How to create a cosy reading nook

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If you love reading, or if you just want a dedicated space in your home to escape or relax, then it might make sense to think about creating a cosy reading nook. It could be also somewhere you store your books, or simply an area where you can get away from it all. The best reading nook ideas have the same ingredients – comfortable flooring and seating, a good light source, decent storage and your favourite items around you to a feeling of calm and snugness. Below, we’ve compiled some easy-to-follow ways to build your own reading nook.

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Reading nook ideas in your home

If you’re lucky enough to have unused areas in your home, then consider whether they could be repurposed to create a cosy reading nook. We’re thinking of space in a hallway, on a landing, in a spare room, a corner of a living room or bedroom, close to a window or even under the stairs. You may want to make a reading nook in your children’s playroom or bedroom to encourage them to have a life-long love of reading. In fact, you could kill two birds with one stone with our range of cosy bedroom ideas, which are perfect for avid readers!

You’ll need enough room for a comfy chair or sofa to relax on, a light to read by or a window nearby, and a place to put down your book and your cuppa. Then we suggest you gather plenty of blankets, throws, pillows or cushions to make the space sumptuous to sink into. Why not surround yourself with mementoes that are significant to you, like holiday souvenirs or family photos? Think about what will inspire you, then add it to your reading nook. This could soon become your favourite place in your home!

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Decorating your reading nook

It’s all about personal taste, but if you’re lucky enough to have free rein to decorate your reading nook to suit you, then consider the look you’re trying to achieve. Do you want your nook to be a cocooning place? Then choose bold colours like a deep ruby red, which would work well in a study or small space and pile up the blankets or throws to create a place where you can’t wait to snuggle down.

If you want to create a serene, natural atmosphere, add a touch of green in the form of a rug, carpet or some easy-to-maintain house plants. Neutrals are always in fashion – or rather, they never go out of fashion – and won’t clash with your existing décor. But you may want to indulge yourself in your reading nook with your favourite colour or a style you wouldn’t choose for the rest of the house.

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Get the lighting right

Before you create a reading nook, find a sunny spot near a window, and then you’ll have all the natural light you’ll need to read for hours. But if this doesn’t work for you – for instance, you may want to build a nook at the top of your stairs on your landing – then think about a table or a floor lamp to illuminate this area as well as provide the right ambience. You may also want to put up fairy lights, not necessarily to help with brightness, but just to create a magical atmosphere.

Keep the peace

While you’re thinking about reading nook ideas, it’s also important to consider how noisy the location might be. For instance, you may want to be away from the TV in a corner of the living room, where children may play on their consoles, or avoid being close to the kitchen where your housemates gather (although there's always a time and a place for a cosy kitchen nook, where you sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, or get the kids to do their homework). Keep the noise down in your reading nook by adding a curtain or soft furnishings to absorb any sound. And if you can’t manage this, then we suggest you invest in noise-cancelling headphones!

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Best flooring for a reading nook

Start from the ground and work your way up. With any luck, you’ll be in your reading nook for a while, so it’s best to make sure you have a comfortable and long-lasting floor. You may want to lie on the floor as you read, in which case a soft, luxurious carpet is a must-have. We have a tempting selection with a deeper pile for a soft, indulgent feeling underfoot. If you choose a neutral or muted shade, you’ll create a naturally relaxing atmosphere.

On the other hand, your nook might be in a shared space like a hallway or landing. So you may want to refresh an existing floor with new vinyl flooring, luxury vinyl planks or timeless laminate. If you want to go all-out and create Hogwarts library vibes at home, then choose engineered wood in a dark shade or a timeless herringbone pattern.

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Choose furniture when creating a reading nook

The next piece of the puzzle is choosing the furniture you’ll eventually put in your reading nook. Ideally, you’ll need an easy chair where you can kick off your shoes and curl up, or if your budget and space stretch to it, a day bed, chaise longue, or sofa to lie down on as you indulge your reading habit.

Some people choose beanbags for their casual look and easy comfort, while others opt for trendy egg chairs suspended from a frame. As well as looking good, they offer a modern twist on an old-fashioned rocking chair. Just be careful all that to-ing and fro-ing motion doesn’t relax you so much that you end up falling asleep!

Bookshelves and storage

It seems obvious, but perhaps one of the most important pieces of furniture in your reading nook is a shelf for your books! You can use a floor-standing one that can double up as a shelf to place a lamp or a drink, or add one to the wall to make the most of the vertical space above your head. Even adding a single shelf will create a dedicated place and allow you to create your own home library.

Some people are inspired by industrial interior design, and repurpose wooden crates to use as storage. Or pile your favourite paperbacks into a trolley and use it as a movable book cart.

Create a cosy nook of your own

If you’re excited to build a reading nook of your own, then you can arrange a free home visit for one of our floorologists to come out to your home and help you choose the best carpet or floor to suit you. Or, if you’re ready and raring to pick out your favourite flooring, book a free store visit to come down to your local Tapi store and see all of our collections.

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Post author

Claire Murphy Copywriter Former lifestyle journalist, keen amateur upcycler, full of value for money ideas

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Published: 01-12-2022