Create the Ideal Book Nook in Your Home

Love reading, but can’t find the time or place to actually sit down and enjoy it? Have stacks of books with nowhere to go and want to give them a proper home? Whether you’ve got a plethora of non-fiction works, fantasy novels, or are part of a book club with a rotating story every few weeks, carving out a dedicated space for a reading nook can be one of the best ways to actually get yourself excited about going through that pile of books in your “to-read” list. With National Reading Month in full swing, this is the perfect time to spend time taking a break from the real world and entering the story realm—from the comfort and solitude of a real-world reading nook.

Find the Ideal Spot

The best locations are quiet, peaceful corners—places that would be the perfect hiding spot away from the real world, just waiting for you to settle in and get absorbed in a good story. Unused space under a staircase, the corner of your office or bedroom, a bay window with a view, or even an unused closet with the right types of cushions are all viable locations to lay claim to your future book nook. Having a solid wall behind your seating to anchor you and a good peripheral view of the whole room are also key factors to look for to avoid surprises when you’re really in the zone.

You’ll want to prioritize good lighting. Natural light is ideal in most situations, but not a requirement. Lamplight can provide you with everything you need these days, especially with many including a dimmer remote, allowing you to stay focused on your reading with minimal interruptions from adjusting the brightness as the day progresses.

Finally, consider the level of access you want others to have to your space; a spouse, kids, and pets all provide their own levels of distraction from reading. It may be necessary for your circumstances, so minimal availability might be worth keeping—otherwise, keeping your book nook as an off-limits area is a good idea. Alternatively, schedule set times to give yourself that retreat before resurfacing from your reading to go back to the real world.

Make the Space Cozy

Next on your list: choose your seating! How do you usually like to sit or recline? Do you shift positions frequently or always favor one side to lean on? Depending on how you answer these questions, your ideal seating may require more than the average chair provides.

Review these aspects of your seating:

• Do you need an armrest?
• Will you need a backrest? Will you have something else, such as a wall, to lean on?
• Do you need a foot stool?
• Are you more comfortable sitting to read, or laying down?
• Are you looking for something firmer, or something you can sink into?

Apart from chairs or seats, some homes and spaces allow for hammocks or cushioned lounges. If your book nook is settled on a bay window bench, some of these decisions might be made for you.

Now, add in your pillows and blankets. Do you want or need a plush, thick blanket, or would a thinner, linen blanket suffice? Especially in areas that often experience frequently changing temperatures, it might be worth dedicating a space to storing different options for every possibility. Again—this decreases your need to leave the space and interrupt the flow of your reading time.

Getting a soft rug will make your book nook will feel zoned off from the rest of the room and offer a comfier place to sit or move around in.

Accessorize and Make it Personal

Aside from the joy of reading itself, one of the most fun parts of creating a book nook is adding the small personal touches that make the space uniquely yours. The décor on the walls, be it photos or artwork, doesn’t just act as decoration and self-expression. Your eyes will have a place to rest when you need to take a moment from your book, whether it be from eye strain from being unable to look away, or the secondhand embarrassment you might feel from the main character doing something you totally would have done differently.

Eclectic bookends, figurines, and stuffed animals are always welcome guests in a book nook, making it inviting and fun with minimal effort.

If you’re able, you can also pop in a few succulents or other unintrusive plants for the quality air they can provide. Of course, if you don’t have a green thumb or are genuinely thinking they could still wilt under your care, there is nothing wrong with using faux plants instead!

The final touch would be candles and scented oils. Calming scents wafting from your favorite candle or diffuser can really set the tone for the way you want to feel when reading and settling into your nook. Looking for something a bit more engaging? Try to use something similar to the events of the chapter you’re reading, or even something present inside.

For any plants, candles, and oils/scents you bring in, it is always good to check on possible hazards, allergies, and toxins. Even in a closed off nook, there may be times when others enter, both with and without our knowledge.

Books: The Main Character, and Where to Put Them

While shelving is the traditional choice for your precious books to go, you can always choose more unique shelving to add whimsy and visual interest to your space. Floating shelves, built-in recessed shelving, smaller-scale ladder shelves, or a spectacular Beauty and the Beast floor-to-ceiling wall are only a few potential options to pick from.

A practical, multifunctional furniture piece is the ottoman. This clever storage piece can offer a place to store blankets or your stash of snacks, become impromptu seating, and, of course, a place to keep books.

Baskets or carts offer a more mobile option, which is particularly good when your reading nook may travel, or if another room happens to be a better home for your books. They can be personalized for more comfortability and coordination.

For those of you that like to use technology for your reading, rest assured. Your main priority for “storage” is to just ensure you have access to a wall outlet or two for charging. Depending on your comfort, you might try a comfy tablet stand and page turner, allowing you to keep things at your fingertips without extra movement.

Optimize Your Book Nook

After bringing everything together, there might be more reason to implement them into your nook. This is where the visual variance is key. Here are a few items to you may want:

1. A window for something to look at when your eyes need a break.
2. Variety of content when you need to look away but aren’t ready to leave.
3. The distance to certain items: pillows, blankets, etc.
4. Your display collection of sparkly rocks.
5. A table with a mug warmer for your beverage.
6. A snack tray or other designated food space.

Another key feature many opt for when curating a space specifically for reading is task lighting. This provides more direct and focused light to areas dedicated to activities that require clarity and focus. This increases your productivity and wellbeing. Get your desk a lamp or a floor lamp by your chair. If you do end up going for task lighting, give yourself multiple sources of light throughout the space to avoid too many harsh shadows.

Final Notes

Sometimes, the ability to create your perfect reading nook, uninterrupted and unburdened by the realities of life outside your books, is simply not possible. In cases such as these, the best one might be able to do is set aside your reading time and plant yourself in the most optimal place you can. Maybe that means that one corner in the great room by the window, outside on the patio, at your study desk on your lunch break, or in your bed under the light of your nightstand. Enjoy the moment to the fullest.

When you build with Lombardo Homes, our priority is making your dream home a reality. Bring your cozy book nook to life with the help of our team and our plethora of dynamic floor plans, thoughtfully designed with your needs in mind.

Thank you to our intern for modeling in our photos and videos.

Outgoing Amazon links are not sponsored. Their inclusion is for illustrative purposes only.