20 Cozy Reading Nook Ideas That Are Bound to Please

Is there any setting more fitting to get to that cliffhanger ending than the Métaphores-upholstered sofa in this calming green Miami Beach room? A chic wall of books subtly adds texture to the glossy walls (painted in Alligator Alley by Benjamin Moore). Hope there’s a sequel!

Former actress Sarah Kennedy Flug is a true maximalist at heart. When she tapped ELLE DECOR A-List designer Patrick Mele to give her Aspen home’s dining room some personality, then, that meant imbuing it with a larger-than-life library moment. Here, a 19th-century English chair and French chaise longue are everything one needs to happily hunker down. We especially love the multiple side tables—because can there be too many side tables?

This welcoming, neutral space in designer Thom Filicia’s home is begging to be frequented by a sluggish inhabitant with a crossword puzzle and pen in hand. The extra-deep chaise is complemented by a trio of fluffy pillows, a throw blanket, and a foot rest—everything one needs to revel in hard-earned weekend idleness.

Bed or reading nook? Both, says landscape architect Thomas Woltz, who transformed the guest room nook of his gabled Queen Anne Victorian into the perfect backdrop for a wistful escape—whether in a novel or in your dreams. A French Directoire daybed surrounded by airy curtains and calming green walls overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains.

If you have deliberately avoided the Kindle world and continue to treasure the physical beauty of books, own that in your home. In the snug corner of Pierre Le-Tan’s Parisian flat, a built-in shelf is inhabited from floor to ceiling by books of many spinal colors. An assortment of artwork and framed treasures, as well as four small light sources, creates a disorderly scholar look that is as sophisticated as it is comfortable.

Liz Williams’s latest project in this airy home offers but one more cozy corner moment that we can’t leave out. In a bedroom, a rattan chair upholstered in a robin’s-egg blue textile sits perched beside a window with a view. “Comfort is the key trend for reading nooks, as well as warm, soft lighting,” Williams explains. With such a combination, we just might never leave!

Talk about taking a load off! In an empty corner of his Parisian apartment, Marc Valeanu gave a vintage daybed a modern upgrade with pillows galore! Dive into these fluffy cushions with the latest hot read—and you may not leave until the stomach protests.

The term nook is subject to interpretation—and ELLE DECOR A-List Titan Robert Couturier isn’t one to leave that to others to define. In his 17th-Century French manor, an unsuspecting reader curled up in this regal armchair doesn’t have to be buried four feet deep in pillow cushions to feel comfortable. Plus, said inhabitant will have the pleasant opportunity of being joined by François-Xavier Fabre (left painting) and the Earl De La Warr (right painting).

Here’s the case for keeping it clean: This California ranch house, designed by Studio Muka’s Zabie Mustafa and Neda Kakhsaz, features a custom daybed upholstered in a fabric from Tibor. When complemented by reclaimed French terra-cotta tile floors and an olive green wall—who wouldn’t take to this spot after taking to the stacks?

Who better to inspire an open-book philosophical deep dive than Marcus Aurelius, who oversees this corner in the form of a 19th-century carved bust? In this Milan apartment, a vintage Philippe Starck chair is the perfect setting for an afternoon spent pouring over the pages of something profoundly enlightening—or simply an active form of escapism.

Out of necessity, city dwellers are chronic multipurpose decorators. In this West Village duplex, ELLE DECOR A-List designer Michelle R. Smith understood the assignment, giving the office-slash-guest room a neutral-hued custom daybed. It can facilitate a nap, a lingering guest, or a leisurely occupant bound to curl up with a favorite novel. Talk about knowing what to do with a room of one’s own!

It’s a mystery to everyone how to streamline the design process. Designer Danielle Colding, however, has a few tricks up her sleeve. If you’re looking for an uncomplicated way to create a reading perch in your home, no need to take down a wall to create a built-in anything. In this edgy New York townhouse, Colding brought in an Eames chair that functions as a worthy reading perch in the home office. While the case of the reading nook is solved, we can’t say the same for Sherlock’s escapades—but, hey, we’re only three chapters in.

If space isn’t your problem—and you have set aside an entire room dedicated to your favorite hobby—consider a spacious daybed. In this Parisian domicile, artwork by Hiroshi Sugimoto oversees a daybed and bookshelf. Clearing the room of clutter can also clear the head of abstract thoughts.

This Miami retreat features colorful touches inspired by 1980s Memphis design, from Kelley Johnson side tables to swirly rugs with pink splotches. Proof that a colorful fantasy doesn’t have to end in overly imaginative novel descriptions.

What do you get when you combine a vintage Danish bench with a custom-made mattress, and—not one but—11 pillows? An upstairs hideaway that is giving you all the treehouse nostalgia of your youth. This charming fishing shack turned cottage is everything your bibliophile heart needs to escape. BRB, I’ll be upstairs, rereading Little Women for the 21st time.