Book Nook Design Sip & Shop
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 5:30–7:30 PM | The Wayfair Store, 3232 Lake Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091
Every reader has a favorite place to disappear into a book. Maybe it’s a chair tucked into the corner of the living room. A pile of pillows and a blanket beside the bed. A colorful corner where a child can begin discovering stories of their own. The best reading spaces aren’t necessarily entire rooms—they’re thoughtfully created little retreats that make us want to slow down, settle in, and stay awhile.
Join The Chicago Literary Salon and Wayfair for a special evening celebrating the spaces, objects, and rituals that make reading feel like an occasion.
This September also marks a milestone for Ashley Hasty, founder of The Chicago Literary Salon and Hasty Book List: 1,000 author interviews published on HastyBookList.com. After more than a decade of asking writers about their books, creative lives, and—perhaps most importantly—where they love to read, Ashley is turning those conversations into inspiration for the home.
Together with one of Wayfair’s in-store designers, Ashley will share her formula for creating a reading nook and bring it to life through three distinct spaces: a sophisticated living room retreat, a cozy bedroom escape, and a playful children’s reading nook. Along the way, she’ll share insights gleaned from 1,000 conversations with authors, approachable design ideas, and some of her favorite Wayfair finds for making reading a ritual at home.
This event is complimentary, but we ask that you sign up below.
Your evening includes:
A complimentary drink and snacks from The Porch
A live conversation and design presentation with Ashley Hasty of The Chicago Literary Salon and a Wayfair in-store designer
Three inspiring reading nook vignettes for the living room, bedroom, and children’s room
Ashley’s formula for creating a reading nook, from comfortable seating and lighting to books, textiles, and the perfect reading drink
Favorite reading rituals and insights gathered from 1,000 author interviews on HastyBookList.com
Fall decorating ideas for making your reading spaces feel especially inviting as the season changes
A special appearance by local children’s book author Laura Bityou Beriau, author of Animal Who? and You and Me
A complimentary bookmark-making station
The chance to win books and a $100 Wayfair gift card
Time to sip, browse, and shop Ashley’s curated Wayfair picks for creating a reading nook of your own
Whether you have an entire library or simply an empty corner waiting for a chair, this evening is an invitation to think about the role reading can play in the way we design our homes—and how the right space can turn opening a book into a ritual worth looking forward to.
Come raise a glass to 1,000 author conversations, the spaces where stories are read, and the simple pleasure of making a little more room for books in our lives.