DIY: Making a Reading Nook

Anyone and everyone who has entered our house would come across this space and comment on this empty, weirdly-shaped area across from our fridge, yet in the depths of the kitchen by one of the courtyard doors. But really, what is it? What shape even is this? It’s too small for a roundtable. It’s too big to do well, nothing to it. What can we possibly do here?

Luckily, I finally had a lightbulb go off. Finally! I have a solution. And it’s called, a nook.

Now some of you might be thinking what even is a nook (there’s a lot of "what even’s" so far in this post). Well, according to my Miriam-Webster app, a "nook" is a synonym for a "niche" and a "niche," in some uses of the word, is a habitat. Sounds spot on with my definition of "a place where I can call it mine and have it be my decorated and designed area where I can read or write."

So now, the minimalist journey I took to make this happen one afternoon.

Wait. I forgot to mention one key thing—the reason this was an area of debate was because there are five windows in about six feet of space here. This is a prime time window-room that no one knew what to do with. But things were working out, as I had obtained a small, gold table. My first piece of nook furniture! It would go perfect here, like my own little table. Huzzah! And thought-bubbles began billowing in. I took that opportunity to build around the table and furthermore into that empty space. I immediately, albeit fully realized, I could make this particular nook, my nook, and sought to make the area comfortable for me. Call it nesting (the non-pregnant kind, in my case). I found a comfortable chair that didn’t really go with any decor in any room prior to this, and a cool vase of fake flowers that I tried to make a thing by the stairwell.

Finishing touches include a candle, a floral pillow for back support and hipster points, a cup of coffee, a book (pictured is my Bible), and of course this is conveniently next to an outlet. Simultaneously a phone and laptop-charging station. Hello.

Isn’t it great?

Of course, as with any house space, you want it to have some of your own decorative notes and choice pieces so you feel comfortable enough to want to be there for a period of time. How it can start, as I mentioned before, is as a place where the furniture that doesn’t really work in any other area of the house goes. Once the house starts coming together, however, and ideas begin to flow, you’ll start to have a general idea of how you want to format the space. This nook area is still getting some ideas thrown at it, and I'm really excited for where this might be in the next couple months. The installation of a long, floating, wooden bench; accent pillows for sitting and lounging; two more floating shelves on the wall for green potted plants (I’m growing very fond of the idea of potted succulents, air plants, and other potted green plants scattered throughout the house, and the freshness it would bring); and maybe a small bookshelf. Also some curtains for all those five windows.

It just goes to show that even a space next to a refrigerator can be designed with plants and other lovely, homey things, to have a comfortable nest where you can read and just have a cup of coffee.