22 Cozy Reading Nook Ideas for Book Lovers to Recreate
This blog post is all about reading nook ideas for book lovers to copy!
As a book lover, having a spot in your home surrounded by books and bookish things while reading is always a lovely experience! There are so many different ways to decorate your reading nook at home, and this list will go through the coziest ideas to inspire you for your own!
1. Get a Swivel Barrel Chair
2. Have a Book Cart
3. Get a Papasan chair
4. Sprinkle Some Fairy Lights
5. Add a Sliding Ladder to Your Bookshelf
6. Use Invisible Floating Bookshelves
7. Add Cushions to Your Chair
8. Use a Throw Blanket
9. Hang Up a Disco Ball
10. Add Ivy Vine Garlands
11. Add Plants
12. Decorate With Plushies
13. Hang Up Paper Chains
14. Build a Nook Around Your Bed
15. Use Your Closet Space
16. Add a Floor Lamp
17. Minimalist Aesthetic
18. Get an Egg Chair
19. Use Your Bay Window
20. Burn Candles
21. Have a Foot Rest
22. Add Framed Photos
Reading nook must-haves
Before we get into the list of cozy reading nook ideas to recreate, here are some of the basics of what makes a great reading nook that you’ll see mentioned throughout:
- Bookshelves – The most obvious aspect of a reading nook is having books surrounding you while you read! When you have bookshelves, you’ve basically completed half of your reading nook decor! What I love about bookshelves is that they’re not a one-size-fits-all. There are so many different types to choose from that will suit your space!
- Cozy chair – The last thing you want while you’re reading a book is reading in an uncomfortable chair! So, for your reading nook, it’s essential that you choose a chair that you’re obsessed with reading in! There are a few different types of cozy chairs that will guarantee a cozy reading session, which are mentioned in the list below!
- Cozy layers – In addition to having a cozy chair to read in, you’ve also gotta have some cozy layers to really get in the reading mood. Blankets, cushions, and even plushies are the perfect way to add cozy layers to your chair!
- Good lighting – There are a few ways you can go about obtaining good lighting for your reading nook. The first is having your reading nook close to a window. This makes for perfect natural lighting, where you’ll have no trouble actually seeing what you’re reading. Alternatively, you can opt for a lamp. If you’re reading at night or your reading nook isn’t close to a window, then this will help brighten up your space to be able to enjoy your reading session.
22 Cozy Reading Nook Ideas
1. Get a Swivel Barrel Chair
Swivel barrel chairs are definitely the statement piece to add to your reading nook. They’re the perfect chair to have if you have a lot of space, and they are super comfy to read books in. They also rotate 360 degrees, which can be helpful, and some come with a matching footrest!
2. Have a Book Cart
Rolling carts are probably one of the most useful items to have in any home. If you’re familiar with Sincerely Venus, then you know that I love how rolling carts can be used for anything from being a nightstand and being a coffee table to being used for laundry room storage. On the topic of reading nooks, they can also be used for storing books!
One way to use a book cart is to store your TBR. This way, you don’t have to rummage through your bookshelf to find your next read, as they’ll all be in one place. Once you’ve finished one book on your TBR, you can put it back on your bookshelf and find a replacement book on your TBR to fill up the space in the cart, and repeat!
Another way to use a book cart is if your bookshelves are full and you find that you don’t have much space for the new books you buy, your book cart acts as extra storage!
Not only are book carts obviously great for keeping your books, but you can also add some accessories on the top tier that you use for reading, such as sticky tabs, pens, and bookmarks.
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Rolling Cart
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3. Get a Papasan chair
Papasan chairs are probably the most desired type of chair for reading nooks. If your reading nook has a big enough space for a large comfy chair, then this would be a great option!
The cushioning on papasan chairs means that they’re super padded, making you feel extra comfy. And the shape is perfect for bringing your knees up to snuggle in the chair and read your books!
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Papasan Chair
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4. Sprinkle Some Fairy Lights
Adding fairy lights to your reading nook isn’t only great for additional lighting, but it also looks so aesthetically pleasing! It draws more attention to your book collection, and fairy lights in general are always a cozy addition to add to anything!
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Fairy Lights
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5. Add a Sliding Ladder to Your Bookshelf
Having a bookshelf with a sliding ladder is a book lover’s dream! And if you have enough space in your reading book to install one, then why not get it?! It looks so cool and will make you feel like Belle in Beauty and the Beast whenever you use it!
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Sliding Ladder
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6. Use Invisible Floating Bookshelves
If you have a smaller reading nook space, a great way to store and display your books is by using invisible floating shelves. These give the illusion that your books are floating on your wall, which looks really cool!
Once you’ve attached the invisible floating bookshelves to your wall, just stack your books on top of them, and it’ll look like they’re holding up on their own!
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Invisible Floating Shelves
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7. Add Cushions to Your Chair
Cushions are an absolute essential for a cozy reading nook! However many cushions you need to make you comfy while reading is the amount you should get! I truly believe you can never have too many cushions.
I love how this cozy reading nook idea has unique cushions with different shapes and textures. The crocheted cushion looks so lovely and bright, and the heart-shaped cushion is so cute!
Heart Pillow
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Flower Pillow
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8. Use a Throw Blanket
As I mentioned before, throw blankets are an essential, so it’s only right that they’re included in this official list of cozy reading nook ideas, too! There are endless choices for blankets to choose from, and it’s always a good feeling when you find one that matches the aesthetic you’re going for.
The throw blanket for this cozy reading nook is the perfect example of matching the vibe, as it’s a black and multicolored handmade crocheted blanket!
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Pink Throw Blanket
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9. Hang Up a Disco Ball
Of course, reading nooks are supposed to be cozy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit of fun to them, too! Adding a hanging disco ball to your reading nooks will add excitement and liveliness to your space. And when the sunlight hits the disco ball at a certain time of day, your space will sparkle!
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Disco Ball
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10. Add Ivy Vine Garlands
If your reading nook has empty wall space, then one way to fill it up is by adding ivy vine garlands! I strongly believe that ivy vine garlands turn any boring blank wall space into a cozy, calm vibe ever since I used them to decorate my college dorm room walls and doors! They add a lovely touch of nature and even more color to your reading nook space.
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Ivy Garland Vines
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11. Add Plants
Speaking of adding a touch of nature, you can also opt for plants to add to your bookshelves! This will need a bit more care as they’re real plants that you’ll have to water, but if you’re already a plant mom, then this will be like second nature to you!
12. Decorate With Plushies
Plushies are such a cute addition to reading nooks. The obvious choice is to keep them on your cozy chair of choice, but another idea is to keep them on your bookshelves! I love how this reading nook idea has a teapot, a bouquet, and marshmallow Jellycat plushies; they all add the cozy vibe, and it’s adorable!
Sun & Moon Plushie
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Tulip Plushies
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13. Hang Up Paper Chains
For the book lovers who dabble in DIY, adding paper chains to your reading nook will give it a lovely personal touch! If you also like to switch up the decor for your reading nook each season, then this idea is perfect for the holiday season!
This reading nook idea uses festive paper to make paper chains and hangs them up from the ceiling, and it looks fabulous! The best thing about paper chains is that they are super easy to make!
14. Build a Nook Around Your Bed
Not everyone can section off an area in their home for a reading nook, but everyone will certainly have a bed in their home. In this case, you can build a reading nook around your bed!
Since your bed will already have pillows, cushions, plushies, and blankets, you’ll have already covered the cozy part. All you’ll need to do to make it into a reading nook is to add some shelving units to the walls above your bed, along with decorative pieces, and you’ll have transformed your bed into a reading nook!
15. Use Your Closet Space
That empty closet that you have no idea what to use for? That’s the perfect place to turn into a reading nook! Because it’s a confined space, it’s much easier to work with. You can install shelving units around the whole closet to maximize the storage space for your books, and you can add a cozy chair of your choice, along with cushions, to complete it!
You can also add curtains as your “door” into the reading nook. This is great if you prefer to be in a closed, private space that’s free from distractions while you’re reading.
16. Add a Floor Lamp
Another reading nook essential mentioned previously was good lighting. If your reading nook isn’t close to a window (or if it is close to a window but you’re reading in the evening/night), then the best idea is to get a lamp. Ideally, a floor lamp so it can light up your space and make it easy to see the words you’re reading.
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Floor Lamp
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17. Minimalist Aesthetic
For a minimalist vibe, you’ll want your reading nook to have the basics mentioned above: bookshelves, a cozy chair, cozy layers (cushions and blankets), and good lighting. To add a bit more personality, maybe go for a few plants or a statement pillow. Overall, for a minimalistic look, it’s best to stick to reading nook essentials for a less cluttered or distracting space.
18. Get an Egg Chair
Egg chairs objectively just look super cool! So, having this as your cozy chair of choice for your reading nook will also make your reading nook look cool! They add a stylish touch to your space and have enough room to add more cozy layers to make your reading sessions as comfy as you like!
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Egg Chair
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19. Use Your Bay Window
The bay window in your home can be the perfect location for your reading nook, especially if you enjoy sitting and reading there already! Add some cushions to the ledge of your bay window and install storage underneath it to store your books. If you have wall space next to your bay window, you can also install some shelves to store and display more of your books.
20. Burn Candles
Adding candles to any space will always be a cozy vibe, which is why they’re the perfect cozy reading nook idea! You can keep them on a small table, on the top tier of your rolling cart, or anywhere that’s safe and close enough for you to smell them when they’re burning.
There’s something so peaceful about reading a book while being surrounded by the fumes of a lovely scented candle!
21. Have a Foot Rest
Sometimes, cuddling up on your cozy chair of choice can lead to getting pins and needles or numbness in your legs, especially when you’ve sat in the same position for a long period of time. So, in addition to your cozy chair, you can get a footrest to help stretch out your legs!
Some footrests also act as storage ottomans, which are perfect for storing extra blankets or pillows you might need.
Knitted Foot Rest
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Storage Ottoman Foot Rest
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22. Add Framed Photos
Framed photos will add a nice personal touch to your reading nook. They’re great pieces of decor that really reflect the vibe and aesthetic you’re going for. Whether you want to frame travel-related graphics, bookish quotes, or photos with your loved ones, they all make your reading nook that much special and unique to you.
This post shows you 22 cozy reading nook ideas for book lovers to recreate!
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