Gwyneth Paltrow hired a oddly specific designer when she moved into her Los Angeles home.
The 46-year-old Goop founder hired Thatcher Wine, a professional bibliophile, a.k.a. a personal book curator, to expand her library a few years ago.
“Gwyneth remodelled her LA home a few years ago and when she moved in she realized she needed about five or six hundred more books to complete the shelves,” Wine told Town&Country. “I looked at books she already owned, which focused on fashion, art, culture, photography, and architecture, as well as books that her kids liked. We expanded on those topics, and for the kids, we included a selection of classics that we thought they might like as they got older.”
He also explained her process: “In the family room we integrated the books into her existing collection so that it felt very light, inviting, and easy to grab off the shelves.”
The curator added, “In the dining room, we stuck to a more rigid colour palette of black, white, and grey since it was less of a space where one might hang out and read.”
Adding, “First, think about what you are trying to accomplish. Is there a story you are trying to tell? A colour palette you want to achieve? Then think about how that might work within the context of your home and available space.”
And when you’ve got your set of books, “Arrange your books in a way that makes you feel comfortable and looks inviting. It may take a few hours to get it just right.”
Wines was also hired as professional bibliophile for Laura Dern and Shonda Rhimes.