Importance of Having Books In Your Home
Why Books will Always be Important
Despite the Internet age, books carry a deep importance in our culture as they are at the root of human storytelling. Books will never go out of style.
Publishers of coffee table books continue to produce stunning covers that make owning a physical copy that much more appealing to us. Books hold meaning in which they allow us to form an emotional connection with what we’re reading or looking at.
They tell a story in a way that allows our minds to relax as we take in the content at our own pace.
“A book is not words on paper—nor on an e-reader screen. It is shareable, and whole. A book is the Platonic form of an idea.” says author David Kadavy in his article “Books Will Never Die”.
Books give you wisdom, new perspectives, improve your confidence, and improve your mental health. They exist beyond their content, books are about decorating your home, sparking imagination and building a collection that speaks to who you are.
Why you Should Have Books in your Home
Having books on hand in your home allows you to escape into a new world without having to switch on the screen. Keeping a stack of coffee table books in your living room entertains guests and inspires conversation, it invites a collaborative pass time and conversation.
Flipping through your coffee table books can not only elevate your mind, but also enhance your living space. The majority of home decoration serves identity functions. Books help tie your decor together while showcasing who you are.
“Identity display is the primary motivation for strategically displaying books,” according to Paul Harris, an environmental psychologist, quoted in Why Coffee Table Books Are a Thing, According to Psychologists.
“The thought process you have while choosing a bumper sticker, tattoo, or poster is the same one you use when selecting a coffee table book,” says the author of the article Seraphina Seow.
Choosing a book because of its contents reflects a part of your being, revealing something about your personality, interests, or values.
Courtesy Vogue.com
How Books Can Affect your Mood
Coffee table books have the power to trigger positive emotions; such as intrigue, awe and nostalgia.
“There are all sorts of positive social repercussions from feeling awe, like having positive feelings toward others, inspiring curiosity, improving our mood, improving our cognitive performance, or encouraging us to go with a more creative solution to a problem,” according to Sally Augustin, Ph.D., a fellow of the American Psychological Association who is also quoted in Why Coffee Table Books Are a Thing, According to Psychologists.
Books can introduce us to an imaginative world and inspire curiosity to help us discover our passions and authentic self in alignment with our happiness.
Feelings of nostalgia can also arise when looking through coffee table books of images from the decades of our upbringing or a beloved musician from our teens years. Being reminded of good memories tied to a time in the past can make us content.
“We’re going back to a time when we felt better and there was less anxiety, which feels satisfying and comforting,” says Kevin Bennett, Ph.D, teaching professor of psychology at Penn State University, in Why Coffee Table Books Are a Thing, According to Psychologists.
