How to carve out a Cozy Reading Nook in your current Abode

If reading holds a special place in your heart and you wish to design a dedicated space to lose yourself in the world of books then follow these tips & tricks to carve a reading nook in your current abode.

6 min readJun 25, 2021

Modern floor-to-ceiling library in a combination of open shelves and solid shutters cladded in books.

Hey bibliophiles! The above picture is Marvelous, isn’t it? All of us have dreamt of having the picturesque floor-to-ceiling library cladded in our favourite books, at some point in our life. But alas! Most of us don’t have enough space or a spare room to carve out a home library in our apartments (Kudos to you, if you do, you’re living my dream). But surprisingly we don’t need a huge space only a few right elements for the perfect reading experience. Infact, we can design an enchanting reading nook in our current abode without loosening the strings of our wallets much.

If you love reading as much as I do, then you should have a cozy reading nook in your home too. Ohh that rhymed:) Though a book lover could curl up anywhere and read for hours, having a dedicated space that is comfortable is an absolute necessity for us. I believe for crafting the perfect reading nook two things are important. The first is the functionality and the second the aesthetics.

Functionality can be further subcategorized into comfortable seating, ample storage, and proper lighting. The second part is the aesthetics, which is the aura should be such that it would help you relax & you wouldn’t want to put your book down.

So here are some tips & tricks to craft the perfect reading nook:

1. Comfortable seating:

The first step of designing the nook is proper seating. For this you’ll need:

An armchair: You can dedicate a corner in your bedroom as a reading nook. For that, all you need is a comfortable armchair right beside your bookshelf. Pair it with a footstool to put your feet up and a center table to hold your coffee/wine and dive right in your current book for hours.

A comfortable armchair by the sun and bookshelf with a footstool to maximize the warmth and comfort.

Bay window seat: A makeshift bench seating near the window can enhance your reading experience. Like the below image, you can create storage below and sideways so that your favorite stories are always within your reach.

A bay window seat with soft mattress and pillows and storage on both sides holding books.

Swing/hammock: A swing, rocking chair or hammock can be the perfect reading space for adults and kids looking for a chance to enjoy the evening tea, swinging lightly turning some pages.

A young kid reading her favourite book on the swing.

Daybed or Floor seating: You can add a daybed, chaise lounge, throw in some mattresses or some floor cushions, and lie down to read comfortably. (Are you team sit and read or team lie down and read? Comment below :D) Place some pouffees alongside and you have created a family reading corner.

A Day bed bathed in sunlight layered with cushions and throw.

Bean bags: Don’t have time to build or buy these furniture? Set up your current bean bag with some throw pillows for a comfy reading experience. (This way you can drag it around to any quiet corner of your house).

A soft huge bean bag in a nook bathed in sunlight besides bookshelf.

Kids corner: Have a reading space in your kid’s room to encourage reading from a young age by adding dedicated seating in their play area/ study. Brighten up with some funky decor or cushions to hook the little ones in the space for a long time.

An armchair by the funky bookshelf and a lot of bright decor.

2. Ample storage:

Now this part is a no-brainer. Invest in some good bookshelf or build one to showcase your amazing book collection. Don’t have additional space? Carve out a section of your wardrobe to hold your beloved books.

Two sections of bookshelf carved in floor-to-ceiling wardrobe.

3. Proper lighting:

Next part is proper lighting to avoid straining your eyes. You can do that by:

Invest in proper fixture: Invest in a good floor standing lamp, table lamp, adjustable wall lamp or just hang some fairy lights or decorate with some tealights around the space for a comfy reading experience.

A modern wooden armchair by the plant lit by floor lamp.

Capture the sunkissed nooks: If you can, you must capitalize natural light by putting up a chair around the sun-kissed nooks to feel the warmth during daytime.

A comfortable armchair by a large window maximizing natural light.

4. Aesthetics:

Last but not least is the aesthetics of the place. You can set up the mood by:

Textiles and textures: Decorate the space with a lot of accent pillows and throws to make the space super comfy. Experiment with different textures and textiles to liven up space.

A Day bed decorated with pillows of various sizes and soft throw with a side table holding scented candles.

Outdoorsy experience: Who said to limit your reading experience indoors? If you have a balcony or a garden, design a reading space in the fresh air with one of the methods above, and voilà you have created an exotic space.

An exotic balcony lit by a string of lamps and tealights holding a large futon decorated with soft cushions of various sizes and a thick quilted throw.

Canopy: Build a DIY canopy in a corner of the room with some sheets to instantly give a fairytale look to your reading nook. Amp it up with some fairy lights, lanterns, or tealights to complete the look. Ohh this is so wonderful! I wish I could just dive into this picture! XD

Kids reading corner with a floor mattress decorated by pillows of various sizes and a star shaped accent pillow and soft toys covered in a canopy hung above.

Personalize the space: Hang on those amazing artworks or create your photo wall with some pegboard and fairy lights to give a personal touch to your reading nook.

Kids reading nook showcasing their artwork of rainy day and rainbow by the bookshelf.

Combine these steps and you will have a cozy Reading Nook in your Abode. So when are you creating your reading haven?

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Until next time,

Tejal Chavan

Founder and Principal Interior Designer at The D’sign Story

Our mission: Promising to deliver quality interior work within your budget right from designing to site execution.

Note: I do not own the copyright of the above images, these pictures are taken from Pinterest for Illustrative purposes.