How to create a cozy and pleasant reading corner for reading?
In our stressful lives, a leisurely afternoon or even five minutes is a luxury.
This is why it becomes so important to create spaces in our homes, which are intended for peaceful activities, like reading a novel, meditating, taking a nap.
All these precious moments are there to remind us to slow down and find time to take care of ourselves despite our busy schedules.
A reading corner helps achieve this objective.
After having determined how to successfully light each room in your interior , let's stop for a few moments on one of the most popular places, the reading-cocooning corner
Although a comfortable armchair, a soft cushion and an ottoman are an invitation to immerse yourself in your favorite reading, a reading nook is also a place where you can just sit and breathe. It should be a corner, or if you prefer, an entire room in your home dedicated to your needs and your unique personality.
What are the things that make you feel good? Is this a hand-woven warm blanket you bought on Etsy? A small table filled with books, photos and flowers? Maybe it's being surrounded by a real indoor jungle with beautiful green plants.
The trick is to think about the things that make you happy and peaceful, and incorporate those things into your reading nook. Here are some inspiring ideas to get you started.
Create a reading corner for two
If you prefer to read in the company of your spouse, a friend or a pet, install a loveseat in your reading nook. Fill it with comfy cushions.
Add wall art, quotes and photos that bring back good memories or take you on a journey. Remember to keep a small place for the cat on your bench!
Add a splash of color to your reading nook
Color has the power to inspire happiness instantly. If your reading nook is meant to be your happy place, a pop of bright color may be just what you need.
In this charming reading nook, you could feature a colorful pop armchair with watercolors or graphic paintings and a pink side table, producing a cheerful palette that will lift your spirits even on long winter evenings!
Make it a great place for impromptu naps!
A reading corner doesn’t have to be just for reading. It can be your official place to relax and recharge, a place where an occasional, unplanned nap is totally acceptable.
This is what you can do by creating a setting conducive to reading and sleeping by adding a lounge chair, cozy and comfortable cushions, a throw, and even a modern mobile suitable for adults, which you will enjoy watching.
Integrate a floor lamp or spot suitable for reading
Who says reading, says good visibility. Even if your reading corner is close to a window and benefits from natural daylight, consider equipping it with a light fixture that allows you to read comfortably. There are some very pretty reading lights, often with an articulated arm, so you can adjust the light source as best as possible.
If you have not planned the wires to install a wall light, you can also connect a designer, classic or modern floor lamp. The ideal is for it to be equipped with a lampshade which allows the light to be channeled well.
There are 3 types of floor lamps:
- Straight floor lamps
- Arc-shaped floor lamps
- Directional street lights
Our preference is for the arc floor lamp that you can easily place in the corner of a room, or right next to your sofa. But the directional floor lamp can be interesting since it has 2 light points, one of which is a reading light at the right height to illuminate your book.
Demarcate your reading space with a rug
Choose a rug to help define your reading nook space.
This is especially necessary if you are going to place it in a large space. The size of the room will dictate the size of the rug, you don't want the rug to be too small.
The larger the room, the larger the scale of the pattern (smaller prints can look very busy). A small corner of a bedroom can accommodate a small pattern (even circular), or several small rugs or rugs layered on top of each other.
Make sure that when you are comfortably seated in your chair, your feet do not protrude above the carpet!
Install a jungle of plants
It is scientifically proven that plants lift our spirits. By bringing the outside into our inner space, our mood improves and stress disappears.
A reading corner should be a place where we can relax, so why not surround it with a group of green plants or exotic plants?
Palm trees create a particularly tropical ambiance for a lush reading corner.
Arrange some shelves on the wall
One day you will have a library that rivals that of Beauty and the Beast!
For now, if you have a small space, such as a window seat, accompany your reading nook with a built-in shelf, which takes up little space.
A shelf next to your reading corner, for example hung on the wall, allows you to always have your favorite books at hand for an afternoon of reading.
The extra touch of cozy
Nothing is more comforting and attractive than an armchair that you can really settle into for hours on end.
Choose an armchair in cottony white, which calls for a few restful minutes (or more) spent with your beloved book.
Find a chair that's plush to the touch, then pair it with a cushion that adds color, texture and softness, as well as personal décor items, like wall hangings brought back from vacation. It all smells like relaxation!
