You home is your castle – and what castle would be complete without a library. Once the reserve of people who had too many rooms and too many books, libraries are now starting to appear in homes of all types whether it’s in a London flat or in a suburban semi’s converted garage .

Research from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has found that 1 in 10 estate agents have seen a rise in the number of homes that include a library.

Mark Hayward of the NAEA says a library can add a unique advantage when it comes to selling as it’s a differentiator and conveys a sense of peace, quiet and serenity.

But in an age when books are more likely to be read on a screen that a page, why are we falling in in love with libraries?

A signifier of wealth and knowledge

Toby Webb from the Strutt & Parker Country House team says that libraries originally reflected wealth and education as families displayed their collection of books.

He says: ‘Libraries that display complete sets of beautiful antique books that have been handed down the generations reflect family history in the same way antique furniture and paintings do.

‘They are visually pleasing to the eye and a good wall of books is arguably as essential as having your family ancestors on the walls.’

Mark Hayward agrees saying that the books you put on the shelves are intended to reflect a lifestyle. A library is filled with the books you want people to think you are reading.

At the top-end of the property market, a library adds a quintessential English touch that is popular among overseas investors.

Changing layouts

Although libraries represent wealth, in a modern home this is not because of the books but as a sign that your house is large enough to include what some would class as an unnecessary room.

As tastes in housing layouts have changed over the years, we’ve had to adapt our homes to suit our desires.

A more open-plan style of living has seen the rise of the kitchen-diner, leaving the old dining room redundant.

Hayward says filling dead space that was once a dining room with books and calling it a library elevates it again.

Decorative uses

As digital reading devices become more popular, books are now being bought for their tactile charms and visual appeal.

Toby Webb says that in recent times books are now equally seen as decorative accessories and are often bought and displayed in a library for that purpose alone.

An interior designer knows putting up a set of antique books to create an instant library will discreetly suggest a well-read individual and create an instant purpose for dead space.

Done well, you can a make a genuinely envy-inspiring space that reflects English grandeur, calm and heritage, as well as adding personality.

Second function

A library doesn’t need to be just a library – it can be a library-diner or library-office.

Webb says that you can justify having a whole room specifically for your books if it can also be used as something else, such as a second less-formal drawing room or a refuge to listen to music in.

Taking your guests into your library also adds another dimension to your home and there’s no doubt that they still carry a huge amount of kudos in any home.