Pre-2020, I did the majority of my reading-for-leisure on the go. A morning and evening commute was the perfect opportunity to put my phone away and throw myself into my current book of choice. 2020 brought an end to that commute, and with it, my daily dose of reading something other than the news or – let’s be real - Instagram. Now I was spending a large amount of time at home, it became too easy to go from desk to sofa to bed, or rather, medium sized screen, to large screen, to small screen…
In order to get myself in the reading mindset, I knew I needed to dedicate a little corner of my apartment to reading, just as I had dedicated tubes, trains and buses to reading in the BC (Before Covid) era. A new comfy armchair next to a bookshelf, a floor light, and a throw for warmth later, I’d created myself a cosy book nook. Even if only for half an hour or less, a bit of reading in the early evening always brings with it a sense of accomplishment and calm, and creates the distance between work and relaxing that I used to get from commuting.
If, like me, you have also found your once-active reading habit affected by the pandemic, why not consider creating a reading nook in your own home? We’ve gathered some of our favourite book nook ideas within our community to help inspire you, and to also show that you don’t have to live in a home from a Jane Austen novel in order to achieve a cosy corner of your own.
A window seat sat in an abundance of natural light such as this beauty by @brixtonhome is not only the perfect place for reading, it’s also a great way to utilise an otherwise unused corner of a home, whilst also adding some clever storage. Jax has used our Oatmeal linen throw and some soft linen cushions to add warmth and texture, whilst some greenery brings a sense of tranquillity.
A spare bedroom can make the perfect reading nook if you have the space. @sophia.at.home has created a rustic corner in her spare bedroom using soft sage greens, natural textures including a jute rug, linen curtains and our 100% linen Oatmeal Stripe bedding on a cast iron daybed. Scented candles set the mood and create a calm atmosphere, perfect for settling down with a book.
You don’t have to have a spare bedroom to create a luxurious book nook, a statement lounge chair in a corner of your house with plenty of natural light will do the trick. A mid century modern design such as this one in the lust-worthy home of @alicegraceinteriors can be easily moved from room to room.
If you don’t have a bay window for a bespoke window seat but you do have a favourite window to look out from, consider a traditional chaise lounge such as this one in @crowncottagenorfolk.
