Reading Nook Ideas: A Cool Blue Corner That Stays Cozy

A good reading nook needs four things: a chair that fits your body, a lamp aimed at the page, a surface for your tea, and a color scheme that makes you want to sit down. Cool blue handles the last one well, because it reads calm and clean in almost any corner.

You don't need a whole room. A spare corner of a bedroom or living room is enough, and the ideas below work as reading nook ideas for small spaces too. Photos of the finished look are in the gallery spread through the post.

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Which cool blue should you choose?

Cool blues lean toward green or gray, like sky and water, rather than toward purple. They tend to feel restful, but the wrong shade in the wrong light can look chilly or flat.

In a north-facing room with limited daylight, a very icy blue can turn gray. Pick something with a bit more saturation, such as slate or a deeper denim. In a sunny south-facing room you can go lighter, and a pale misty blue will look crisp instead of washed out.

Don't trust a tiny store swatch. Blue bounces light off itself, so it looks stronger once it covers a wall. Test a board of about 24 by 24 inches and move it around the nook at different times of day before you commit. If you rent and can't paint, a large blue-toned artwork or removable wallpaper on one wall defines the corner just as well.

What makes a good reading chair?

As an architect, I treat a chair as small-scale architecture. No styling fixes a chair that hurts your back, so check two measurements before you buy.

• Seat depth of about 22-24 inches lets you sit back with thigh support or tuck your legs up. Much shallower, and you perch upright like you're in a waiting room.
• Arms at a height where your elbows rest naturally while you hold a book, without pushing your shoulders up.

If a dog or cat shares the chair, fabric matters. I recommend tightly woven performance velvet or a similar performance fabric: there are no loops for claws to catch, and pet hair lifts off with a lint roller. I'd skip boucle, loose linen and chunky tweeds in a nook an animal will claim.

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How should you light a reading nook?

You want light on the page without a spotlight in your face. Overhead lighting alone fails because your body blocks it and casts a shadow over the book. Add a lamp to the side and slightly behind the chair. A metal shade with an adjustable arm focuses light well, while a linen shade gives a softer glow.

For bulbs, a warm white around 3000K is a comfortable middle ground for reading in the evening. The Department of Energy explains that correlated color temperature is one of the primary metrics used to describe the look of light, so check it on the bulb box. LEDs also suit a nook that stays on for hours, since good-quality white LED products are expected to last 30,000 to 50,000 hours or even longer.

Evening light matters for sleep, too. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that "Light plays a key role in setting and regulating the body's biological clock." That is a good reason to keep a bedroom nook warm and dimmable instead of bright white.

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Which rug size works under a reading chair?

A rug marks the nook as its own zone, which helps most in an open living area or a bedroom corner. At minimum, the front legs of the chair and any ottoman should sit on it. Better still, the whole chair and side table sit on the rug with a few inches showing around them.

A 3 by 5 foot rug is usually too small for this. A 4 by 6 or a 5-foot round is the more comfortable fit for a standard corner. Since a nook is low traffic, you can choose a softer, higher-pile rug. If the chair is solid navy, try a rug with lighter blues and cream; if the chair is neutral or patterned, a textured solid blue adds depth. For more options, see cool blue flooring ideas.

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What size side table do you need?

A chair in a corner isn't a reading nook until there's somewhere to put a drink. Keep the tabletop within about 2 inches of the chair's armrest height, so you're not reaching down and spilling tea.

In a tight corner, a C-shaped table that slides under the chair or a small nesting set saves floor space. If the floor is really tight, a wall-mounted shelf works. If you have a large dog with a happy tail, I'd choose a heavier drum-style table over a lightweight pedestal that tips. Pair a soft velvet chair with a harder surface such as brass, glass or polished wood for contrast, and use a coaster on wood. More ideas are in the best side tables for reading nooks.

What else should go in a reading nook?

These are the things to put in a reading nook once the big pieces are placed:

• A throw blanket: chunky cream or gray knit breaks up the blue, while navy herringbone keeps it tonal. See cool blue throw blanket styling.
• A rectangular lumbar pillow, which supports a reading posture better than a square one.
• A low-light plant such as a snake plant or ZZ plant. Both are toxic to pets, so check with your vet or keep them out of reach if your animals chew leaves.
• A little brass or wood to warm things up, as in cool blue with brass.
• At least three textures, for example velvet, wool and metal.

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How do you make a cheap reading nook?

Start with what you own: a comfortable chair from another room, a lamp you already have and a stack of books as a side table. Then spend on the two things that matter most, a proper reading light and a rug that fits. Blue can come from a thrifted throw or pillow instead of paint. For more budget routes, read affordable reading nook design ideas, or try the DIY reading nook approach.

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