Reading nooks are becoming a more trendy choice than ever when thinking of ways to elevate your home décor. Comfy, intimate, and an awesome space saver, a window reading nook is an excellent edition to any home. Plus it makes you look like you read more than you probably do (don’t worry you can tweet from it too).
Interested? Follow our tips to create a space that you can warm up too:
1. Pick the right window
If you don’t already have a space in mind, consider a few things when deciding your where to place your reading nook. You’ll want lots of natural light coming in, so a bigger window is better than a small one. Also, a nook should be separate from your living room – to both differentiate the space from its surroundings, and add a little extra privacy. Your nook should feel like a secluded area, not another spot for your friends or family to sit when they come over.
2. Measure. Then Measure Again. Then Measure One More Time.
So you’ve found the perfect spot to build your nook. Now take a look around: How many inches are there from the floor to the window sill? How long is the window? If the window’s in the corner, do you want to make a wraparound piece? Try to imagine what works best with the space. This step is a little harder to guide you on, as ultimately - it depends on what you like and the space and size of your home. Typically, you want enough space to stretch out when reading and enough height to place some books or blankets underneath. You don’t need much width as sitting right up next to the window is part of the appeal, and too much width will make your nook look like an oddly placed bed. All things considered, get the measurements you need – height, width, length – and bear in mind the cushions you’ll place on top will elevate the height by a few inches.
3. Build it or Buy It?
Depending on the space, you won’t need to build a nook from scratch. Blocking shelving units with sturdy frames makes a great quick fix. Plus, they have shelving already! Alternatively, you could find a child’s bed that fits – just remove the headboard or bedposts to give it that nookish feel. (Is nookish a word? –you know what we mean).
Provided you’re handy enough to build it, consider these tips:
• 2x4s make for a great framing material,
• Strengthen them with cross beams,
• Use ¾” plywood sheets for the top, bottom, and shelving; and,
• Sand it! Slivers are pretty much the opposite of comfy.
Building it from scratch may be a little intimidating and time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. We found a great guide on building a daybed that you can adjust easily to fit your space!
4. The Comfy Factor
Now that the hard part is over, let your creative juices give your reading nook its overall look. For the cushion, use an inexpensive foam mattress - they can be easily cut up to fit any space. Bear in mind, you want a nice thick piece of foam; there’s no point in building something uncomfortable! As for the cover, find a sheet or comforter, or if you want to get really crafty you can sew a cover to size. Grab some large body pillows, smaller pillows, maybe a nice blanket and throw, and boom! The majority of your work is finished.
5. The Little Extras
So you have a beautiful little space near a window where you can read, nap, or stalk people on social media. But before you curl up and start relaxing, here are some accent ideas to spice it up:
• A small wall shelf for beverage holding
• An adjustable coil lamp for nighttime
• A small Bluetooth speaker for music
• Floating wall shelves for an expanding book collection
• A thick, fluffy pair of reading socks (the cozier, the better!)
And that’s it! With a little vision, some searching, and maybe a little snipping and sewing, (or building it from scratch if you’re ambitious) you can create a space in your home that can be truly your own, and really showcase those beautiful windows you’ve invested in.
For more great tips for your home, keep coming back to our Learning page. We write new articles each month!