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One of my favorite rooms in a home is not the kitchen, the office or even every girls dream closet. For me, a cozy and favorite room in a home is a reading nook area. While there are plenty of envy-worthy reading nooks, it’s actually pretty simple to create your own cozy nook yourself. Wouldn’t it be just the best to have a small, private space in your home or apartment that’s dedicated to curling up with a great book anytime you want? The best part is you don’t need a lot to really create this vision to life. All it takes are five important things: a comfortable spot to relax on, a way to display your novels, great lighting, color, and decor.



A Comfortable Spot
This is the key ingredient to create your perfect nook. The space you have for your nook all ties into where you want to put it in your home. How much room do you have to add any furniture? Are there any spots for built-in shelves to put your books on? Is there a big window for you to use (hello, natural light!)? It’s best to think of a spot that has enough room for at least some sort of armchair to add a few plush pillows around it. You want it to be inviting, welcoming, and above all a place you can stretch out to get cozy. Also, don’t pick the biggest room in your home either. You want the room to have that intimate feeling for you and whomever you want to share a space with. Adding a very plush armchair with an ottoman that could also double in storage would be ideal for a comfortable spot for you to enjoy a good book on.



Displaying Your Novels
This is a fun way to think about how you want to display your books when people come into your space. Some people tend to add their books just on the floor near their chair while others want wall to wall space to put all their favorite novels on. I'm just dying to have or create built-in bookshelves when we finally buy a home. When creating the bookshelf, it could also be lined with wallpaper in a light color to make it pop for displays to come to life. I even have a bookcart upstairs for all my Book of the Month books, and I plan to purchase a large metal shelf and paint it yellow (Hufflepuff Pride!) for all my Harry Potter books and memorabilia.






Decor
While you don’t need to add a lot of decor in your cozy nook, one thing I would suggest is adding a plush rug under your chair to feel good on your feet in those warmer months (obviously, I've got tons of fuzzy socks for the cold months). However, if you have a home that includes a lot of charm, enjoying the warmth of the color that your hardwood floors bring can also be a great idea. I recently came across a local company called Brazilian Wood Depot, located in the metro Atlanta area, that specializes in extremely hardwood floor for those looking to replace or refinish their existing hardwood floors. I went crazy for their Brazilian Ipe wood because of it’s gorgeous rich tones that are a deep brown and red color. It added such a warm tone to the room. Another idea would be to add some kind of reading nook outside and that’s where this company also can do an incredible job at bringing your dream to life. By installing this fire resistant and weatherproof wood, you have peace of mind to enjoy your deck and cozy nook outside year after year.






Lighting
You always need proper lighting when creating your dream nook. You’ll want it to be inviting and bright enough so you don't have strain your eyes to see. Depending on where you locate your nook, the light could come from a large window, or you may need a lamp near by at all times. Make sure if you do just have one lamp, it’s a multi-head directional lamp that can be directed wherever you may need it



Color
The last thing you’ll want in your space is color. For me, I'm not sure it would be big bold tones because I'd prefer the mood of the room to be warm and tranquil. Think of tones such as soft blues, purples or even more neutrals like white or taupe colors. You don’t necessarily have to paint the walls this color if you don’t want too. You could even add pops of these colors in your chair, pillows, carpet, or art decor around the room.






When it comes to creating your cozy nook, the sky's the limit on what it is you want to do. Think about your overall feel, the textures, lighting, color, and ambiance of the room. As we hunt for a home to purchase, this is the one room I like to envision over and over again. It's a place where you want to be able to relax from a long day, to get sucked up in a good book, and shut the world out for a few hours when you can. If your nook is inside in a cozy room or outside near a fireplace under the stars, the spot is yours to create, enjoy and overall use for years to come.