These reading corner ideas will inspire you to create a private, quiet, cosy and indulgent space to retreat in – whether that means actually reading that book you've been meaning to, flipping through the pages of your favourite magazine (Livingetc, we hope), or even just doing some online shopping from your phone.
We've pulled together 31 chic and cosy reading corner ideas to create an inviting nook in your living room, snug, home library or bedroom...
1. Consider a swing chair
Suspending a seat from the ceiling will free up floor space, and can therefore help to make a room feel roomier or less cluttered. Plus, what's not to love about curling up in a swing seat, or having your legs blissfully dangle below you?
2. Cover a deep chair in a sheepskin to make it extra snuggly
Draping a sheepskin or other furry blanket over an armchair or tub chair will make it an even cosier space to crawl into.
3. Create a corner window seat – so you can lean against the wall while still enjoying views
We all love a good window seat. Aside from being a compact and space-efficient seating option, usually with handy storage built-in underneath, it's also a great way to really take in the views. Below, windows wrap around the corner to offer views in both direction, while cushions are propped up against the wall to offer somewhere to lean against when reading.
4. Upgrade a bay window to a reading bed
This open-plan loft apartment in Barcelona makes the most of a bay window are with a built-in raised bed.
It stores books and reading materials underneath, while the mattress offers an indulgently comfortable place to curl up, read, enjoy the views or even nap.
5. Place a reading chair by the fire to encourage more use
What could be cosier than sitting by an open fire or little log burner? Keep a side table nearby for perching books and cups of tea on. It'll become a favourite spot on rainy, cold and windy days.
6. A pair of armchairs are more inviting than one
A pair of mustard velvet armchairs create an inviting corner to retreat to. Having a pair of armchairs creates an ideal corner for a side table too, plus we feel that a pair of chairs can often look more inviting than a lone chair.
The same applies to the bay window below, which features two identical armchairs separated by a side table.
7. Invest in the ultimate staple: the Eames lounge chair
The Eames lounge chair is as iconic as it is comfortable. Don't be put off by it's leather look – the reclining chair with accompanying foot rest will prop you into the prime position for dozing off with a book.
Pair it with a floor lamp to create the perfect reading corner.
8. Find the perfect sized piece to slot into a gap
The below seat isn't quite a sofa, nor is it an armchair – it sits somewhere in between, as a 'love seat'. It makes this area of the home look cosier and homelier, plus it's the ideal spot to perch while putting on or removing shoes. Your pets will no doubt want to claim it as their own, for staring longingly out of the window.
9. Give vintage pieces some love
This old vintage armchair wouldn't look out of place in your grandparents' conservatory, but it makes for an inviting reading corner in this modern home too, thanks to the fresh upholstery and contrasting modern floor lamp.
10. Treat yourself to a rocking chair
Forget your associations with rocking chairs. A rocking chair has nothing to do with age, and you don't have to take up knitting to justify buying one. We all secretly love rocking back and forth in one, so just go on and treat yourself. You know you want to, and your inner child will thank you for it.
11. Togo or not Togo?
Bow down to Ligne Rosset's iconic Togo sofa. You can spot the signature design instantly, it's a design classic, plus it's sooooo cosy. This double Togo sofa with raised sides will cocoon you and invite you to recline lengthways, stretching out and unwinding with your book.
12. Pile on the texture
This beach house in Cornwall may be a concrete den, but it's layered textures make it feel cosy. Here a concrete window seat is made more inviting with a mattress cushion, a sheepskin rug and piles of cushions.
13. Embrace boucle
Designer Suzy Hoodless tapped into the boucle armchair trend long before it became popular, with this super shaggy high backed armchair in her bedroom. The teddy bear like texture is so snug for curling up in.
14. Put a reading corner in the spotlight with a statement lamp
Illuminate your reading corner with a statement lamp, as was achieved in this cool, industrial-style home below.
15. Go for minimalist furniture pieces for a clean, serene look
This reading corner might not exactly be beckoning you to spend hours reading in this spot, but you can't argue about how stylish it looks. The rug that leads to it makes it a little more inviting, as does the cushion, but ultimately the result is that it's created a super chic nook in an otherwise unused space.
16. Consider vibrant upholstery
Tired of your armchairs? Give them a new lease of life and turn them into a feature with a bold colour or vibrant pattern. The red velvet armchairs below punctuate this blue room and add fresh energy into the scheme.
Similarly, hot pink velvet instantly energises the snug below.
17. Utilise hallways and corridors
A wide corridor could be the perfect place for showcasing books and magazines. Create an inviting seating nook nearby to make the most of the space.
18. The plumper the better
The plumper a chair or sofa, the more it will lure you into it, and the longer you'll want to nestle into it for. The below armchair has us longing for its comfort – just look at those plumped up sides.
19. Bean bags aren't just for kids
In architect Michaelis Boyd's home (the Round House in West Kensington), he contrasted modern, minimalist furniture pieces with this super-sized beanbag by the fire. We know where we'd be sitting...
20. Free up surfaces with a wall light
An angled, extendable wall light will free up side tables and floor space. The reading chair below now has plenty of space next to it for placing a book and a cup of tea, without worrying about knocking anything over.
21. Transform a box room into a home library
As these home library ideas will show you, floor to ceiling bookcases, a ladder and a reading corner can be a great way to transform an unused box room. most box rooms get very little use – either as an occasional guest bedroom, or for most of us as a dumping ground for storage. The below reading corner is cosy and oh so chic.
22. Invest in linen
For a fresh, clean and cosy look, nothing beats linen fabric. Linen sofas and armchairs tend to be pricier than others, but trust us – it's worth every penny.
23. Clad walls in panelling for a gentleman's club vibe
Painted panelling and a dark colour palette gives this reading corner below a gentleman's club inspired vibe.
24. Consider a chaise longue for maximum indulgence
Why sit up when you can be practically horizontal? Chaise longues ooze indulgence, comfort and a little bit of grandeur.
25. Spin around in Arne Jacobsen's egg chair
Another design classic, Arne Jacobsen's iconic egg chair is an armchair that cocoons you.
26. Create an outdoor reading corner
Even (covered) courtyards, balconies and patios deserve some plump seating in a cosy corner.
27. Create an adults only enclave
The below loft is a private space where the homeowners come to escape family life. It's a quiet place to work and read, with French doors that open onto a chic roof garden.
28. Forget about a reading corner – create a reading room
Photographer Paul Craig created an elegant and sumptuous reading room in his Victorian villa below. There's no TV and no distractions – this is a grown up space to sit, read, talk, and enjoy the fire.
The library room in Alice Temperley's Somserset mansion also beckons for cosy afternoons curled up with a book. Walls are lined with books, there's an old comfy sofa to swallow you up, and a floor lamp for task lighting – plus a painted ceiling to give it a cocooning feel.
29. Wrap bookshelves around the room for a reading den effect
Floor to ceiling bookshelves wrap around the below home library, and even frame the doorway.
30. Choose sculptural furniture pieces for statement style
This reading room is grown up and super chic, thanks to the dark colour palette, sculptural seating and modern coffee tables.
31. Honour a mid century scheme with a retro chair
An orange wool armchair and footrest perfectly complement this mid century modern scheme.
Lotte is the Digital Editor for Livingetc, and has been with the website since its launch. She has a background in online journalism and writing for SEO, with previous editor roles at Good Living, Good Housekeeping, Country & Townhouse, and BBC Good Food among others, as well as her own successful interiors blog. When she's not busy writing or tracking analytics, she's doing up houses, two of which have features in interior design magazines. She's just finished doing up her house in Wimbledon, and is eyeing up Bath for her next project.
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