Is this what 99% of mumsnetters homes look like

[Damaged27]

After all these interior design threads this is what I'm imagining everyone on mumsnets homes look like. Just curious if I'm way off because iv never been in a home like this. Maybe if the person is in their 80s. Do people really have bookshelves?

Yes, I have a room like that and the upstairs landing isn't dissimilar. We have a lot of books. There are also bookshelves in the grown up DC's bedrooms.

We have bookshelves all over the house, including the landing and our bedroom. Where else do you put books? I'm always a bit flummoxed if I visit a house which doesn't have any books on display.

My Mum used to say she didn't trust people who didn't have books out on shelves - she felt you could tell a lot about someone by the books they read. So I've always felt like I should have books on shelves. DH is not a fan, he sees it as 'untidy' much like you've said OP. I read everything on a Kindle now, so when we needed to declutter to make room when I was pregnant with DS, I allowed my books to be boxed up and put in the attic. They are still there... The bookshelf got thrown out. However, DH's books are on various windowsills upstairs, DS's room is chock full of books. I have loads of cookery books in our kitchen. But the books I read are all on my Kindle. Makes me realise how rarely now I re-read a book though - because it just doesn't occur to me to revisit one on my kindle - whereas when they were physically on a shelf I'd often go back and read an old book.

Do people really have bookshelves 😂

The only houses I've been in that don't have books (usually on shelves) have been the homes of dunces and I'm brought up common as muck. We had no money but we had books and we went to the library often.

Nope, but you surely can't miss the smuggery in the boasting about 1,000s of books, bookshelves everywhere, rooms turned into libraries.
Not to mention the furniture, 'inherited pieces', disdain at a three piece suite etc, and the sneering at people who don't display books all over their homes.
I have plenty of books in my house, I don't think it makes me a superior human being though, and somehow I am able to cope with the knowledge that other people live very differently to me.

OP, in the kindest way, reading some books may help your curiosity and widen your outlook. I've just read a great book by someone who travelled around India on 80 trains.

The pitchers are my kind of hell.
Nope to much going on to me its clutter.
But i do like to read cheesey mills and boon books i can read about 3 books a week.

Bookshelves in the downstairs loo too.

Would not want to live in a house without bookshelves, full of books.

We have bookshelves. Can’t fill a book nook without books. Plenty of books in the office, children’s room, the book nook which is just for sitting and reading really. We read books every evening to each child. I always have a book I’m reading floating around the house that follows me around. I also like audiobooks but enjoy something about the physical books.

😂😂😂 top comment for today!

The second picture would be my dream. Sadly, due to a move I massively reduced my books. Currently only a moving box full of them.
Many read more than once, too.

I think bookshelves full of books are one of those things that some people have in their houses to try and make themselves seem intellectual. Unless you read them again and again why keep them? I actually read a lot but would rather use a Kindle than some dusty old book.

My house doesn’t really look like that but I do have various bookshelves about the house, and read often. I have a kindle, the kindle app on my phone and read actual books as well. I’m not 80, that’s such a weird view 😂

I have hundreds of books, boxed up in the loft. I much prefer a “real” book to a kindle, but I don’t keep them all now, I read and pass on. There are far too many books in the world to re-read the same one twice, bar a few exceptions

The only books I have on display are cookery books, and children’s books on shelves in my children’s room with book ends.

I couldn’t have bookshelves full of books just sitting there, there would be so much dust unless you take them all off often and give everything a wipe and they smell musty after a while.

We've got a bookcase in each bedroom, one on the landing, 4 big ones in the office (though they're not used exclusively for books, one in the living room and a shelf in a kitchen cupboard for the cookery books.

My bedroom one is partially stacked 2 deep. The living room one has DVDs stored behind a couple of the shelves of paperbacks.

I could do with a cull, especially of the ones on the landing which are mostly ones DH kept from his parents house.

I am rather sentimentally attached to my 'dusty old books' wombat. And I am sad for you that you genuinely think that the reason people have books is to 'seem intellectual'.

I have got book shelf envy from those pictures. We have bookshelves in every room in the house except the bathroom, loo and kitchen - utility room has a book shelf for recipe books. My house doesn't look like the one in the pictures but it looks very like a close friend's house. An ultimate dream would be to have a house with a library.

I love reading but I don't have bookshelves. I usually read once and then give to a friend or donate.

I have a few books in a drawer next to my bed.

I hate shelves. Shelves get filled with clutter and get dusty.

People I know who have shelves seem to have nick nacks and ornaments on them rather than books.

I'm not keen on being completely surrounded by books, I would find it stressful with them all collecting dust. I just get rid of the books I'm not really bothered about and hang on to ones that are useful or I like. I have a small bookshelf of these. Some people like to keep them all to make a statement,but it's entirely their choice. I can see why people think it looks homely.

I agree. I find it all quite performative.

I have book shelves. A couple in my bedroom and a tall bookcase in the living room. My living room has other stuff on it as well as books; maps, cookery books, photo albums and a few ornaments. It has a big schefflera plant near it so the bookcase isn't completely visible.

I'm old now, my books and bookshelves long gone to save my children the job of disposing of them when I'm gone. Surplus and unused kitchen equipment next followed by unnecessary furniture. I won't go as far as an old, now deceased, acquaintance who was developing dementia whilst similarly clearing their house. Her husband arrived back from his afternoon stroll to find she'd given away their bed. Not best pleased.

I don't think everyone does obviously but definitely some people do.

Oh yes, bookcases are an essential. Whole family reads and we share books so need somewhere to put them 😄