READING NOOKS FOR RELAXING MOMENTS
Find a Place for One in Your Home
READING NOOKS
I love reading nooks! I love having a place to rest, regroup, and have a quiet moment to read. If you love to read as well, then you need a reading nook!
Our home has vaulted ceilings. When my husband, Dutch, the kids, and I moved into our home, we were excited to find gables and angles and nooks and crannies everywhere. I love it! But I didn’t know what to do with all of it. Experimenting with these different spaces has been so much fun. And one of my favorite spaces that we created is the reading nook.
This is what the space looked like when we moved in:
The walls and ceilings were painted this color blue:
We took out the carpet and put down pinewood floor boards. We bought reject pine boards from a lumber yard. Then we took them to a woodwork warehouse and had them planed. We chose to not have them sanded, so they would have a more natural feel.
This is what the floor boards looked like in our library before we stained them:
We chose to stain the boards with Minwax Dark Walnut. It is a rich, slightly darker than medium, brown.
View this wood stain here:
(The links in this post are Amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
This is what the pine floor boards looked like after we stained them:
And this is how they looked with 2 coats of polyurethane:
This is our family room. We used Minwax semi-gloss polyurethane.
We also painted the walls Benjamin Moore Bavarian Cream 2146-70. It is a luscious ivory color, with a slight green undertone. That keeps the color from having a pink tint, which I really wanted to avoid. And it contrasts wonderfully with Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17, which we used on our trim work, doors, and ceilings.
Once the renovating was finished, the fun began! I was surprised with how much we were able to put into this small space with its charming, yet problematic, gabled ceiling.
We started with an area rug. Amazon rugs come in many sizes, styles, and colors. I have purchased quite a few of these rugs for our home, and I have been pleased with all of them.
This is the rug that we purchased for the reading nook:
Here are some more rugs that would work well in a reading nook.
Black Rug with Large Flower Design
Ivory Rug with Large Flower Design
I have purchased several of these rugs. My favorite colors are these:
Next, I measured really carefully for bookcases. And this is what surprised me the most. We were able to get 3 bookcases that were just the right size to fit under this angled roofline. It was very exciting! Before we placed the bookcases against the wall, I filled those cubbyholes with bedding that we weren’t using. I now have an out of the way stash of emergency blankets!
This bookcase is similar to what we purchased. It comes in several wood tones.
Bookcases in Various Wood Stain Colors
These bookcases come in a lot of fun colors. And there’s one that is unfinished, so you can custom-color it.
Try these baskets on your bookshelves to throw bookmarks and pencils and knick-knacks in. They come in various colors and sizes:
Small Cotton Rope Baskets in Soft Colors, Sets of 2
5 Basket Sets in Gradient Sizes, 2-Tone, Cotton Rope
Storage Cube Baskets in Beautiful Colors, Cotton Rope, Sets of 3
Check out this post for book ideas, for filling your new bookshelves:
Favorite Books to Read in the Fall
Favorite Books to Read at Christmas Time
Do you love fairytales? So do I! Here is a fairytale novel of Beauty & The Beast. Take a look at it here:
The Treekeeper’s Daughter by Marilee Boekweg
We had just enough room for 1 end table.
View some end tables here:
Oval End Tables in White, Teal, & Black
Square End Tables in White & in Navy
Square End Tables in Various Colors
And here are some lamps to go on your bookcases and accent tables.
Antiqued, Tall Metal Lamps, Set of 2
Adjustable Metal Desk Lamp, Rustic Black
Iron & Clear Acrylic Lamps, Set of 2
Tall, Black Metal Lamps, Set of 2
Clear Crystal Lamps with White Shades, Set of 2
And here is a floor lamp:
Adjustable Floor Lamp in Black
There was limited space, so we chose to go with one love seat and one accent chair.
View some love seats here:
Tufted Love Seat with Roll Arm Rests, Gray:
Love Seat with 2 Tufted Accent Pillows, Various Colors
View some accent chairs here:
Accent Chair with Roll Arm Rests, Blue & White Striped & Various Colors
Spindle Accent Chair, Gray Upholstery with Brown Wood Finish
Add a throw blanket or two for color and comfort.
Fleece Throw Blankets in Various Colors & Sizes
Fleece Throw Blankets in Bright Colors & Various Sizes
Navy Throw Blanket with Diamond Pattern
And furniture is not finished without accent pillows!
View some accent pillow covers here:
Accent Pillow Covers in Several Sizes, Gray & White Ticking, Set of 2
Plaid Accent Pillow Covers in Multiple Colors & Sizes, Sets of 2
Floral Print Accent Pillow Covers in Multiple Colors, Prints, & Sizes, Sets of 2
Cream Accent Pillow Cover with Custom French Monogram
Velvet Accent Pillow Cover with Diamond Pattern, in Various Colors
And remember the pillow inserts!
Accent Pillow Inserts in Multiple Sizes
We chose a round table. View some tables here:
Wood & Metal Table, Round with Various Wood Tones
Oval Table in Antiqued Cream & Brown
Tufted Square Ottomans in Earth Tones
Tufted Round Ottomans in Earth Tones
Trestle Table with a Walnut Finish
Rectangular Table with Scrollwork, in Distressed White
Rectangular Table in Various Wood Tones
Storage Table with Sliding Barn Doors
Rectangular Wooden Table with a Weathered Gray & White Finish
Wooden Trestle Table with Scrollwork, & an Antique Blue & Oak Brown Finish
Wooden Trestle Table with Scrollwork, & an Oak Brown Finish
Tablecloths bring in color and protect your table.
View these damask tablecloths here:
Jewel-Toned Damask Tablecloths in Various Sizes
Damask Tablecloths in Silver & in Gold, Various Sizes
Then I chose some fun things for decorations.
Candlestick Holders
View these beautiful candlestick holders here:
Brass Candlestick Holders, Spiral Twist, Set of 2
Crystal Candlestick Holders in Clear, Green, & Blue, Sets of 2 & 4
Black, Iron Candlestick Holders, Set of 2
Crystal Candlestick Holders in Various Heights, Sets of 2
And remember the candles!
Tapered Candles in Various Colors, 4 Pack
Tapered Candles in Bold Colors & Various Heights, 12 Pack
Barley Twist & Metallic Tapered Candles, in Various Colors & Heights, 4 Pack:
And, of course, I added everything for tea time.
I chose to go with mugs, instead of tea cups. Mugs are sturdy, they hold in the heat, and I just like them.
View some mugs here:
Mugs in Various Colors, Sets of 4
Glazed Mugs in Bright Colors, Sets of 6
Stoneware Mugs in Earth Tones, Sets of 2
Artisan Mugs in Beautiful Colors
And remember the tea kettle!
Electric, Stainless Steel Tea Kettle
Stovetop Stainless Steel Tea Kettle with a Whistle, in Several Colors
And these wooden trays are so handy and helpful:
Rectangular Trays in Wood & Bamboo, Sets of 7
Are you looking for a fun book to read? Here is a fairytale novel that I wrote. It’s a retelling of the beloved Beauty & The Beast story.
Find it here:
The Treekeeper’s Daughter by Marilee Boekweg
And that’s our cozy reading nook!
Now let’s find a place for a reading nook in your home.
Let’s start with under a staircase. Is it just empty space? Is it a closet used for storage? Can it be cleared out and opened up?
Martin Lang
Does your home have a wide hallway? Or space at the end of a hallway?
Here are some benches that would work well in a space like this:
Velvet Love Seats with Rolled Arm Rests, in Cream & in Rose
Linen Upholstered Bench, in Several Colors
Tufted Bench in Earth Tones & 2 Sizes
What about a stair landing? Or a bridge?
Kei Scampa
A corner of a room could become your reading and relaxing space.
And, of course, in front of a fireplace is a very cozy place to be.
Clay Banks
Does your home have a gable or a bay window that you can claim?
Clay Banks
Or a window seat?
Rahul Pundir
Are there any windows in your home that let in a lot of sunshine? Or that have a beautiful view?
How about repurposing a room? Do you have a room in your home that gets very little use, such as a formal dining room, or a sitting room, or an office? Turn that room into your reading room!
Now that you have your very own reading nook, let’s add some fun things to it!
How about some games?
View some Jane Austen games here:
View some Chess Games here:
And some mind-relaxing coloring books.
Jane Austen Removable Coloring Plates
William Adolphe Bougeureau Coloring Book, Volumes 1 & 2 Combined
William Morris: An Arts & Crafts Colouring Book
Here are some colored pencils and some art brush pens.
Marker Brush Pens in Various Sets
And throw some fun bookmarks into a basket, to mark your spot for next time.
Magnetic Bookmarks, Hearts, Set of 10
Magnetic Bookmarks, Ocean Waves, Set of 10
Wooden Bookmarks, Carved Roses, Set of 2
Need some book suggestions to fill your new bookshelves?
Check out this post about Favorite Books to Read in the Fall for some ideas!
And this post:
Favorite Books to Read at Christmas Time
And check out this romance novel that I wrote. It’s a retelling of the fairytale Beauty & The Beast. It’s full of enchanted roses, talking animals, and a mysterious sealed castle.
View a sample reading of it here:
The Treekeeper’s Daughter by Marilee Boekweg
Taking time to read a good book is so relaxing and restoring. And having a comfortable space for it makes it even better. I hope you enjoy your new reading nook!
Crafting wishes,
Marilee
Check out these related posts:
Favorite Books to Read in the Fall
Favorite Books to Read at Christmas Time
And this post about my Beauty & The Beast fairytale novel:
The Treekeeper’s Daughter by Marilee Boekweg
Read a preview of The Treekeeper’s Daughter here:
The Treekeeper’s Daughter by Marilee Boekweg
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