Reading Nooks to Encourage Everyone to Read

We're so busy today that sometimes we forget that it's good to sit and relax, with a good book a hobby like quilting or phone call with a friend. One of my fears is that we don't give enough thought to how we spend time (or would like to) at home, and don't create those special places that encourage us to relax. So when I saw this article on Sweet Reading Nook Ideas for Girls, I wanted to share my ideas about reading nooks to encourage everyone to read more.

What Do Reading Nooks Need?

A reading nook doesn't need to be big or fancy. It just needs to provide you or your kids with a comfortable place where you can relax and enjoy reading a book for an extended period of time. So think about where you find yourself reading, and I'm not talking about the bathroom because … you get the idea, laughing yet? Here's all you need for a reading nook:

• A comfortable chair, hammock, window seat or … use your imagination. You simply need something that's going to provide you with enough support to read comfortably for let's say an hour.
• Good lighting so you can read easily, without having to shift the book in order to read the words. You might like the natural sunlight with a window seat but you want the flexibility to read at any time, so make sure you've got good lighting.
• Table or shelf to hold your books and possibly a cup of coffee, glass of wine or whatever you like to sip when relaxing. A protected space on the floor will also work if you can reach it comfortably while sitting.

Ideas for Where You Can Add a Reading Nook

The lovely thing about reading nooks is you can find space almost anywhere. My reading nooks tend to be in my office, probably because they provide a good break where I can walk away from my computer and sit with a book for a while. Sometimes the book is for relaxing and other times, it's something for work where I need more than an 800 word article to understand a concept better before I write about it.

So where in your home can you find space for reading nooks. If you can create several comfy nooks, then several family members can read at the same time and parents, that's great role modeling for your kids.

• Master bedrooms often have enough room for a comfy chair and small table.
• Children's bedrooms are smaller but with a bookcase and some cushions, you can make fun reading nooks.
• Hallways often have unused space perfect for a window seat, and sometimes a bookcase.
• Dining rooms aren't used much so consider how you could add a reading nook there.
• Family rooms are pretty busy spaces but reading nooks might work there with scheduled quiet times.
• Closets that aren't be fully utilized, can be repuposed to create a reading nook.
• Space under stairs that isn't being used.

Reading Nook Ideas to Inspire You

There aren't many rules about how to decorate reading nooks. You want the space to be inviting, and it should compliment the larger space surrounding the nook … or maybe the nook becomes the focal point for otherwise unused space like hallways and stairs.