Nature and technology combine at James Allen’s Girls' School: our library design revamp

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 library design team to bring to life. We were tasked with creating a welcoming, cosy and friendly space where pupils aged 4-7 could relax in a childrens reading corner 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. 

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 Our designers created a spectacular nature-themed library space with colourful beanbags, bookshelves and wall vinyls

Library design starting with a blank canvas 

Since the new outdoor building was empty, our designer, Helena, had the freedom to create a truly bespoke library design and children's reading corner 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 bookcases for schools with natural wood finishes and a soft green tonal range of library furniture for primary schools 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 den In 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!  ✔️ Fantastic centrepiece for a children's reading corner ✔️ Useful storage for books and soft seating ✔️ Offers an engaging reading experience ✔️ Integrates with shelving ✔️ Can be made bespoke to your library

Making reading fun with a bespoke childrens reading corner

“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."

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* 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.