The DIY Book Nook {Encouraging Young Book Lovers}
While browsing my Pinterest stream I often come across the best homey-type ideas that are awesome but that are more or less unattainable. Like built-in bunk beds with stairs going up, or cool loft spaces with indoor slides. If I ever get to build my dream home, it’s gonna be pretty dang amazing, that’s for sure.
However, for now (and indefinitely) we are renters. We live in a nice little house that works great for our needs, and we are so blessed to have it. There are tons of positives to outweigh the cracks and holes in the paint, the peeling baseboard, the rough spots on the old outdated cupboards, etc. There’s a basement playroom and a guest room and an office, there are lots of windows, and the amount of space is just right for us. Being renters does come with limitations though. No renovations (unless we wanted to pay for them ourselves, which would be dumb because we don’t plan to live here for more than a year or so). No fancy upgrades. Sometimes it’s easy to get depressed dreaming about all of those awesome house ideas that you can’t have.
So, we get creative.
I’ve seen lots of adorable photos of cozy little book corners (a dedicated cozy space for kids to read in) floating around on Pinterest, and while I loved the idea, I figured it would be too expensive to do properly. Until last weekend, that is, when inspiration struck.
I had the itch to rearrange our living room furniture, which was the catalyst for this whole thing. In our living room is the front door of the house, which we don’t actually use. (We use the back door where our driveway is.) Next to the front door is this weird opening in the wall that appears to have been intended as some sort of closet or coat hook area (although there’s no door on it). I decided to make this little area into our book nook, and with help from the hubby it came together quite effortlessly, all without spending a dime! I especially love that it can all be easily packed up and taken with us the next time we move! Here’s what we did:
:: The Book Nook ::
- The little book shelves are actually spice racks from IKEA, which we had picked up a long time ago (I think they cost around $5 each).
- The light on the wall is one we purchased in our last house to go over the stove because there was no range hood. We hung it sideways to fit better.
- The picture on the wall is a basic black IKEA frame that we already owned, with the awesome quote and patterned paper being from my scrapbooking supplies.
- The cushions on the floor are a random assortment from around the house that weren’t being used, and I added a couple of blankets and the sheepskin.
- And, the sign was hubby’s idea. I wanted to make a sign of some sort, and he suggested that I paint the words on a piece of wood. He went hunting downstairs for a piece of plywood, and came back with this – it’s actually a shelf minus the brackets – from IKEA (the cheapest kind they have – I think it was like $3) that we had bought while in a previous house and weren’t using currently. I freehand drew and painted the letters onto it, and voila! (black smudge on top of the first “o” is courtesy of the three-year-old).
Here’s a few more shots up close…
(Yes, that’s his “i’m-only-smiling-so-that-mom-gets-the-camera-out-of-my-face” look)
***
What about you?
Do you have a special space in your house for your little ones to curl up with a book?
(And if you haven’t already – why not take a second to “like” Red & Honey on Facebook, where I post awesome links and chat with readers!)
***
{Linked up with Jenny @ The Southern Institute…}
I LOVE this Book Nook! I need a solution for next to my little girl’s bed…this may be the perfect thing!
Next to the bed would be a great spot for it… so cozy!
I love the spice rack bookshelves! I’ve been trying to figure out how to mangle some sort of Value Village furniture into something similar, but have now pitched that idea and will raid Ikea at my earliest opportunity. I really, really find that facing books out for kids is waaaaaaay better than simply showing the spines. Your space is super cozy.
We had a little book nook too. Now we’re homeless (sort of), but I’ll definitely be setting it up again wherever we end up. I used three dowels (I wanted to use branches, but was massively pregnant and unmotivated to haul toddler, falling apart pelvis, cutting tools and branches in and out of the bush, so I just used dowels and then never bothered to switch it up) hung parallel from/to the ceiling with pretty blue ribbon to make a huge rainbow playsilk in to a tent-ish sort of thing. We also used a sheepskin and pillows on the floor, and just a regular old bookshelf. It was tucked into a weird corner of our living room. I like your quote idea. We had a few butterfly and flower decals, but Maren has occasional fits of destructive energy and they were shredded. I’ll have to do art and/or a quote in our next space!
I think turning a closet into a book nook would be super cool too, or the space underneath a loft bed. Have you seen those photos of the reading spot *in* a bookshelf on pinterest?!
Yeah, I think they enjoy having them face out. So much more inviting that way. I LOVE your playsilk tent idea. That sounds so awesome and cozy! I was thinking that our little space would be perfect with some sort of tent/awning kind of deal, but I’m not sure how to do it.
I know all too well about occasional fits of destructive energy. That’s Isaac! But sometimes it’s not so occasional. We went a full year of avoiding the library because he’d just rip pages like they were wrapping paper. I could go on, but this is a bit of a tangent, haha!
I haven’t seen the IN a bookshelf idea, but I’m gonna keep my eye out – that sounds so cool!
Super cute idea Beth! We also are indefinite renters…for at least the next couple years. But, we have the additional challenge of concrete walls. You are so creative and innovative. Your kids are lucky to have such a special reading space.
Yikes! Concrete walls! How do you manage to put anything up? Or do you?
I love this! I feel like my boys would see it and think “mom made us a ladder!!”
Haha! I hadn’t thought of that. They haven’t tried that yet…
This is so cute! I want to have a special, quiet, cozy place for my future children to grow a love of books. I hope they will enjoy reading as much as I do.
I hope my kids are bookworms like I was too… my hubby is totally not, so I want to be sure to set the example!
We did a similar idea years ago by laying down a futon in a larger nook next to the shelves. It also served as a favorite napping spot.
that’s a great idea. i’d love to see my kids relaxing and falling asleep surrounded by books – how cute!