AD It Yourself

43 Cozy Reading Nooks

These intimate corners are the perfect place to enjoy a good book

April 30, 2023

An understair reading nook by Amy Storm Company.

Whether you’re an everyday reader or only manage to squeeze in a few pages here and there, you deserve to tuck into a good book. These reading nooks are equal parts warm, inviting, and showstopping—the perfect setting for your dedicated reading time, no expansive home library necessary.

When it comes to designing reading nooks, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. “Reading nooks can be in unexpected places,” says Sarah Lederman of Sarah Lederman Interiors. In a Victorian town house on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Lederman fashioned a small reading nook in the landing between the living and dining room. “All it took to make this a cozy spot to kick your feet up were cushions, a couple of poufs, and a throw,” she says. “What was once a pass-through area became a highly utilized lounge spot.”

Whether you imagine reading in the guest room, sunroom, or yes, in the landing, these reading nook ideas will surely inspire you to create a similar setup of your own.

Photo: Laura Resen

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In a corner of this Hamptons home by Thomas O’Brien, multiple seating options are available. And there’s art and accent pieces aplenty to admire as you turn the pages. A Louise Bourgeois work hangs next to a Carlo Mollino table sporting an O’Brien lamp from Aero and an Isamu Noguchi standing sculpture.
Photo: Nate Sheets

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Little ones need spaces to page through books too. “Our ethos was to have the space feel child-friendly rather than child-like,” designer Mallory Robins of Kobel + Co says of this Mission Hills, Kansas, spot. “We used vintage oil paintings juxtaposed against a giant pop art. Nothing is sacred but everything is special.”

Photo: Tim Williams

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Francisco Cortina integrated a lounge chair by Verner Panton into this reading nook located within his clients’ daughter’s room in their 1910 Upper East Side town house. Says Cortina, “She is a complete bookworm and is considering studying literature.” The Lana Wall Sconce by Pablo Studio brightens up this cozy spot.
Photo: Ilya Zobanov

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Tania Forbes and Monet Masters of Forbes + Masters designed this reading nook as part of a home office for a client in Atlanta using Kelly Wearstler fabric for the window seat and roman shade. Philip Jeffries papers are used on the walls and ceiling: The designers opted for Vinyl Zebrawood and Grasscloth, respectively.

Photo: Kristen Francis

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In a young family’s Manhattan home, Sarah Lederman of Sarah Lederman Interiors jazzed up an entryway bench with an extended cushion, a set of pillows, and a pair of ottomans. Squeezing in a few pages before heading out the door has never been easier.
Photo: Courtesy of Gray Walker Interiors

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Antique accessories and leather bound volumes adorn the built-in bookshelves in this North Carolina home designed by Gray Walker of Gray Walker Interiors. A bergère in a Lee Jofa flame stitch and an accompanying ottoman make the ideal spot to curl up in.

Photo: Nikolas Koenig

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Curling up right by the fire has never been easier. The library of designer Laura Santos’s New York town house features chaise longues covered in a Designers Guild fabric. The vintage FontanaArte light fixture is from Bernd Goeckler Antiques, and the rug is by BDDW.
Photo: Roger Davies

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This maximalist space is warm and inviting. In the library of designer Isabel López-Quesada’s home in Madrid, an Eames lounge chair and ottoman sit next to a 17th-century French chimneypiece; the side tables are vintage. Everyone wants to join in one the fun: The family dog, Pepe, naps on a floor paved in Noir Belge marble.

Photo: Michael Clifford

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This cozy spot filled with natural light is the ideal daytime reading nook. The plush white seating and organic materials in the jute rug and wood accents make the space—designed by Laguna Beach-based Studio Gutow—a truly relaxing zone.
Photo: Michael Clifford

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It is an easy vision, nestling into this ultra cushy yellow chair. “A perfect spot for a little boy, but the perfect transitional space for a young man as well,” says Studio Gutow team, who designed the child’s room.

Photo: Brittany Ambridge

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Located in the primary bedroom of the suites at the Point Grace Resort, this reading nook designed by Young Huh of Young Huh Interior Design overlooks Turks & Caicos’ Grace Bay. The furniture and fabrics were created custom by Huh and Kravet and are specific to the property, while the Circa lighting floor lamp complements the crisp walls, which are coated in Benjamin Moore Maritime White.
Photo: Colin Price

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Designer Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors incorporated a reading nook into her own Berkeley home, selecting a vintage George Mulhauser Mr. Chair as her seating. While the nearby bookcases appear built-in, they are actually not original to the home, and Jung added them to the space herself.

Photo: Heather Talbert

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Wendy Labrum of Wendy Labrum Interiors went bold when designing this reading nook in a young family’s 1880s Chicago home. A custom sofa in Peter Fasano striped fabric pops against walls painted in Benjamin Moore Louisiana Hot Sauce.
Photo: Jared Kuzia

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“The homeowners are avid gardeners and wanted to bring the outside in,” Vani Sayeed of Vani Sayeed Studios says of this reading nook in Arlington, Massachusetts. “We used this as our inspiration for the overall theme of the decor.” That meant installing Osbourne and Little’s Bird Song wall covering, for one, while drawing in comfy pieces including a custom daybed in Kravet fabric, which faces two Workroom slipper chairs from Lee Jofa.

Photo: Bess Friday

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Kristen Peña of K Interiors tapped decorative artist Caroline Lizarraga to transform the walls in this Bay Area bedroom. “The turret in this primary suite is a standout design feature and a perfect opportunity for a cozy, private reading nook,” comments Peña, who designed the custom chaise in this space, which was fabricated by Hardesty Dwyer.
Photo: Michael J Lee

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Erin Gates of Erin Gates Design designed this historic Cape Cod home in Concord, Massachusetts. “Since the room is long and narrow, we had the opportunity to create a little corner dedicated to a reading spot with a cozy spool chair and ottoman upholstered in this Manuel Canovas wide woven stripe,” she shares. A Hudson Valley sconce illuminates the built-in shelving, which Gates papered using a marbled wallpaper. “It reminded me of endpapers in old books,” she says.

Photo: Grey Crawford

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A reading nook shines in one of the bedrooms of this family vacation home by Jeff Andrews of Jeff Andrews Design, located on the shore of Lake Tahoe, California. Among the already expansive windows, a chandelier by Jean de Merry hangs from reclaimed wood ceilings and further brightens up the space. The chair and ottoman are A. Rudin.
Photo: Kirsten Francis

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In this primary bedroom in Bronxville, New York, Jennifer Hunter of Jennifer Hunter Design positioned a rattan daybed upholstered in Sister Parish fabric against a window and incorporated a white ceramic garden stool to serve as a drink table. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball Borrowed Light.

Photo: Genevieve Garruppo

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Maggie Burns Hornby of Maggie Richmond Design incorporated custom aged-oak wainscotting and a desk, both by Brooklyn Millwork, into this SoHo, New York City, townhome. Canvas linen in marble by Phillip Jefferies adorns the walls.
Photo: Douglas Friedman

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A table for two can certainly double as a reading nook between meals. In one corner of a Greenwich, Connecticut, home by Katch I.D., works by Keith Haring are installed above a table and chairs by Pollaro Custom Furniture; the chairs are upholstered in an Edelman leather that’s nice and cushy for lounging.

Photo: Juan Pablo Castro

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Alex Alonso of Mr. Alex Tate Design made use of his clients’ vintage Peruvian American heirloom pieces when designing their coastal Florida home. He covered a set of chairs in Schumacher velvet and painted them a modern blue. The wallpaper on the ceiling is a Porter Teleo design for Schumacher.
Photo: Donna Dotan

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In this Upper East Side pied-à-terre, Ariel Okin, who operates an eponymous design firm, coated built-ins with Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green. An assortment of ginger jars complement the vintage chair upholstered in Schumacher check and topped off with a Soane Britain fabric pillow.

Photo: Courtesy of Mark Sikes

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In a guest bedroom in Waco, Texas, designed by Mark Sikes, Pierre Frey fabric shines on the walls and windows and is even carried over to the lampshade. Sikes reupholstered his client’s armchair in Quadrille’s basic cloth in oyster.
Photo: Nicole Franzen

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In her own Michigan home, designer Sarah Sherman Samuel styled the wavy Rise Daybed from her collection with furniture retailer Lulu & Georgia. Other pieces showcased are also from Samuel’s line, including the Toivo Pedestal, Irregular Grid Rug, and ceramic sculpture, and clay vase.

Photo: Emily Minton Redfield

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Texture tells a story in this family that home Lucinda Loya of Lucinda Loya Interiors designed in Denver. An artwork titled Comet, curated by Lea Weingarten of Weingarten Art Group, hangs above a corner reading bench.
Photo: Julie Soefer

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A portrait painting by artist Emily Burling Waite hangs above a Cambria sofa from Tomlinson upholstered in fabric from Harlequin in this space by Benjamin Johnston of Benjamin Johnston Design. “This light-and-bright window anchors the end of a grand two-story entry in this Houston estate,” Johnston explains. “Sunlight streams into the space in the mornings making it the perfect place to enjoy the morning newspaper and a cup of tea. It’s a quiet spot where you can begin the day in peace.”

Photo: Douglas Friedman

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In the office of designer Ken Fulk’s 1950s San Francisco home, a daybed occupies the alcove that architect Warren Callister originally devised it for—only now, the piece is enlivened by leopard-print upholstery and a cashmere throw, both by Ralph Lauren Home. An array of portraits add visual interest to the walls.
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Kara Childress of Kara Childress, Inc. was inspired by the Belgian farmhouse aesthetic when designing this reading nook in a weekend home for a family of four. Located in the Texas Hill Country, the space includes a leather chaise by BassamFellows, a large 18th-century Italian chest with original paint, and drapery by JAB Sheers.

Photo: David Hillegas

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A window nook in a Nashville home by Sarah Bartholomew of Sarah Bartholomew Interior Design features brightly hued textiles in fabrics by Holland and Sherry and Pierre Frey Braquenie.
Photo: Nathan Schroder

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Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black coats the bookshelves, walls, and ceilings in this space by Jean Liu of Jean Liu Design. “For added interest, the back of the bookshelves are papered in a graphic print by Cole & Son,” Liu explains. A three-legged goatskin table sits between two lounge chairs.

Photo: Stephen Kent Johnson

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In his own New York apartment, John Derian of John Derian Company hung a 19th-century portrait and vintage clip light above a sofa from the same time period. Custom cushions from Derian’s shop sit atop the sofa, which is covered in a 19th-century French textile.
Photo: Katie Charlotte

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Isabel Ladd of Isabel Ladd Interiors designed this corner hideaway for a client with three young children. “I loved carving out a little reading nook where my client could sneak away for tea and a little quiet while flipping through her favorite magazines,” Ladd shares. She opted for a rich orange sofa to pop against the chocolate brown lacquered walls.

Photo: Nick Glimenakis

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In a home in the Garden District of New Orleans, designer Emma Beryl Kemper of Emma Beryl styled a credenza, sheepskin chair, side table, and coffee table—all from antique dealer Eneby Home—with a rug from Lawrence of La Brea. The nearby lamp, wood chair, and terra-cotta planter are all sourced from Merchant House.
Photo: John Merkl

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Brad Krefman of BK Interior Design opted to include a built-in walnut daybed in this space to “create a casual reading nook with a sense of zen.” Pillows from Fermoie textiles and Kerry Joyce fabrics make the seat nice and plush, while a leather chair and ottoman from Ochre offer a change of scenery.

Photo: Kacey Gilpin

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Emily Davis of Emily Davis Interiors mixed modern and traditional in her former Tulsa home. “A design equation that is so personal to me but speaks to many,” she reflects. “Dark, moody walls that make furnishings and special trinkets pop!”
Photo: Mel Willis

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The shelves in the Bradford House, an Oklahoma City boutique hotel, are lined with vintage Penguin books collected over the course of a year. “I love seeing people sift through them to find a title that interests them,” says Sara Kate of Pastiche Studios, who designed the property alongside Gardner Studios. “They’re meant for reading, but they’re also art in and of themselves.” Peppy Brunschwig and Fils pillows pop against the robin’s-egg blue walls.

Photo: Nikolas Koenig

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Luxe earth tones take center stage in this chic study, where dozens upon dozens of books are within arm’s reach. Writer Brad Goldfarb and his partner Alfredo Paredes collaborated with architect Michael Neumann on the renovation of their Manhattan duplex. The daybed is clad in leather and silk velvet, both by Ralph Lauren Home.
Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna

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Pattern mixing is fully at play in the Naples, Italy, home of designer Allegra Hicks and entrepreneur Roberto Mottola di Amato. Here, a banquette clad in a Bennison fabric is accented with large phulkari pillows and small pillows made of fabrics by Hicks; she also devised the ottoman’s fabric and the carpet, which is by the Rug Company.

Photo: Julie Soefer

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Courtnay Tartt Elias of Creative Tonic enjoys relaxing in this reading nook in her own Houston home. “This cherished spot is also the best place in our home to convalesce…if one of our boys isn't feeling well, they tend to curl up here to read and sleep,” Elias says. She sourced the antique double recamier from Found Houston and covered it in Manuel Canovas floral fabric from Culp Associates and pink silk velvet from Christopher Hyland.
Photo: Read McKendree

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At a “coastal grandmother”–inspired vacation home in Maine, Lilse McKenna of Lilse McKenna Inc. styled a seating area off the kitchen with custom swivel chairs—featuring fabric from Raoul Textiles—and a gingham sofa. McKenna used Schumacher fabric to recover a Spanish baroque ottoman dating back to the 19th century.

Photo: Read McKendree

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A Connecticut home for a young family features a sundrenched sitting area attached to the guest room. “It’s suitable as a cozy reading nook for the homeowners, as well as an extra bed for overflow guests,” says Chauncey Boothby of Chauncey Boothby Interiors. Guy Goodfellow’s Taza in seafoam covers the walls.
Photo: Simon Watson

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Get loud with red. At architect Benedikt Bolza’s estate in Umbria, Italy, a custom-made chaise longue is the focus of the study and is perfect for laying back and admiring the exposed beam ceilings.

Photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna

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Stripes abound in this colorful corner within a home library in Malibu, California. A daybed covered in stylishly mismatched stripes is tucked into a corner of this Richard Shapiro–designed space. The beachfront retreat features a number of vintage pieces throughout, including the 15th-century Italian table used here to house books and a vase.