James Allen’s Girls' School
January 13th 2023
A haven for enjoying children’s books, the brand-new library at James Allen’s Girls’ School in Dulwich, London, was a pleasure for our interior design team to bring to life. We were tasked with creating a welcoming, cosy and friendly space where children aged 4-7 could relax and lose themselves in books. With an £8,000 budget*, over 3,000 books to store and the additional challenge of the outdoor building space being shared with an ICT suite, our designers set to work.
Our designers created a spectacular nature-themed library space with colourful beanbags, bookshelves and wall vinyls
Starting with a blank canvas
Since the new outdoor building was empty, our designer, Helena, had the freedom to create a truly bespoke design that catered to the specific requirements of the school. “It was a challenge to create an accessible library that also allows the ICT suite to function,” she explains. “As this hadn’t yet been built when I visited, I had to consider the floor area and access routes. The school also needed an area that could be used for teaching a small group of students.”
Inspired by the large trees around the cabin, Helena selected natural wood finishes and a soft green tonal range to create a calming environment that complements the surrounding nature. She adds: “The colour scheme ties in nicely with the nature-themed wall vinyl graphics to create a cohesive design with plenty of visual interest for students. I designed the shelving units to form relaxing reading nooks, whilst utilising the natural light from the glass frontage to make the space feel light and airy.”
 |
Furniture spotlight: reading denIn addition to adding something special to your library, reading dens are also an effective and space-saving solution. Here are just a few reasons why our designers love them!
|
Making reading fun
“It was important that the library functions well within the form of the building structure, but as the students using the space are so young, I wanted to ensure the design was also playful,” says Helena. “I incorporated exciting elements like a bespoke reading den with nature-themed beanbags, and a book tree to display high-interest reads. The plant and woodland creature wall graphics also add colour to the white walls."
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR DESIGN SERVICE
Featured products
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
* plus VAT. The school already owned selected beanbags, kinderboxes and stools, which were also used in the design. To discuss your unique budget with our team, get in touch.
