Bound to Impress: 4 Homes with Handsome Libraries

From strikingly stately to warm and wood-clad, these four libraries are ideal for displaying and enjoying a collection of treasured tomes.

Elegant Upper East Side Townhouse

Serena Boardman | Sotheby’s International Realty – East Side Manhattan Brokerage

This light-filled six-level townhouse on one of the Upper East Side’s most desirable blocks unites classic inspiration with modern comfort and convenience. Highlights include formal living and dining rooms, a kitchen and breakfast room, seven peaceful bedrooms, a gym, a 28-foot indoor swimming pool, gardens, three landscaped terraces—one on the rooftop—a sunroom, a wet bar, an office, a den, and an august library with a fireplace, built-in bookshelves, and a window seat.

Mount Veeder Contemporary

Arthur Goodrich, Federico Parlagreco | Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage

Amid some 130 rolling acres on Mount Veeder that afford breathtaking expansive views of the Napa Valley, this residence combines Modernist, Art Deco, and Deconstructionist architectural styles to create a truly one-of-a-kind home. Among the alluring spaces are four serene bedrooms, dining and entertaining spaces, a gym, and a bookshelf-lined library. The property also hosts a work by sculptor Fletcher Benton, a guest tower with a rooftop lookout, flourishing Cabernet vineyards, and a swimming pool.

Historic Hollywood Charm

 JoAnna Hennessy | Sotheby’s International Realty – Brentwood Brokerage

On a corner lot at the foot of the Hollywood Hills, this five-bedroom residence pays homage to the early 20th century with its abundant vintage details. A careful renovation and expansion provided superior appliances, museum-quality lighting, and stylishly modern baths. Part of the lavish primary suite, the library features walnut bookshelves and floors and opens to a resort-caliber pool area. The grounds also boast a brick patio with a grill and a fire pit, mature fruit trees, garden beds, and a detached guesthouse.

Palladian Finery in Houston

 Mary Elizabeth Hahnfeld | Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty

This refined 10,818-square-foot Houston villa is surrounded by glorious gardens and lawns and managed by a Crestron smart home system. An elevator links all levels of the interiors, which offer four bedrooms, a chic living room, a dining room with a coffered trompe l’oeil ceiling, a climate-controlled wine vault, a dramatic kitchen with an adjoining family room, a handsome wet bar, and a striking library with a black granite floor, 18th-century doors, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Inviting loggias and terraces overlook the classical swimming pool.

Discover luxury homes for sale and rent around the world on sothebysrealty.com