How to Add a Reading Corner to a Shared Living Room
You finally have twenty minutes and a chapter to finish. The TV's on, someone's folding laundry on the couch, and the only free seat has a pile of school bags on it. By the time you've cleared a space, the twenty minutes are gone.
A reading corner gives the book a home in a room that has to do everything else too. It needs a good spot, a comfortable seat, the right light and a few rules everyone can live with. Here's how to set one up.
Step 1 - Pick a Spot That Works for Everyone
The best reading spot is the quietest corner that still gets good light, away from the main path through the room. Stand in each corner at the times you usually read and notice the noise, the glare from the TV and how often people walk past.
Look for a spot with:
A wall on at least one side for shelves or art
Natural light during the day
An outlet close enough for a lamp
Space to stretch your legs without blocking a walkway
If you read aloud with your kids, plan the corner for more than one reader. West Virginia University Extension advises that you make sure all children can see the pictures easily. Leave room for a child on each side of you. Test the spot at your usual reading time first.
Step 2 - Choose Compact Seating
Seating decides whether you'll actually use the corner, so choose something you can sit in for an hour. In a shared room, a two-seat sofa often works better than an armchair, because it fits a parent and child or two adults with separate books.
Measure the corner and mark the seat's footprint with painter's tape before you buy. A comfy loveseat from Home Reserve, for example, comes in a style with flat arms that can hold a mug or a book. Check the depth and arm style against how you like to sit, upright or curled up.
Add a small side table if the arms won't hold much. Keep one surface within arm's reach for a drink, a bookmark and your glasses.
Step 3 - Layer Your Lighting
Good reading light comes from more than one source, so plan a lamp for the page and softer light for the rest of the room.
Reading Lamp
Place a floor lamp or wall light slightly behind and to the side of the seat, so the light falls on the page without shining in your eyes. An adjustable arm lets each reader move it.
Room Light
Keep some light on elsewhere in the room. Reading in a bright pool surrounded by darkness is tiring.
Daylight
Sheer curtains soften harsh sun during the day without making the corner too dark to read.
Top Tip: Choose warm-white bulbs for the reading lamp if the corner doubles as an evening wind-down spot, and put the lamp on a dimmer or a smart plug. You'll be able to turn it up for small print and down for the last chapter before bed without getting up from the seat.
Step 4 - Store Books Safely
Book storage should keep the current reads close and the rest tidy, without crowding the seat. A low bookcase or a pair of wall shelves usually holds enough for a corner.
Safety matters in a family room. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises households to anchor TVs and furniture, such as bookcases and dressers, securely to the wall. A loaded shelf is heavy, and young children climb.
When you set up the shelves:
Put the heaviest books on the lowest shelf
Keep a basket for library books and books in progress
Give each family member one shelf or section
Leave space for new books so the shelves don't overflow
Anchor every bookcase before you fill it, using the kit that came with it.
Step 5 - Display Art and Photos
A small display above the seat makes the corner feel like its own space rather than a chair pushed into a gap. Family photos, book prints or children's drawings all work.
Keep the display compact so it frames the corner rather than taking over the wall. With a gallery wall frame set from Americanflat, you upload your own photos and the frames arrive printed and filled, ready to hang. Plan the layout on the floor or with paper templates on the wall first, and hang the lowest frame high enough that nobody bumps it when they sit down.
Step 6 - Build a Small Reading Ritual
A simple ritual turns the corner from a nice idea into a habit. Pick a regular time, such as Sunday morning or the half hour after dinner, and agree on a few rules, like screens off nearby.
A warm drink can be part of it. If coffee is your reading companion, a single-cup brewer keeps it quick, and a coffee pod subscription from Bones Coffee Company lets you pick how often pods arrive and pause when you need to. Keep the brewer out of the corner itself, so cords and drips stay away from the books.
Start with one fixed reading time each week and build from there once the family gets used to it.
Clear One Corner This Weekend
Pick the corner, move whatever's piled there and sit in it with a book at your usual reading time. You'll know straight away whether the light, the noise and the seat work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I put a reading corner in a living room?
Choose the quietest corner that still gets good light, away from the main walkway. A wall on one side and an outlet nearby make it easier to add shelves and a lamp.
What is the best lighting for a reading corner?
Place a reading lamp slightly behind and to the side of the seat so light falls on the page. Keep some light on elsewhere in the room to reduce contrast and glare.
How do I make bookshelves safe in a family room?
Anchor every bookcase securely to the wall before you fill it. Put the heaviest books on the lowest shelf.
