marketplace find. It had wonderful curves and decorative details, but it needed a little work before it fit into the room.
After painting it white and adding decorative accents, it became one of the main focal points of the library. I filled it with books in deep reds, blues, greens, and black, then layered in thrifted clocks, lanterns, silver pieces, framed artwork, and small curiosities.
The top of the bookcase gave me another place to display artwork, bottles, books, and a few of my favorite vintage-style pieces. I enjoy decorating upward and using the space above furniture, especially in a room with so many collections.
The piece was a plain knotty pine when I purchased it off of Marketplace for $90. I added a bunch of wood appliques and with the white paint and it looks completely different. It is one of my favorite pieces in the room.
I like to arrange shelves in a way that feels balanced without looking too formal. Some books stand upright, while others are stacked horizontally to create small risers for decorative objects. This gives the shelves more movement and makes it easier to display the little treasures I have collected.
I seem to have an addiction to silver these days. I love it tarnished. I made the one of a kind cloche you see here. Inside sits a handmade Papier-mâché flower pot that I purchased at a local antique mall.
Above the entrance I added a fitted shelf for more books and collectibles.
I have quite a few owls in the room as you may have noticed. Hmmm. I think I smell the whiff of a new collection coming on.
The large bust on the dresser is a nod to Disney’s Haunted Mansion and adds a playful, slightly dramatic touch to the room. The Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite rides. When we were there I spotted this large bust of a French peasant girl on display in the gift shop and fell in love with it. It wasn’t for sale, just a prop. When I got home I started searching for one on Ebay. They were so expensive. Then one day one came up for $100. I was over the moon! My loving hubby purchased it for me.
I love mixing elegant cottage decor with a few unusual pieces because it keeps the space from feeling too predictable. The dresser was my Grandmother’s and hold special memories for me. Once it held Grandma’s craft supplies. Now it holds props I use when taking product photos.
Decorating With Vintage Art and Thrifted Frames
Artwork played a large role in the home library makeover. I collected most of the frames secondhand, and prints that felt romantic, nostalgic, literary, or slightly mysterious.
Rather than using matching frames, I created a gallery wall with a mixture of gold, black, brown, and antique-style finishes. The different shapes and sizes add character and make the display feel as though it was collected slowly over time.
At the center of the gallery wall is a large aged mirror. Its worn, cloudy finish may not appeal to everyone, but I love the patina. It reflects light while adding a sense of history and softness to the room.
The mirror also helps open up the space and creates beautiful reflections of the chandelier, artwork, and other parts of the library.
Trying to utilize as much space as possible, I installed a bookshelf above both the doorways and above the center window above the reading nook. This is the doorway into the kitchen.
Adding Warmth With an Electric Fireplace
I wanted the library to feel especially warm and inviting during the cooler months, so I added a small electric fireplace in one corner.
Although it is not a real wood-burning fireplace, the glow of the flames adds instant coziness. It creates the perfect atmosphere for reading on a cold or rainy afternoon.
I topped the fireplace with an old drawer that I repurposed as a small display shelf. A row of red antique books and an antique-style, upcycled candle holder give the corner a layered, collected look.
This is a good example of how small, inexpensive additions can completely change the mood of a room. The fireplace does not take up much space, but it makes the library feel much more intimate.
The adorable soft blue chandelier was a FB Marketplace find. I looked at it for a couple of weeks but was on the fence as it was a 90 minute car ride away. I finally asked if she would ship it to me and she agreed. So for $100, I got this sweet chandelier that is perfect for the room. I love it!
Creating a Cozy Reading Nook
No home library would feel complete without a comfortable place to sit and read. I placed a deep blue wingback chair ($40 thrift store find) near the windows where it receives plenty of natural light during the day.
The chair was paired with a small distressed nightstand ($15 thrift store find) used as a side table. It gives me a convenient place for a lamp, books, candles, and a few decorative pieces.
The ottoman was another FB Marketplace secondhand find that I reupholstered in blue-and-white toile fabric. It coordinates with the rest of the room while giving me a comfortable place to put my feet up with a good book.
The soft throw (purchased new at Walmart $20) draped over the chair makes the reading nook even cozier. This corner has become one of my favorite spots in the room because it feels peaceful, comfortable, and tucked away. The floral toile drapes were purchased new. Sometimes when you have something specific in mind you have to break down and shop with the Big Boys.
The nigh stand was a solid boring beige. I started to sand it and to paint but kind of liked the distressed look to it. So I stained the top a dark wood tone and added new hardware.
This ottoman was a steal at only $10. I found it on FB Marketplace. I purchased the Waverly toile fabric new on Ebay for $34.
As you can see, my puppies love this space! They have taken over the chair on me. It’s a great place to sleep, play and look out the window!
Now when we have a family gathering I set up the Paris table along with a card table, a few folding chairs and we are good to go. It isn’t fancy but I am fine with this!
Turning an Unused Room Into a Space We Enjoy
Transforming our formal dining room into a cottage-style home library allowed us to enjoy the space in a completely new way. Instead of saving it for the occasional formal meal, it has become a room for reading, relaxing, displaying favorite collections, and simply spending time.
I am so glad I gave myself permission to rethink the purpose of the room. Homes should work for the people who live in them, even when that means ignoring the traditional label on a floor plan.
By using mostly thrifted furniture, secondhand books, vintage decor, and pieces I already owned, I was able to create a cozy home library without purchasing everything new. More importantly, I created a room filled with stories, memories, and things I genuinely love. I love to just sit in there, taking it all in!
Happy Decorating!
~Lisa
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