ARJ was THE place to go for super cool hi-fi in the 70’s. It was owned by Alexander Jones (Annabel Astor‘s brother and Sam Cameron’s uncle) and I think we all still love this techy groove, especially in traditional interiors, and especially when NOT hidden away in cupboards. I also like the bookcases he has installed in his home which are very simple painted ones, stopping short of the ceiling. Makes one positively long for a reel-to-reel.

Geoffrey Bennison‘s example of brass bookcases, which he installed in Sir George Weidenfeld’s flat so many years ago, (and bearing a startling resemblance to Billy Baldwin‘s room for Cole Porter, no?!) are another successful example of this non-built-in look, and charming too.

The wonderful P.E. Guerin in New York still produce these brass etageres, which they call the Baldwin Porter Etagere. A look that never tires, I think.

And for those living with more modest ceiling heights, try very low bookcases, like I’ve designed for my clients time and time again.