Project - Build a Reading Nook

My life has been and will always be a life of books. In a very old post, I shared how I started reading very early and what influenced my reading. Find the scoop here Becoming an Intentional Bibliophile I had read almost all the books in our library before my mid-teenage years and they were a lot. I read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and "The Richest Man in Babylon" way before I was 10: you would think I would be so financially literate at my ripe old age. I read all these books at an age when my young mind could not grasp more than a few chapters because the words were too big or too inane. It made me learn the art of summary pretty early and that came in clutch many years later. 

This year I am challenging myself to read more or at least as much as I always did. I have set a goal of at most 40 books before December 2025. Between work and life lifing as usual, it can be hard, so yes I understand if you have a doubtful expression right now. I have set the ball rolling with me nearing the end of my first book for the year and I have decided to build a reading nook. The other day I waltzed the many aisles of Ikea and took note of the few things I would need for this project. If you are anything like me, you understand the feeling of unrest and underachievement you get every day your one project has not been executed. A part of me wants to take my time and pick out the best tiny, beautiful furniture(s) and another part of me is wrestling to just haul things in the space I have created for this nook. Again I am torn between listening to my pragmatic self and going along with my less-than Type A self. Questions like: 'Will a rocking chair lull me to sleep or will a bean bag be most efficient for the space I have carved out" plague my mind all day. It really is the ghetto in my head right now. My search history on Google and Safari has not been spared, now all I get are targeted ads of Boucle's (those weird-looking chairs that are sorely overpriced in my very demure opinion) and ottomans. If I have picked up anything from this, it's the candid advice articles and other blogs have provided for this project "Creating a comfortable reading nook involves choosing a quiet location and comfortable seating like a chair, armchair, or chaise longue. Adequate lighting is crucial, which can be achieved with floor lamps, table lamps, or a dedicated book light. Enhance the coziness with soft textures like pillows, blankets, and rugs". I decided to add this so you have just the right idea if you are ever looking to embark on this stressful yet rewarding project. 

Doing a mental checklist, I upcycled the most beautiful white lamp sometime last year after my move. It provides more than enough lighting and is so beautiful. I still have to decide if I need a bookshelf at this early stage but that's nothing a last-minute target run can't fix. I am a sucker for framed photos or art and I am always looking out for the best frames; casually thrifted a beautiful vintage gold one last week for my diploma. It had stayed too long in the scroll it was shipped to me in and I felt such immense pride and joy hanging it up above my workstation. If anything, I am reminded that my hard work in grad school paid off and still does. I apologize for being a queen of digression but I have just the best framed art in mind to go in that space. My fur blanket will add all the coziness I need to the space and that leaves me with stocking up on more books. I got two new ones as a Christmas gift and the intensity of the synopsis is killing me. I am definitely spending less time on social media, especially with the threat of TikTok being banned or unbanned (it's just hard to keep up these days). So my stars have aligned perfectly to reduce screen time and channel all that free time to book time. It is and was one of the biggest things I had hoped to cut down last year so I could focus on really important things. I read somewhere that plants can breathe life into your reading nook, literally and figuratively. Ideas like small potted plants, hanging ferns, or even a vase with fresh flowers were thrown around in that article but I will most likely stick with my artificial plants or low-maintenance plants like a cactus seeing that I have been cursed with a brown thumb and I could never be a seasoned plant parent even if I tried. I have toyed with the idea of writing a short novel for more than half of my life, genre is still not specific. This reading nook transcends the book haven I am trying to build to help me read more books. It might be the birth of my life's dream.  

You would wonder why I am putting so much thought, planning, and resources into this project. Here's why: a well-designed reading nook is more than just a physical space; it’s an emotional retreat, it’s an invitation to slow down and savor the joy of reading. Whether you’re flipping through the pages of a gripping novel, journaling and sipping tea, or diving into a thought-provoking nonfiction book your nook can become a cherished part of your daily life and the right setting can elevate your reading experience. So grab your favorite book, settle in, and let the world fade away one page at a time.

Your Favorite Bookie

Helen Damilola 💚