How To Create A Cosy Reading Corner

A true bookworm can read anywhere and everywhere. But the best place to curl up with a good book is in your very own personal reading nook.

Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to find such a peaceful place, especially if you live in a busy house. If you need somewhere you can hide away whenever you need to immerse yourself in a story, you can create a cosy space for yourself.

Even if you don’t have much room to claim as your own, you can set up somewhere quiet just about anywhere you can think of. Start putting together your reading nook with these easy suggestions.

Here’s how to create a cosy reading corner:

Find a Quiet Space

The first thing you need to do is find a suitable space. Sometimes there’s a perfect place, like a window seat or a fireplace. But you might find that you have to carve out a space for yourself, whether it’s in a small alcove or just an empty space in a room.

If you don’t want anyone to disturb you, don’t choose a high-traffic area where your family or housemates will always be walking past.

If you can’t find anywhere that’s naturally separated from the rest of the room, you could section off a space with a privacy screen or a curtain. For the ultimate cosy corner, you could even invest in a reading corner canopy or a curtain of fairy lights!

Check out some of these cute options:

Choose Your Lighting

Lighting is critical when you want to get stuck into a book. Soft lights make everything relaxing and peaceful, but you don’t want it to be so dim that you have to squint at your book. You might choose to sit by a window so there’s plenty of natural light during the day.

But in the evening you’ll need some help from a lamp or two if the overhead lighting isn’t enough. The best option to go for is a tall standing lamp that you can move in whichever direction you want. This way you can get the light to shine down onto your book and not in your face!

If you’d prefer softer lighting, of course, you can decorate with fairy lights. If you don’t have a plug nearby, there are always battery-powered LEDs.

Get Comfy

You don’t want your reading nook to be uncomfortable. Most book lovers will read in any position, whether it’s curled in a ball or hanging upside down. Make sure you’re super comfortable by picking the right seating and adding some cosy accessories.

Picking the right chair is absolutely key. Fortunately, there are some fantastic options from places like Daals, Ikea and more.

The problem is that often what looks good doesn’t feel good so really do your research properly before investing in a statement reading chair. Yep, I’m still trying to make statement reading chair the next “in” thing.

You might not have much room, so if there’s no space for a squishy sofa or armchair, try a beanbag. Otherwise, make a hard dining chair more comfortable with some cushions. This space is going to need lots and lots of soft cushions.

It’s also a good idea to have something to keep you warm, like a woollen throw. Any time it’s cold you can snuggle up with a blanket and dive into your book.

Find Somewhere for Your Books

You don’t have to keep your books close by, but it’s helpful if you don’t have to leave your sanctuary to get a new one. Even if you don’t keep your entire collection in your reading corner, you can have one shelf that has some favourites or your current reads on it.

RELATED: The Best Bookshelves for your Home Library

If you don’t want to buy another piece of large furniture, you could create your own small book trolley, which means you can wheel this around in case you ever need to reclaim the space.

Finally, if you want to be really minimalist and keep the floor clear and tidy, you could also hang a storage pouch from the wall to slip your books inside without taking up any room.

Create a refuelling station

I must be one of the only British person on the planet who isn’t obsessed with tea, but most bookworms seem to be so a mug of tea is essential.

Put a small table in your reading space with a kettle, your favourite mug and some tea bags on top. When you’re next engrossed in an unputdownable read, you won’t be forced to leave your reading nook to find sustenance. 

You can also keep a small stock of snacks. Book-friendly snacks. There’s nothing I hate more than finding crumbs or grease marks in a book so for me that usually means keeping eating and reading separate.

However, there are a few snacks that are fairly harmless. Pocky sticks are a good way of getting your chocolate fix without getting sticky fingers all over your books.

Create a Gallery Wall

A good gallery wall can really bring a room to life. Blank walls are uninspiring and not what you want for your little corner for creativity and escape.

Bookish brands like Obvious State sell literary posters that would be perfect to decorate your reading corner with. Inspired by the likes of Austen, Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Hemingway, Poe and more, these inspirational quotes will no doubt encourage you to snuggle down and get lost in a good book. I’ve already got 5 of them and my collection is forever expanding!

Shop the range from Obvious State here.

Every avid reader needs somewhere they can enjoy their books without being disturbed. Make sure you have your space by creating one today!

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If you liked this post, check out these:
How to Declutter Your Bookshelves
Home Office Desk Essentials
Ways to Get Out of a Reading Slump
Why You Should Always Carry a Book With You
How to Cut Down Your TBR Pile
How I Read 75+ Books a Year
3 Ways to Make a Dark Room Seem Brighter

[ This post was last updated in May 2019]

Laura

Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?

Laura is an award-winning travel and book blogger based in the UK. She studied French literature at Oxford University and is now an IP lawyer at a top law firm in London. She was named UK Book Blogger of the Year in 2019 and loves to combine her passion for books and travel with literary travel.