Reading nooks are one of the fastest-growing home design trends, with mentions of home listings that include them increasing by 48% in the past year, Good Housekeeping reveals. It’s easy to see why this is the case. A small corner set up just for relaxing with a book is a simple way to add more calm to your home. And it doesn’t have to be complicated or even expensive to create a reading nook. In fact, if you have any space in your living room you think could be put to better use, that’s all you need to start. Add in good lighting, the right seating and soft furnishings and you’ll create a beautiful corner that’s as functional as it is cozy.
Light the space properly
Good lighting is a must since your nook is primarily for reading. Stick with natural light if your space is near a window as you can’t beat the bright and inviting feel it creates. But you can use a lamp if you don’t have good natural light or want to read in the evenings. Lamps of any kind are generally a better choice than overhead lighting, which tends to give a harsh glare. A table or wall lamp will help you see what you’re reading and create a cozy and relaxing mood. You can get bulbs that simulate daylight and these are perfect for reading during the day. Then use a dimmer switch or even get a second lamp with a warmer bulb (if you have the space) for the evenings. Simply switch between the two as and when you need.
Pick the right seating
Your reading nook also needs comfy seating that lets you lounge happily for hours at a time. An armchair or 1-seater sofa are nice choices for comfort if you’re really tight on space. One with a high back and supportive arms is a better option than something like a low-back accent chair. Look for arms wide enough to rest a mug on, and a back tall enough to cushion your head and shoulders when you want to lean back.
A small couch can take your nook’s coziness to the next level if you have a little more room to work with. This is also a direction lots of homes have now embraced as comfort over style continues to be one of the biggest interior design trends of this year, according to Country Living. A small couch with generous deep seats lets you curl up or stretch out which you may not have the space to do in an armchair. A two-seater sofa is usually the best size to go for as it can fit in small spaces without looking or feeling too big.
Layer soft furnishings
You can then have fun with soft furnishings to make your reading nook look and feel all the more inviting. A throw blanket you can snuggle up in is a must and natural fabrics like boucle, cotton, wool or linen are a great choice for this. These materials are breathable and so soft that they’ll feel great against your skin. Natural fabrics also last a long time without wearing out (a lot longer than synthetic fabrics). So they’re a great investment if you’ll be using the nook often. Also add a couple of cushions to prop yourself up with but don’t go overboard with too many different textures. Any more than two or three textures and the space will start to look too busy. Also look for cushions with covers you can easily remove. These can be quickly thrown in the wash if you ever spill anything while reading.
Don’t forget a rug too. Stick to a smaller size that fits the nook well as this will help visually separate the space as its own little zone. You don’t want the rug to extend past the nook. It’ll no longer feel like a defined area if the rug covers too much of the wider room’s floor.
Creating a cozy reading nook in your living room doesn’t have to be complicated or even require much space. Get the lighting and seating right and add a few soft furnishings, and you’ll create a stylish space you’ll never want to leave.
