Creating Ideal Reading Nooks

For the avid reader of books of all types, creating an ideal reading nook is not just a luxury, it is a necessity.  For the passionate reader, who doesn’t love to curl up with a good book and be transported to different times, places, and events?  The creation of a place to go to become immersed in the book of your choice can be simple and rewarding.

First, think about some of the quietest areas in your home.  Do you have a bedroom corner with nothing to take up its space?  Is there a special chair in your living room or den where you love to relax? Do you have a well-lit space next to a window?  Do you have a window seat built into one of your rooms? Let’s explore some of these possibilities for creating the perfect reading nook.

When choosing your bedroom to create a reading nook, find a cozy empty corner or empty wall to set up a comfortable chair.  Then place a small table next to it for books, a lamp, and a place to set a drink. If you prefer overhead lighting, a lamp may be hung from a hook in the ceiling over the chair, or you can use a free standing lamp.  A favorite throw blanket will complete the nook for cool days and nights.  Be sure to leave room on the table for one more comfort item, as well: an occasional snack! Of course, you may also choose to place several pillows on your bed to read there, also!

For the living room reading nook you may choose a chair, a love seat, or a couch for seating.  Again, it is very important to have good lighting next to you or above you.  Also, an end table for placing comfort items and a lamp is excellent to have in place.  A throw blanket and a comfortable pillow for leaning on or placing behind your back are good ideas to have ready in your nook.  Living room reading nooks are by far the easiest to create.  This is due to the fact that most people tend to already have all of their wants and needs in place since it is often a room that is already set up to be a tranquil atmosphere.

Space in any room, including a spare bedroom, may be utilized for your nook.  Some bedrooms that are not square, may have recessed areas beside closets that have been built into the room.  These areas make fantastic reading nooks you can customize to your comfort.  You may choose to purchase a big bean bag, a moon chair, or many pillows to lay upon the floor.  A lamp suspended from the ceiling is particularly cozy for this kind of nook.  Purchasing a small tray to lay on the floor can serve as the place to store your books and other necessities you need during reading sessions.

Some homes may have window seats built in.  A few throw pillows on top of a thick cushion for the window seat make a nice nook.  You can purchase a fold up table to sit beside the window seat to keep your needed items close to you.  Lighting can come from the window during a sunny day, a suspended ceiling lamp, or free-standing lamp.  A soft throw blanket added to the seat can create warmth, as well.

A more intricate idea for a reading nook is to build shelving for books, approximately half way down the wall, in a recessed area of a room.  Then build a frame between the shelving.  A mattress or specially made cushion can be placed on the frame. Then choose throw pillows and a comfortable blanket to add to the top of the mattress or cushion.  Lamps may be set on the shelving.  Other lighting may be mounted or hung from the ceiling.  Using clip-on lighting or usb-connected lighting is movable to suit your lighting needs, also.

A fun idea for a child’s reading nook is to create one that includes a chair mounted to the ceiling, a free standing lamp, and a small table to set beside the chair.  You can also suspend rope lighting in the reading nook to evoke an even more special feeling to the nook.  The softness of the rope lighting combined with the lamp creates a special area a child will want to use for reading!  If you prefer, just use rope lights and then purchase a clip-on reading light for the book being read.

There are a few more ways to create a child’s perfect reading nook.  Instead of the ceiling mounted chair, a blow-up plastic chair covered with a velour type of material is fun.  The pillows on the floor mentioned for adults work just as well for children.  Also, a bean bag to sink into is fun for a child.  Another idea is a child’s tent filled with pillows and a LED lamp to set amid the pillows.  The tents may be purchased in the child’s favorite cartoon character theme, prints, or plain colors.

In many cases, lamps are not actually needed in a reading nook when an electronic reader, a tablet, or a laptop computer is being used for reading.  Lighting on these devices is adjustable, therefore a lamp may just produce a glare on the screen of the device.  No matter which way you choose to read a book, whether it is a traditional paper book or a book on an electronic device, your personalized nook will be a pleasant, quiet place for you to read.  Reading outdoors in a special nook can also be fulfilling. Many hours may be spent in comfort and repose while you delve into the newest book of your choosing while in the most enjoyable setting.

Creating an independent reading nook can also stimulate the urge to read more.  Having a place to devote specific time to read can be something to look forward to each day.  Reading is one of the single best ways to gain new knowledge.  You don’t have to be a reader of just non-fiction to continually learn; new vocabulary, spelling, and grammar to name a few things!  Learning new concepts from reading fiction and non-fiction help keep the brain working well.  A specially made reading nook for a child can create an enthusiasm and life-long passion for reading.  Enjoy creating your reading nook and Happy Reading!