You likely find yourself traveling between the natural world and magical otherworld as soon as you open your book. However, reading in a cluttered mess can make this journey arduous.
It is easy to forget the book corner in your home while designing your home’s interior.
However, when styled the right way, books near a bay window or inside an alcove can give your home a timeless feel and help you articulate the perfect theme for your interior.
In this article, we walk you through ideas to customize an intimate reading nook to create the perfect secluded spot for your peaceful and immersive book reading sessions.
Types of Bookcases
Here is a list of some bookcase ideas for your living room or office space:
1. Built-in Bookcase
Built-in bookcases are encased sets of shelves occupying the entire length of a wall in your house. They are often made with solid wood and can be 12 to 13 inches deep.
These shelves give your place an organized feel with proper allotted spaces for your books and have room for much creativity.
2. Wall Mounted Bookcase
These bookshelves can be a great DIY project that allows for innovative customization. They utilize extra spaces on walls and are the perfect choice for small spaces.
You can make them look like floating shelves by hiding the wall fixtures within the shelf boards instead of using the traditional visible brackets for support. Modern examples of this type of bookcase include the modular shelving system.
3. Freestanding Bookcases
These racks come in various sleek and eye-catching designs that can utilize the free corners of a room, giving your space a whimsical charm. Ladder and leaning bookcases are all the rage these days.
With a broad base and narrower top shelves, they have a versatile design and work great for tight spaces.
Bookcase Styling
Bookcase styling is an art. Some standard rules you can keep in mind are:
1. Personalize
Place succulents or decorative planters on your shelves to add a verdant life to your bookshelf.
You can also consider some book nook kits that you can DIY to build compelling shelf inserts to give your bookshelf a fantasy-like element.
2. Grouping
Use the principle of grouping when deciding on a layout for book arrangement on your shelves. Not every frame needs to have a symmetrical collection of items.
You can group a stack of books and a decoration as a topper in one corner and have a plant and a frame in another.
3. Staggered Heights
Vary the heights of items on your shelves to add definition to your bookcases. You can place a plant on top of a vertical stack of books on one rack and have a horizontal arrangement on another shelf.
You can group three items of varying heights on a shelf, for example, a decorative planter, a personal frame, and some candles arranged with overlapping edges.
4. Spacing
Ensure you utilize all the spaces in your bookcase and don’t forget the top and bottom shelves. You do not need to have an equal number of books on every shelf; spread them out for a lively touch.
More Reading Nook Ideas
Consider all interior elements when choosing the best spot for a reading nook.
You can select a location with a big window for good lighting and a captivating view, use a bay window, and incorporate an armchair to make a cocooning hideout.
You can even use a storage cabinet as a comfortable upholstery for reading. Add a pop of color to your reading nook and color scheme to match the theme of your house’s interior.
Endnote
If you are an avid reader, a cozy reading nook is a dream come true.
Use the tips discussed above to combine functionality and comfort, providing the perfect hideout to spend your quiet evenings and afternoons reading.