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?

I have bookshelves but my home doesn't look like that, unfortunately!

Obviously, the people who have beautiful homes (or who took photos straight after they decorated when everything still looked picture perfect) are more likely to post a pic than the ones whose homes are run of the mill, so the impression of what the "average MNer's" home looks like will be skewed by that.

To be fair, once I would have found it unthinkable not to have shelves and shelves of beloved, tattered, much-read books.

I have eyesight problems now, though, and do use a Kindle more often than a paper book. I should get rid of a few really.

...still love the actual sensation of holding a crumpled old favourite though. My oldest is 111 years old and in need of repair.

I read new stuff mostly on my kindle these days for ease but still have north of 800 books in the house, probably more. I don't buy many in print these days bar hardbacks of things i really want to keep. I would find a house with no bookshelves most odd.

But then I grew up in a house with a LOT of books.

Bookshelves with glass doors are a game changer when it comes to dust.

This is an interesting thread to me because I once got chatting to a Tory MP who said that whilst canvassing they had noticed people who invited them in "rarely had bookshelves". They had become aware their demographic was changing and he thought this had led to the very sloganistic politics of recent years "Take Back Control" etc.

I always imagine mumsnetters houses to have doileys and and old mismatched furniture.

My house doesn’t look like that.
I read loads and have no bookcases.
I read books then donate them straight after to supermarket book shelves or charity shops.
Or I read on kindle.

I've just noticed the 'door shelf' in the righthand picture and now I want one.

Bet it's hard to make the door close without dislodging a few, though.

I'm not saying people under 80 don't read but I thought most people would either use kindle apps or donate after reading not hoard for 30 years

I turned the biggest bedroom in our house into a Library so it's a full room of bookcases.

Definitely mismatched furniture, I prefer it, but no doilies, I'm not my granny! See also China figurines, madness.

I always imagine mumsnetters houses to have doileys and and old mismatched furniture

I have old mismatched furniture in a very old house. Lots of books but, and sorry to disappoint, no doilies.

I've become much more ruthless with my physical books, so the two or three shelves of books we have don't really represent the extent of the time and money I spend on reading, but yes - I have bookshelves with books on them. As do most of my friends. The books I keep and have on display are my favourites otherwise everything else is on my kindle.

I'm not saying people under 80 don't read but I thought most people would either use kindle apps or donate after reading not hoard for 30 years.

It's not hoarding to keep books - they're fairly reusable.

Yes, we have plenty of bookshelves. We need more, actually.

I have lots of books and bookshelves, all are full so could do with a wall like that 😊
I read my kindle too, but like a book to hold. Plus they are great gifts to get from the children now they're grown. Not expensive but they know I'll really enjoy them.

Definitely not interior designed, but we have bookshelves... many bookshelves, and then more books that do not fit on the bookshelves.

Probably the equivalent of 12 IKEA Billy bookshelves, plus another set of shelves the full width of the gable-end of our attic room from floor level to roof (albeit not only storing books).

Never forget meeting a guy and going to his house for the first time. I said 'where are all the bookshelves?'
He replied 'what would I want bookshelves for?'

End of date.

x post murasaki!

Have a look at BookTok or BookTube, loads of young people with shelves full of books.

I want to come livebin your house

I wonder if those books are real, then - the shelf looks too shallow as it must have a solid back to also be a door, but perhaps it's just the angle.

No, I wish! We do have a lot of books but our house is nowhere near as nice as those, especially the second photo!

I read a lot but I have no bookshelves!

My house is like a hippy version of that, I suppose. Yes, we have books.

My son is 25 and he has bookcases because he's an avid reader of books. He doesn't like kindles and, like me, likes to physically own books.

My walls are white but I have a lot of colour otherwise. And lots of musical instruments. And plants.

I was thinking this for my office, could work.