Creating an inviting kids' reading nook will give kids a go-to space to get in the habit of reading and help them cultivate a lifelong love of books.
You can carve out a dedicated reading nook in the bedroom, the playroom, or the hidden space under the stairs. All you need is book storage, comfy seating, and proper lighting to give children a cozy spot to settle in.
From built-in playroom niches to a bedroom corner with a reading chair and floating shelves, check out these wide-ranging kids reading nook ideas to help inspire you to design a cool, stylish place for children to curl up with a good book.
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Built-In
This adorable modern reading nook designed by Sonya Lee Architect is a self-contained cube carved out of a floor-to-ceiling bookcase where little bookworms can read to their heart's content.
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Accent Wall
This reading nook from Curated Nest Interiors has a wallpaper accent wall, cozy built-in banquette with under-seat storage, a wall sconce reading light, and a cheerful palette of red, white, and blue.
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Farmhouse
In an 1880's farmhouse in the Catskills, AHG Interiors designed this storybook house-shaped reading nook with an asymmetrical roof, reclaimed wood paneling, a suspended cloud pendant light, and plenty of cozy pillows and throws in neutral tones. A rattan giraffe bookshelf is standing by holding reading material.
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Window Nook
This window seat reading nook designed by Cortney McClure has a cozy upholstered seat, a large window to provide natural light, and soft throw pillows, a furry reading companion, and a blanket that make it inviting and comfortable for long reading sessions.
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Secret Hideaway
This under-stair reading nook designed by Maestri Studio is the kind of secret hideaway that any kid would love, with its pint-sized door, stealth location, and echoes of Harry Potter.
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Colorful Cubby
This book nook from Studio Peake features a cubby-hole style bookshelf built into the bed surround. A built-in reading light sconce provides task lighting for reading after dark, and plenty of extra throw pillows create a comfy place to read in the daytime.
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Double Niche
These twin nooks carved out of the staircase leading to a downstairs playroom from Emily Henderson Design provide the perfect place for kids to hide out with a book.
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Corner Canopy
This canopied reading corner designed by Mel Bean Interiors is as simple as a knotted bed canopy suspended from the ceiling, outfitted with plenty of throw pillows in the room's shades of purple and white.
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Bean Bags
In this cheerful reading nook from Marian Louise Designs, the window seat itself holds a row of books, while a pair of cozy bean bag chairs on the floor below provides a comfy place for kids to read. A window provides natural light, and a pair of decorative double wall sconces mounted on opposite sides of the nook provide more light while also making the nook cozier.
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Room for Two
There's room for two in the cozy, overstuffed armchair that anchors this earthy, modern twins' room reading nook from Australian interior designer Nicole Rosenberg of Liberty Interiors.
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Niche
Studio Peake maximized every last inch of space in the bedroom by creating a book niche in the corner that provides storage and houses a small table lamp with a printed shade that provides extra lighting for reading sessions before bed.
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Star Corner
This reading nook from Sissy + Marley Interior Design has a calming palette of taupe and white, with fun oversized star wallpaper, a comfy upholstered rocking chair, book storage that keeps covers on display, and a toy trophy head that helps define the space.
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Dark Florals
This extra-deep reading nook designed by The Residency Bureau is big enough for the whole family, and a comfortable space to cozy up with a great book for kids of all ages. The taupe walls and seating upholstery is contrasted with a dark floral wallpaper accent wall that follows the A-line ceiling. A jumble of throw pillows in various shapes and sizes covered in complementary vintage rose, olive, and off-white tones create a soft place to land and linger.
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Vintage Colonial
The reading corner in this Hudson River, NY Colonial home from Becca Interiors has vintage wallpaper, a cozy rust-colored velvet armchair, a floor lamp to provide extra reading light, and a freestanding bookcase packed with reading material.
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Pompom Garland
This cozy reading nook from The Residency Bureau has comfy seating, plenty of throw pillows, a wall-mounted task reading light, and a colorful pompom garland to create a happy place for reading.
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Graphic Wall Art
This kid's room reading nook from Sissy + Marley Interior Design looks like an illustrated children's book come to life, with its crisp black-and-white palette, framed illustrations, adorable mini swan reading chair, and shelves displaying colorful books.
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Kid-Friendly Corner
A pint-sized rocking chair and a low-slung bookcase creates a kid-friendly reading corner in this family room from Erin Williamson Design.
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Rounded Corner
In this reading corner from Kate Marker Interiors, a comfy round swivel chair under the window and a built-in bookshelf provide a dedicated place for kids to read and relax.
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Rainbow Room
Blogger Elsie Larson from A Beautiful Mess created a kids bedroom reading nook with a vintage-style upholstered rocking chair, a Moroccan leather pouf, and floating shelves on the wallpapered wall that double as display space for favorite books. A rainbow throw pillow on the reading chair helps make the space fun and inviting.
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Pink and Blue
A wall-mounted shelf filled with books on the accessible lower shelves and a comfy armchair and ottoman in shades of pink and blue make this reading corner from JLA Designs a comfortable spot for adults to read to babies, and for kids to read by themselves in comfort for many years to come.
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Minimalist
In this minimalist black-and-white nursery from Sissy + Marley Interior Design, books provide color accents in a reading nook by the window that is simply outfitted with a black wire chair, clean white open display shelving, and some throw pillows and layered rugs to add coziness.
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Sunny and Bright
Blogger Sarah Rhodes from A Beautiful Mess added an upholstered yellow armchair and a brightly colored rug under the slanted ceiling in this kids bedroom to create a dedicated reading nook that's cheerful and inviting.
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Play Tent
Mid City Interiors created a dedicated spot to read in this colorful kids bedroom by placing a play tent stacked with books on a soft rug adjacent to the tented house frame bed.
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Window Seat
Yael Weiss Interiors carved out a kids reading nook in this airy New York City apartment by building a window seat next to the corner bed equipped with low-slung built-in shelving lined with a rainbow of books.
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Attic Getaway
This supersized attic reading nook from interior designers Tara Mangini and Percy Bright of Jersey Ice Cream Co. has built-in banquette seating and plenty of soft throw pillows to make it a cozy and inviting book-filled getaway for kids of all ages.