With the summer heat coming to a peak, you may not want to do much of anything. This is when a reading nook comes in handy for your home. Whether you love to read indoors or outdoors, there’s a reading nook that is just up your alley. The best news is you don’t have to spend a whole lot of money when it comes to a reading nook either. There are a lot of great ideas and tips that can help you find the reading that you’ve always wanted. So, get ready to add a little taste of paradise to your home when you try out one or more of these ten cheap reading nooks.
1. Recyclable Igloo
If you love to reuse items then this is one of the coolest book nooks you can create. This is especially great for children and may even inspire them to dive into more books just so they can hang out in their nook. All you need to get started on this task is hot glue and empty gallon jugs. Using these jugs will be more realistic because they are made of slightly transparent plastic and are a breeze to shape and glue. However, if you’re not looking for the traditional igloo style then you can always settle for oatmeal containers. These will even allow you to store some of your paperbacks, stuffed animals and other must-have nook supplies. Once you have enough to make your igloo simply glue it together and you’re all set. You can place pillows, blankets and portable lights on the inside to suit your comfort needs.
2. Blow Up Pool
When it comes to a book nook on the easy and the cheap, this idea is one of the best. Many children have blow up pools for the summer. However, if you wind up with one you’re not using then you may want to bring it inside. You can fill the pool up with blankets, pillows and stuffed animals to make it the ideal place to read. You may even want to place some shelves around it too. Kids will love diving into their comfortable reading nook for some time in an amazing book. The best thing about this nook is it can be moved from one location to the next with ease. You can even pull it out on the weekends and put it away on school days for added space. Of course, you can always take it back outside to use as a pool too. The options are pretty endless with this efficient nook.
3. Dr. Seuss style
If you have young readers then this can be one of the best ways to encourage them to hop into a book or two when they have some spare time. You can have a lot of fun with this type of nook too. One of the best ways to start is to take some old pool noodles and add colored duct tape to them to create the stripes that you often see on Dr. Seuss’s trees. Once this is complete you can take pom poms or a boa to create the top part of the tress. Place these next to a large bunch of colorful pillows and you’ll have the beginning of a cozy spot. You can also paint, print out or use decals of your child’s favorite characters from Dr. Seuss books. There’s lots of other ways to bring this reading nook to life, so check out some ideas online or channel your own inner Who.
4. Canopy style
This nook is great for anyone that loves a more formal look in the home. You can customize it for kids to create a princess inspired look or to add a camo touch to the room. Of course, this nook is also great for grownups looking to escape into a good novel. All you really need for this nook is a hula hoop or other circular device as well as fabric and something to hang the canopy from the ceiling. Once you have your canopy up, you can string lights to give it a whimsical effect. These lights should be closely monitored when used though and turned off whenever you are not in the nook. You can also deck it out with lots of pillows and blankets. If you want to spend more money on the nook then you may want to consider making the canopy larger and putting shelves inside of it. Of course, your creativity is the limit, so let your imagination soar.
5. Harry Potter Closet
Many book worms have fallen in love with the Harry Potter novels, which makes the Harry Potter closet concept one of the coolest ways to enjoy a reading nook. This idea may be limited to certain homes though as you need a space under a stairwell to do this. Of course, you can always improvise and use an old cabinet or simply set aside a cubby in the home to pretend with. Inside your closet room, you can add lots of magical aspects of the nook like wands, magical phrases and even some of the props from the books and movies. Try looking online for cheap items to add to the space. Of course, you will also want to deck out the space with colors from your Hogwarts house. You may even be able to find house specific decor to make you feel like you’re hanging out in your favorite wizarding school.
6. DIY Swing Chair
If you don’t have a lot of space to spare for a nook then you may want to consider lifting your nook off the ground. A swing chair can be one of the most soothing ways to enjoy a book and it looks great as a piece of furniture too. You can make one of these chairs indoors or outdoors as well, so you can stretch out your reading habits to suit your personal needs. There are many ways to make a swing chair though, so this concept is going to depend on what you’re looking for as far as your budget and style goes. Many of these chairs can be made with reusable items, like tires. Check online for tutorials and ideas, so you can get to swinging with your favorite book faster than ever.
7. Classic Blanket Fort
One of the cheapest ways to enjoy a reading nook is to go the old fashioned way. Most kids have made a blanket fort at one point or another, so use this same method to create a reading nook in your home. If you want, you can create the nook just as you did as a child, or you can use more sophisticated materials to make it look even grander. If you choose to make your fort using small shelves then you will already be one step ahead when it comes to the interior decor of the nook. You can also use LED lights and other fun portable lights to offer you enough reading light. Apart from that, this nook can be taken down in a moment’s notice and moved to another part of the home, if you so choose. It is also a great place for bonding with the whole family, especially if you work together to build the nook. Best of all, if you leave a mess inside this nook, no one will know the difference because the interior is entirely hidden. You don’t have to settle with a basic tent look either. You can also work with a teepee style or anything else that crosses your imagination.
8. Hammock
When it comes to relaxation, nothing says cozy quite like a hammock. This is why you should make your reading nook into a fun hammock, rather than pulling out all of the shots. This makes a great space for diving into a book as you will feel enclosed and away from the world around you. A hammock can be placed pretty much anywhere too, so you can base your location around the book you are reading. Best of all, hammocks are incredibly easy to make. You may not even have to buy anything to get your hammock up and ready for a reading session. You can even make one for the whole family, so everyone will have their own space to have an adventure or take a quick nap.
9. Homemade Corner Chair
This is probably one of the more common ways to enjoy a nook in your home. Usually, people find a vacant corner that isn’t often disturbed and set up a little area to read. You can do this with specialized chairs and shelves or items you already have lying around the home. Large cushions make great seats for these items, but you can also deck them out with cute items like pillows made from old t-shirts. One great idea for children is to use their old mattress crib for a book nook. You can use shelving or other old furniture to help shape the perfect space for your reader. There are many ideas to choose from, so work around your desires and your space.
10. Shaded Bench
Reading outdoors can be a lot of fun, especially when the weather is mild. You may want to consider setting yourself up a nice reading nook outside too. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a bench. You can transform an old and worn out bench into the perfect reading nook simply by adding a little shade to it. You can easily build a canopy for the bench, if you want to keep things simple. Of course, you can also set it up on a porch or in a shed to add even more privacy to your book nook. Don’t forget to deck out your bench with a comfortable cushion and other items that will encourage you to read.
Having a book nook can be one of the best things for your home. With a simple area to indulge in a book, you may be more than likely to meet your reading goals for the year. Best of all, your children will see you setting an example and may even feel inspired by the new space too. So, don’t let your budget get in the way of such an amazing place to spend time.
