{"id":102321,"date":"2019-12-18T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2019-12-18T14:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.bhgrelife.com\/bhgrelife\/?p=102321"},"modified":"2019-12-17T16:33:51","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T21:33:51","slug":"reading-corner-ideas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.bhgrelife.com\/bhgrelife\/reading-corner-ideas\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating reading nooks or libraries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Curling\nup with a good book can be as relaxing as meditating. Creating reading nooks<\/a> throughout your home or dedicating\na room as a library is one way to ensure you design a few quiet moments for\nyourself every day. Getting lost in a book can happen within a single\nparagraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider\nsome of these ideas when designating reading areas and creating reading nooks\nfor your family of readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"kid<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kids\u2019 reading corners<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From\nteepees to tents, forts, and caves, kids love to explore secret, exotic spaces\nand they\u2019re very partial to anything kid-accessible and kid-sized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\na two or three-year-old, you can make a nifty A-frame fort out of a cardboard\nbox, re-engineered and trimmed with colorful masking tape. A thick blanket\nfolded becomes the carpet, while washable throw pillows give it that cozy\nsetting that can easily turn skimming a picture book into a little nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\ncan even create a reading nook for a child in your home office. Mount two\ntension rods between two tall filing cabinets, curtain the space front and\nback, add a soft cotton rug, a body pillow, some cushions and a throw, and you\nhave an instant, comfy cave where your child can read and you can tackle\nemails, Facebook and Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou\u2019ve got the space, create pirate ship reading nooks for at least two\nchildren from a single old boat cut in half. Lined with blankets and cushions,\nit\u2019s the perfect space for a small person to crawl into and set sail for lost\nplanets and imaginary worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teepees,\npod chairs, even a series of milk crates in a corner with cushions on top\n(bonus: you can store books in the crates) set aside space for reading and\nquiet time in your children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grown-up reading corner ideas<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou\u2019ve got a dormer or a bay window, you may be able to build in a classic\nwindow seat with shelving at the ends and drawers underneath, a bench cushion,\nsome pillows and a throw. Natural light is always best for reading, and you\noften see window seats like this on stairwell landings in stately mansions with\ndeep window wells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t\ndespair if you don\u2019t have a suitable space for a window seat. Any low-traffic\ncorner can become a reading, meditation, or contemplative nook in your home.\nTry setting aside a corner on the front porch and designating it a phone and\nsound-free zone. A Papasan or birdcage chair or even a hammock, a large potted\nplant for privacy and a very small table or shelf just large enough to hold a\nbook are all you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designate\na corner in your living room, furnish it with your most comfortable chair and\nan ottoman or pouf, add a screen that hides you and you\u2019ve got an instant\nretreat in plain sight. Depending on how much and what kind of use your living\nroom gets, you may want to put your headphones on and listen to music while you\nread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or\nyou might be able to open up the area under your stairs and create a nook very\nsimilar to a window seat in style and furnishings. You won\u2019t have the advantage\nof natural light, but you can make the space both quieter and more private by\nhanging heavy velvet curtains and installing shelving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An\nattic reading nook is a wonderful retreat. If you\u2019re planning some renovations\nanyway, invest in a large, unusually shaped window for the front or back of the\nattic to take advantage of as much natural light<\/a> as possible. A large triangular\nwindow follows the shape of a peaked-roof wall and if you invest in triple\nglazing it won\u2019t let too much heat in. A wicker emperor chair, a small Oriental\nrug, some oversized leafy tropical plants and a vintage-styled chaise longue\ncould work here. Or you could go modern, with a contemporary leather chaise,\ncolor block rug and some angular snake plants or large cacti. One way or the\nother, you\u2019ll have created a comfortable reading nook and gained a discreet\nbird\u2019s eye view of the neighborhood. If the rest of the attic is used for\nstorage and spoils the getaway mood, invest in a screen so you can you really\nget it out of sight and therefore mind.\n\nOne final thought:\nsilent book clubs are gaining in popularity these days. Instead of sitting with\na group of friends in a cafe reading, why not create a DIY version of the silent\nbook club by making reading space in your home. The entire family can spend\nhalf an hour once a week reading together quietly and companionably, sipping on\nhot chocolate and escaping into other worlds and lives.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"