This Victorian house in west London has been redesigned with Italian-inspired elements and specially commissioned pieces by Margherita Thumiger of Studio 29 Architects.

In the drawing room a bookcase from B&B Italia was decided upon early in the process. 'The owner has an extensive library of art books,' says Margherita. 'We liked the idea of this modern design within the context of a traditional room. What we loved about this book case was that it's fine but strong.' The highly polished yellow and bronze are echoed throughout the house.

Don't have a room with a view? Have your work space overlook a beautiful bookshelf instead. An old, country-style desk stands at one end of this sitting area, which is used as an occasional work space. 'In our previous houses, my study was always tucked away in a room that no one else wanted to use, which was ridiculous as I am often alone in the house. I wanted to be in the middle of things. I love sitting in my study now,' says says Lucy Turvill, owner of this award-winning newbuild in Suffolk. The house was decorated by her interior designer sister, Virginia White.

Designer Suzy Hoodless has created bespoke shelving based on mid-century designs by Charlotte Perriand - one of the most influential furniture designers of the early modern movement. Find a similar style at Cassina. The design is cannily matched with a pair of 'Platner Easy Chairs' - a Sixties design by Warren Platner.

In this study designed by Maria Speake of Retrouvius the owner's sizeable collection of books spreads from the wall of architectural shelving to the wonderful Danish Rosewood desk from Paere Dansk.

Entrepreneur and Intelligence Squared founder John Gordon and his partner, Eleanor O'Keeffe of 5x15 divide their time between London and a house in Opio, near Valbonne, in the south of France. There are collections of beautiful things everywhere - antiquities, pictures, photographs, objects, but mainly books; stacked on stepladders, on tables - and of course on shelves, like these in the living room that wrap around the corner of the wall. Ceramic vessels from Paul Philp add character.