You could try looking into furniture that has storage built into it. I've seen a few lounge chairs with spots below for books. But 100s of books might be hard! What about above the fire place? It seems to play into the cozy nook idea you mentioned. Plus in the event of an emergency, you have an abundance of firestarters! (Just Kidding!)

Nooooo. I would die.

Ok. Leave the stone off the back side of the fireplace. The passage is wide enough that you can give up 1'+ and line that with shelves. If you make the barn door slide the opposite way you could even do the opposite wall too, but then you would have to do two walls of 8" shelves, unless you're comfortable going down to a 3' passage. Which is perfectly reasonable on order to get book space in my world. You could even close the entrance to the kitchen from that hall (gasp!) and pop a comfy chair back there. Would be extremely private :)

You'll need end tables and coffee table(s); no reason small bookshelves can't fulfill two purposes!

Is there space allotted for a buffet or console in the dining room? Could it be flanked by or replaced by bookshelves? You could even use a bookshelf as a buffet/console. Or choose one with doored storage and fill it with books.

Use heavy curtains and turn the window into a wall of bookshelves.

You can place some shelves (book case) in front of where the barn door slides. Just make sure you can reach in and retrieve the barn door when it is open, to close it. And don't make it a tall one, as those should be anchored to walls. (I was going to do just that when planning for a barn door for my bedroom closet... in that case, a dresser was going to be in front of it.)

I think it's part of a bigger question, which is where does furniture go in this living room?

Windows are a blessing, enjoy them. Look for other rooms for books. Whole walls of bookshelves in bedrooms, for example.

We have books in every room in our home, so that would make me cry. OTOH, I adore all those windows and all the light you are going to have. I was going to suggest that you make a library/dining room, but you say there is no place there either. So in your place, I would consider using any available hall space (like behind the fireplace as lindsey suggested) or choose low bookcases in place of sofa tables as low anchors behind your living room furniture. Do you have a spare room/guest room that could be furnished as a library room with furniture that can be converted for sleeping? In such an open home, you may find that one cozy room is welcome now and then.

Good comments, all thanks. We thought of leaving off stone off backside of fireplace but were concerned about how it would look; like how to make the corners end nicely. Of course, nobody would see backside of fireplace unless going into MB or utility areas of house. Leaving off that much stone (11' at base and rising about 10') would save a lot of weight and cost. Plus we would get additional space as noted.

The DR does have a large buffet area which would work for open shelves. We could also take one of the bedrooms & build large built-in shelves there. We haven't gotten to furniture yet but can certainly add some low bookshelves in LR that wouldn't block the view and would make many books available. We also thought of doing away with barn door (put a standard door there) but the framers just built that wall and we're trying to keep changes down. After drywall is done we can take some of Houzz ideas from you folks and re-evaluate.

you could try low custom built book shelves that will be no higher that the back of your seating arrangements as per attached sketch

just like so

Also as dragonflywings42 asked, there are 6 bedrooms and one art studio so we should be able to spare some space, just 2 bedrooms will be used. Mrs Pete, that looks so cool and cozy, too, love the bookshelves! Oh, and here's partial view..

As a collector, I can tell you that ideally you do not put books in front of windows because the sun will fade the spines/dust-jackets. Better option is actually a room or nook with little direct sunlight.

If you put the books in front of the windows, would that not mean that the spines face away from the windows to the darker interior of the room?

I would have a custom case made by a skilled woodworker that is very low and runs the entire length of the yellow highlighted wall. Use the top as display, or custom cushions for seating. Design the case so the back of the it, which will be seen from outside through the windows, it beautiful. Either an interesting color that goes with the look of the facade of your house, or a nice hardwood.

"We have books in every room in our home"

Us too! Even left outside in the porch :)

I heard a quote once (attributed to Mark Twain when I read it but he usurps all the good ones so who knows the veracity of that...) and it said "never trust anyone who doesn't have a book in every room." Obviously hyperbole, but...I kind of live by that lol.

Measure your current bookcases to see how many linear feet of books you have. It's better than estimating (say) one foot for every ten books because no one knows if you have skinny books or fat books. If you already have them in bookcases sorted by size, that's perfect for getting started on what you will need. Mrs. Pete posted the same bookcases-under-window image I was going to post.

Are they books you read, or are they reference books, or are they arts books, or are they collectible, or are they your personal library (what I mean is, all the books you love and may or may not read/read again)? They all need different storage solutions.

A not-too-high bookcase against the back of the fireplace would look nice, especially as you come out of the bedroom. Something about seeing the nature of the stone and books is so cozy. But low bookcases can be hard to use, because it's harder to see the spines and to pull the books out (without pulling on the top of the spine).

An acquaintance has two types of walls in her house: fully windowed, and fully bookshelved, including the hallways. It's amazing and wonderful.

It sounds like at least one of the bedrooms needs to be a library, with great shelves, work table, etc. Guest bedrooms are a good place for books, too.

Thanks to bpathome...good ideas. Yes, that would be perfect, having low bookcase (big one) on back side of fireplace; like that idea! The books are all kinds, fiction, non-fiction, reference, even a few large format books. We are shamelessly indiscriminate readers. Maybe have a few low bookcases around edge of couches Anthony Perez suggests and then have a bigger, low one behind FP....

Also on the island.

Under the stairs, along the stairs? In the hallways?

I would worry putting them on the back of the fireplace that they could get warped or faded by the heat.

Where is the TV going? Can you build a custom bookcase around the TV?

If this is a new build, is it too late to change one window into a bookshelf or surround the windows with bookshelves?

"I would worry putting them on the back of the fireplace that they could get warped or faded by the heat."

I think generally gas fireplaces don't produce the same amount of heat in the chimney as wood burning, am I wrong?

auntthelma I am drooling over that first pic.

I love this one!

Since this is a new build, you should be thinking of how you live before you finalize the house. If you need bookshelves, make that part of the plan!

You could build shelves in a stairwell

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/528891549974717015/

around each window and door frame and around the top of the wall of each room above window height next to the ceiling.

http://topotushka.com/marvelous-interior-and-exterior-designs-on-ceiling-bookshelf/ceiling-bookshelf-unique-on-interior-and-exterior-designs-intended-for-bookcases-ceilings-reading-nooks-spaces-8/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/329396160216860642/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/276619602084864857/

Instead of all the sliding doors, could you have a one door and make the rest windows, running low shelves under the rest. Then you could make the top of the shelf into a bench and have a nook for reading.

Island is a good place.

Dining room is another great location for books if you have even a single wall.

Sliding bookcases like these would have to be custom, but they would essentially double the storage space of any wall.

Check out Murphy Doors - put them on all the bathrooms, bedrooms, closets! They are sort of secret doors that include bookshelves.

Oh yeah, I meant to mention, framing a standard door into a barn door opening isn't hard. Going the other way might take a bit of work, new header etc. But going smaller, that's just an extra 2x4 popped in there, no prob Bob.

Wow, great ideas. When one sees the pictures, like of dining room full of books on that wall (thanks Emily Jowers) it's clear that books look good anywhere! There won't be a tv in great room but it'll be in so-called home theater room in basement. Back of FP shouldn't get too warm because quite a bit of space between gas burners on other side and rear of FP; stone should insulate, too. We have so many ideas for placing bookshelves I think we'll have to buy MORE books to fill the shelves!

Do come back and post pics once you're finished....I saw that partial view!!