Trying to design a modern but literary living room (books + dark wood) – need help making it stylish

Hi everyone,

I’m about to move into a new apartment and I’m currently trying to figure out how to design my living room. It’s a fairly large space and I really want it to reflect something that’s important to me: books. I’m a huge reader and I’d love the room to have a visible “literary” character – bookshelves, stacked books, that kind of atmosphere.

I really like solid dark wood furniture (walnut, sheesham etc.) and warmer materials, but I’d still like the room to feel modern and intentional, not old-fashioned.

I’ve attached a few images:

• the actual room

• a rough style direction / inspiration image

My main struggle is bringing everything together in a way that looks intentional and stylish. Especially the wall with the TV and the adjacent wall where I’d like to integrate books. I feel like I have the individual pieces (books, wood furniture, plants etc.), but I’m struggling with the overall composition and balance.

So my questions would be:

•How would you design a modern literary living room without it feeling dated?

• Any tips on combining dark wood + books + plants in a way that feels contemporary?

• Are there any apps or tools you’d recommend for visualizing layouts or experimenting with ideas?

I’d really appreciate any suggestions, layout ideas, or references.

Thanks! 😁