As any bibliophile knows, one’s dream home includes a library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, sliding ladders, cozy armchairs, and soundproof doors. However, unless you have taken up residence in a palace, your ideal reading space has likely been scaled down into a cozy, inviting reading nook. If you’re in the process of creating this area of your home, read on! Today, we’re sharing how to create the perfect reading nook.
Find the Space
Your perfect reading nook will be unique within your home and will therefore have no other purpose. This zone can be created around a window seat, in a forgotten corner, out of a spacious closet, under a staircase, in an alcove, or tucked away within a bedroom.
The main goal will be to choose a space large enough to accommodate your chosen furniture, but not large enough to invite you to start encroaching with technology or other distractions.
Low-Intensity Lighting
When you are reading, lighting is enormously important. Ideally, your reading space will take advantage of natural light during the day, then transition to targeted, warm-toned light after sundown. LED lighting that hits 450 lumens will do the trick, and dimmable fixtures are never more practical than when one is reading.
Choose a lamp that either hangs just above your chair or stands next to it. Your goal will be lighting that eases eye strain and doesn’t spill too far outside your nook.
Choose Your Chair
Cozy reading nooks must have the type of seating that calls to you personally. For some, this will be a plush recliner, while others will prefer a papasan, and still others may long for an indoor hammock chair. Close your eyes and allow yourself to imagine the most irresistible type of seating in which to curl up and read, and you will have a starting point around which to design the rest of your nook.
If you choose a classic armchair, though, a footstool or ottoman will keep pressure off your lower back while you’re reading, so we recommend including one.
Add Cozy Textiles
The perfect reading nook is anchored by a rug and includes a blanket. Depending on your overall decor theme, the type of textiles to which you gravitate will vary, but the key is to ensure that you will be comfortable during the current season. To that end, we recommend having a rotating selection of blankets in various weights on hand, each suited to the shifting weather Middle Tennessee welcomes throughout the year.
A throw pillow can double as bonus lumbar support or support for a heavy book, so think about a range of uses when you are selecting one. Size, shape, and density will matter as much as texture.
A Small Side Table
You will need a table on which to set your book and your beverage. Depending on the size of your reading nook, you may have the real estate for a table that doubles as a small bookshelf or, on the other side of the scale, wish to install a floating table directly into the wall. Whichever route you choose, make sure your table is both large and sturdy enough to support your personal library’s heftiest tomes.
Add a Selection of Art
Even the most minimalist reading nook will be enhanced by a bit of art. Whether you gravitate toward a local artist’s original work, prints of your dream vacation landscapes, or images that evoke your favorite types of books, make sure the art you choose is as warm and inviting as the rest of your nook overall.
A Very Verdant View
Plants, whether live or synthetic, will help create a balanced, well-rounded appearance for your reading zone. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have a large, garden-facing window framing your chair, in which case you can skip to the next section. Otherwise, let’s bring some life back into the picture.
If your nook has a looming, empty corner behind it, a potted tree or large leafy plant will solve the problem; just be sure the leaves will not block your targeted light source. If the walls look bare instead, a few hanging planters can’t be beaten.
By bringing the look of nature into your reading nook, you can level up the sense of tranquility while adding color, which is a delicate balancing act that can be elusive through other types of decor.
The Takeaway
The most important factor in creating the perfect reading nook is comfort. If your nook is inviting, comfortable, and practical for your reading style, you’ll be drawn to it. The result could be that 2025 is the year you’ll read the most books for pleasure since you were in grade school!
What are your personal reading goals for the coming new year? Please let us know in the comments below; we love hearing from you.
If you are seeking to purchase a home in which to set up your ideal reading nook in the coming months, please contact your agent.
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