Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
11/10 Design

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Inspiration in spades, plus a step-by-step guide on how to create the coziest of reading nooks. It's ok to judge this book by its cover.

A good designer knows that the trick is to utilize every corner of the home—  

—under the stairs, behind the sofa, you name it. No matter how insignificant that area by the window of your bedroom or opening in the hallway may seem, sometimes giving those spaces a little lift can ignite design magic.  

One of our favorite ways to bring more form and function to a design is adding a cozy reading nook. Not only do reading nooks provide extra seating space and charm, but they are pretty simple to carve out in your own home. Even if you don’t have the perfect spot for an added window seat or built-in bench in your home, you can still create a reading nook within your living space or your bedroom. All you need to turn an unused corner into a cozy reading nook is a seating space or chair, a light for function, and a nearby surface to set drinks or books down.  

Scroll through for some inspiration from some of our favorite reading nooks we’ve designed and styled over the years. Plus, at the bottom, a step-by-step guide to creating your own cozy reading nook at home. 

 

EXPLORE THE SPACES

No. 01 | Chic Living Space Reading Nook

No. 02 | The McGee Home Hallway Window Seat

No. 03 | SM Ranch House Playroom Reading Bench

No. 04 | Office Corner Reading Lounge

No. 05 | Cozy + Layered Corner Lounge

No. 06 | The McGee Home Primary Bedroom Reading Corner

No. 07 | Beck Pines Window Nook

No. 08 | Textural Primary Bedroom Reading Nook

No. 09 | Light + Bright In-Home Retreat

No. 10 | Coastal Reading Settee Corner

No. 11 | Moody + Layered Built-In Reading Bench

No. 12 | Beckham Project Bedroom Corner Nook

No. 13 | The Pine Brook Home Guest Room Reading Corner

No. 14 | The Northridge Remodel Window Nook

No. 15 | Mountainside Retreat Bedroom Reading Nook

 

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Step 01 | Start With a Cozy Chair or Bench

Step 02 | Find Good Lighting

Step 03 | Add in a Side Table or Shelf

Step 04 | Soft Textiles for a Cozy Finish

 

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

No. 01 | Chic Living Space Reading Nook

Chic living space reading nook look

This corner seating space creates a cozy reading nook in the corner of a layered living room.
Explore more
Lucille English Roll Arm Chair
Nodes Floor Lamp
Addison Side Table
Wylie Arched Mirror
Livorno Rug
Woven Cane Tuscan Box
Marble Table Bowl
Decorative Marble Bowl
Aluminum Crosshatch Object
Wood & Brass Box
Curved Aluminum Interlude Object
Gold Loop Object
Brass Borderline Frame
Pacific Natural
Houses: Atelier AM
Paper Mache Crafted Bowl

No. 02 | The McGee Home Hallway Window Seat

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Explore more of The McGee Home here.

The McGee Home hallway window seat pieces

Layered textiles bring the McGee's built-in window seat nook to life.
Shop our favorite textiles
Clara Block Print Pillow Cover
Ava Wall Sconce
Edison Gingham Pillow Cover
Jamille Woven Pillow Cover
Pond & Meadow

No. 03 | SM Ranch House Playroom Reading Bench

Explore more of the SM Ranch House here.

SM Ranch House playroom reading bench

Thoughtful accessories complete this corner window reading nook.
Explore more
Boston Double Armed Library Light
Similar: Dothan Basket (Set of 3)
Similar: Lydia Block Stripe Pillow Cover

No. 04 | Office Corner Reading Lounge 

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Office corner reading lounge elements

A cozy settee brings function and form to this office corner.
Shop settees & seating
Edwin Leather Ottoman
Mansfield Bench
Santos Side Table
Averie Knit Throw
Isla Pillow Cover
Hejira Pillow Cover
Saraya Pillow Cover
Fitz Pillow Cover
Kasuri Hand-Knotted Rug
Darina Table Lamp

No. 05 | Cozy + Layered Corner Lounge

Cozy + layered corner lounge look

A timeless roll-chair chaise makes the perfect reading spot in this living space.
Shop more lounge chairs 
Lucille English Roll Arm Chaise Lounge
Flare Floor Lamp
Marlow Side Table
Rosalyn Pillow Cover
Conway Hand Woven Rug Swatch
Midnight Bouquet
Sculpted Stoneware Vase

No. 06 | The McGee Home Primary Bedroom Reading Corner

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Explore more of the space here.

The McGee Home primary bedroom reading corner

Cozy staples add comfort and function to The McGee’s bedroom.
Shop the look 
Silana Swivel Chair
Moresby Floor Lamp
Beck Leather Stool
Meridian Hand-Knotted Rug
Ojai Single Sconce
Sketched Figure
Fringed Alpaca Throw

No. 07 | Beck Pines Window Nook

Explore more of the Beck Pines Home here.

Beck Pines window nook accents

A few styling accents create a cozy feeling in this minimal window seat nook.
Explore more textiles
Woven Rattan Frame
Kamilah Pillow
From The Land

No. 08 | Textural Primary Bedroom Reading Nook 

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Textural primary bedroom reading nook

Cozy textures and materials add dimension to this bedroom reading space.
See more seating 
Alford Settee
Dashwood Brass Floor Lamp
Burl Wood Side Table
Sherman Cashmere Throw
Isadora Pillow Cover
Neil Wool Pillow Cover
Helen Pillow Cover
Edwin Leather Ottoman
Monet: Paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

No. 09 | Light + Bright In-Home Retreat

Light + bright in-home retreat look

A chair and ottoman make the perfect pair to turn this flow space into a reading retreat.
Cozy seating we love
Morrison Wood Base Chair
Danica Floor Lamp
Morrison Wood Base Ottoman
Mid Century Magazine Holder
Abigail Silk Stripe Pillow Cover
Clara Block Print Pillow Cover
Odesa Rug

No. 10 | Coastal Reading Settee Corner 

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Find design tips from the space here.

Coastal reading settee corner

This cozy seating space adds a layered feeling to this bedroom.
Explore more seating
Old Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Cade Sofa
Pompeii

No. 11 | Moody + Layered Built-In Reading Bench

Moody + layered built-in reading bench

Layers of décor and textiles bring this reading bench to life. 
More décor pieces 
Abbey Silk Fringe Pillow Cover
Winifred Pillow Cover
Danny Floral Print Pillow Cover
Dorset
Malaga Vase
Plateau Lid Box
Gold Loop Object
Travertine Stone Object

No. 12 | Beckham Project Bedroom Corner Nook

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Explore more of the Beckham Project here.

Beckham Project bedroom corner nook pieces

Layered textiles and mixed materials bring dimension to this cozy bedroom reading nook.
See more pieces
Alma Chair
Lidia Side Table
Alma Ottoman

No. 13 | The Pine Brook Home Guest Room Reading Corner

Explore more of the Pine Brook Home here.

The Pine Brook Home reading corner look

Elevated details complete this cozy bedroom corner.
Shop seating pieces
Ellington Rug
Mia Floor Lamp
Beige Formation

No. 14 | The Northridge Remodel Window Nook

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Explore more of the Northridge Remodel here.

The Northridge Remodel window nook

Elevated details make this playful layered reading nook.
Explore more textiles
Similar: Hejira Pillow Cover
Keil Swing Arm Wall Light
Archie Pillow Cover

No. 15 | Mountainside Retreat Bedroom Reading Nook

Explore more of the Mountainside Retreat here.

Mountainside Retreat bedroom reading nook look

A cozy chair and ottoman create a simple + pretty reading nook.
Explore seating pieces
Holden Swivel Chair
Hackney Floor Lamp
Beck Leather Stool
White Washed Ceramic Pot

A Step-By-Step Guide for Getting a Cozy Reading Nook of Your Own

“Our mission to Make Life Beautiful has taken on various meanings since we started this journey,” Shea notes, “but our goal from the beginning has been to inspire people to make their homes a more beautiful place, and it remains the same. We want to continue to inspire people to create beauty around them and believe that good design has the power to draw us in and spend more time with the people we love. It all starts with love at home.”

Carving out a cozy corner in your home is a good way to create a bit of additional beauty inside your home and make it a place where the ones you love feel welcome and comfortable. Continuing our aim to Make Life Beautiful, here are the four steps we suggest taking in order to make an underutilized corner or nook in your home into a space to curl up and feel loved.

Step 01 | Start With a Cozy Chair or Bench

Step 02 | Find Good Lighting

Step 03 | Add in a Side Table or Shelf

Step 04 | Soft Textiles for a Cozy Finish

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Step 01 | Start With a Cozy Chair or Bench

The first thing you need to create the perfect reading nook is a cozy chair, ideally one with a place to rest your arms and enough depth to curl up for a long, post-read nap.

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Step 02 | Find Good Lighting

Once you have your favorite chair, adding some sort of lighting is key. A floor lamp is a perfect way to add some height, and with its small footprint, can be utilized in a lot of different spaces. If you have the space to incorporate a side table, then perhaps a table lamp is your best option. Or, if it’s a built-in nook with neither, take a look at wall-mounted sconces.

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Step 03 | Add in a Side Table or Shelf

You don’t need a large side table to do the trick, but it’s always ideal to have something large enough to hold a candle, drink, and/or snack. We tend to choose side-tables with more solid bases for nooks because they don’t compete with the legs of the chair. A good workaround for a reading nook built into a wall is to install a wall-mounted shelf, or if you’re building from scratch, design a nook or shelf built into the wall into your blueprints, much like you would in a shower.

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces

Step 04 | Soft Textiles for a Cozy Finish

Last but not least, adding a cozy throw is a must! This is especially important for enjoying chilly early mornings and settling in for quiet evenings. If you can’t get that picture-perfect, lived-in drape, then don’t worry. Just fold and place your throw on the back or over the arms for easy styling.

Our Favorite Cozy Reading Nook Spaces
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