Reading Nook Furniture for Every Style

Calling all bookworms! If you've been wishing for a cozy reading nook or library in your home, the experts at HGTV Magazine are here to help. Take a look at these inspiring ideas — for every design style — and shop for editor-approved furniture and accessories to make your fairytale reading nook come to life.

Designer Julie Bradshaw painted the dramatic extra-tall bookshelves in this San Antonio library Celtic Green by Benjamin Moore, then layered in more green with the artwork above the fireplace. Matching leather armchairs and a velvet ottoman form an irresistible reading spot by the fire.

Neutral walls (Snowbound by Sherwin-Williams) and wood accents put all the focus on the books in this Alpine, Utah, library. “Grouping the spines by color brings cohesion to the space,” says Kirsten Krason. The chair is by Four Hands.

The owner of this Chicago home library wanted to emulate the look of a cozy bookstore but also add a feminine touch. She chose First Light by Benjamin Moore for the walls and bookshelves, and designer Alexandra Davin brought in Target armchairs and a rug from Loloi. “It’s a cheerful contrast to the pink,” she says.

Designer Heide Hendricks transformed the catwalk corridor in this Oyster Bay, New York, home into a little library by installing custom bookshelves (painted Studio Green by Farrow & Ball). “The dark color creates a recessed, cavelike nook,” she says. She completed the space with vintage George Smith chairs and an antique rug.

The owner of this Los Angeles townhouse is a historian and author, so ample shelving and a spot for reading were a must. Designers Ashton Egbert and Kathleen Nixon of Arndt Design Studio created this reading nook in the main bedroom to house some of her collection. The indigo cushion is upholstered in a fabric from Nate Berkus’s collection for JoAnn; the sconces are from Build.

Homeowner, designer and artist Merrilee McGehee doesn’t limit herself to one style — and definitely not one color palette. “I need pops of color everywhere,” she says. So she painted her wall-spanning bookcase pink (for a similar look, try Roulette by Behr), added vintage navy armchairs and put down a colorful antique area rug. Subdued details like a gray velvet sofa, which belonged to Merrilee’s grandmother, and a seagrass rug help balance out the vibrancy.

This was once an itty-bitty office that homeowner Eva Amurri and designer Prudence Bailey dreamed into a cozy — and totally chic — reading nook for her family. Proving you can be maximalist in the miniest spot, a bold, colorful wallpaper by Flat Vernacular coexists gorgeously with the black-and-white daybed cushion fabric by Brunschwig & Fils. Abstract shade and bolster fabric by Kravet add to the fun.