Bookshelves & Reading Nook Ideas and Inspiration
Curling up with a good book is more enjoyable with a dedicated space for reading. A reading nook is ideal because it’s a cozy spot to sit for a spell, and even if you aren’t much of a reader, you can still enjoy your nook for daydreaming, napping, meditation, or just relaxing. Here are some inspired ideas for bookshelves and reading nooks that could work well in your home.
Built-in Beauty
You may be fortunate enough to have built-in bookshelves or a window seat that can be used for the perfect reading nook, and by adding a soft throw and overstuffed pillows, you can make the space more inviting. If you don’t have one, you can talk with top interior designers about building a nook from scratch. Pick a bright, sunny window and add a bench with under-seat storage or bookshelves to frame it. Another option is to repurpose an under-utilized closet for a reading nook. What you lose in natural lighting you can gain in privacy.
Take It Vertical
If you don’t have a lot of room for your reading nook, you may want to take your space to new heights with a birdcage chair. These inviting seats are sturdy and comfy without taking up too much square footage in your home. Place a small bookshelf or table nearby to stack your reading material and hold a cup of tea (or glass of wine), and you are ready to dive into a good book.
For more ideas, consult with Santa Barbara interior designers to see how they have helped past clients create reading nooks in smaller spaces.
Adding Style
Once you’ve established the right location in your home for a reading nook, you can add your personal flair. You can use examples of Santa Monica interior design for your muse, or you may want to consider the following ideas:
- Concentrate on neutral colors and pale hues that complement your home’s design.
- Pick a spot with natural light, such as an oversized window, especially if it frames a beautiful landscape vista.
- Include soft textures to increase the coziness factor with pillows and throws.
- Don’t crowd your nook with knick-knacks or towering stacks of books that add clutter instead of peace.
- Opt for plush or unstructured chairs, poofs, or other less formal seating to recline or sit up if you so choose.
- Be sure the lighting is adequate to reduce eye strain if your nook isn’t near a window.
Shelve It
Let’s focus for a moment on your bookshelves; after all, a shelf can be another design element and not just another functional piece of furniture. Take care when you organize your books for clean lines that have a minimal feel, arranging them by color, topic, alphabet, or any system that works for you.
Feel free to add a few statement accents from your personal collection, or include other elements that can help you relax, such as candles, plants, or family photos. You can also add color by painting or handing wallpaper behind the shelves to make them a standout custom feature in your nook.
Hopefully, these ideas can motivate you to add bookshelves and reading nook in your home. It may be the perfect spot for self-care and a welcome respite from the bustle of your everyday routine.
12 Comments
may palacpac
We’re tiny living in a 1-BR apartment, so our living room converts to the master’s at night. But it’s also on its way to be a reading heaven by day. 🙂
Kam Olivar
It’s my biggest dream to have a reading nook. Hopefully we can have one someday. Great tips by the way, I’ll take note of these for future reference 🙂
Abby
I love to do this kaso we don’t own our house here kaya medyo less furnitures muna kasi.
Rad
The first pic is really pretty and neat looking. Definitely something I’d like to build for my house. 🙂
– Rad, find out helpful content about health, sports and martial arts on my website.
Karla Nina Mallannao
Ang cute. Pero wala naman ako masyadong books sa roo. Pero I’m planning to decorate my bedroom. Do you have tips din ba? Hehe
Nicole San Miguel
Thank you for these ideas! This is such a helpful post. Now, I am inspired and motivated to organize my books 🙂
– https://www.nicolesanmiguel.com (Lifestyle and Travel Blog)
Christian Foremost
I would for sure have this if I had a place of my own!! I would put on display all of the books we bought during our teens, and maybe we’ll even have time to read them over again! If only we had the space. Huhu.
clang
Thanks for these ideas! I will share these to my friends and relatives whom I think will like it.
Karla
Thanks for these ideas! I’ve been planning to organize my books since last month. I’m now more inspired to do it!
Wendy
We have a library for our books and my sons have grown in this set-up so they naturally grow into enthusiastic readers. They sit everywhere to read so we don’t really have a reading nook hihihi… They have bookshelves beside their beds, too.
WanderWoMom
i was blessed to have a nice reading nook aka a bay window and a room full of shelves in my mom’s house, na pinuno ko din ng books and photo albums. wish i can do the same for my son. sana umulan ng pera. hahahah
Dawn Lyndelle
I’ve always wanted to have a mini-library and nook in my dream house. I grew up in a house that loved books all because of our parents who invested in them. The pictures and info here are note-worthy. 🙂