Nook Looks for Books!

Strap Line: This year, there was ample leisure time as we were confined to the boundaries of our homes. So we churned out some simple yet tasteful ideas to build happy reading places-- from ecstatic canopy nooks to tropical libraries, we have got you all.

This year was edgy! While on one hand, we juggled with household chores and personal management, on the other we pushed the boundaries of traditional work culture and landed at work from home. Somewhere, when the personal and professional lines blurred, there was ample leisure time as we were confined to the boundaries of our homes. While many of us picked up creative hobbies some channelled their inner bookworms.

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A survey by Nielsen Book on India’s consumer behaviour reveals that six out of 10 respondents expect to buy books through physical stores and seven out of 10 through online methods after lockdown, with proportion higher than before the normal situation.

Some of the most imaginative ideas have been carved out of furniture where we have seen staircases partly turn into bookshelves or the cavities of a sofa set transformed into living room libraries

With so much to read on, where are we going to store our Wordsworth's romantics, the poetry of Ghalib, those creative graphic books and bulky encyclopedias? Here are some tantalizing spaces you can build in the vanity of your homes for a tranquil reading experience.

Tropical Garden Library

If your home is devoid of a courtyard or garden, then no worries. One can add tropical vibes in their indoors with many table plants like Snake Plant, Tulsi, Areca Palm, Pothos, Aloe Vera, Spider plant or the colourful Gerbera Daisy. These plants are suitable for indoors as they require minimum care, reduce harmful toxins and pollutants and tremendously increase the oxygen levels. For the walls, hanging Ivy leaves will adorn the void in the space. For a green tablescape, one can go for botanical centrepieces, eco-chic decor and Boho coasters with plant imageries on them that exude a soothing ambience for best reads. The best templates one can play for their garden library are derived from Alpine Chic mould that manifest a blend of contemporary and rugged.

Sculptural Shelves

Why musefy art when it can be installed in the home! While art installations are a thing of the outdoors, it's time to incorporate it into your reading experience. For the spacious homes, round circular bookshelves will look solemnly great. To add a touch of some complex vivacity to your reading space, book arc-shaped sculptural shelves, tree branch shelves and Hexagonal shelves will look very artsy. If you have a corner wall vacant and do not want the shelves to take up much of the space, then zic-zac corner wall mount shelves will look simple and plush store books.

Walled Libraries

In its traditional setup, most libraries and bookshelves pop out of walls and are floor-to-ceiling structures. However, if one is bound by limitations of space and wants to be experimental they can create shelves inside the cavity of walls rather than outside. The idea behind creating walled libraries is making the use of unused spaces and imaginatively converting them to reading spaces. The best places to create such store of books inside the walls is near the window seating area or maybe under the staircase. Make sure you get the proper lighting and a seating arrangement to let lose your daydreaming as you turn the pages.

Dreamy Canopy Nooks

Book reading is a leisure activity. While we are nestled peacefully, an enticing ambience is what shall make it a truly enriching experience.

Building a canopy nook is very feasible and undemanding. This snuggle-worthy space can be created in the dreamiest way. All one needs is a hanging rocking chair, a small bookshelf, translucent curtains for a whimsical look and sitting quilted matt for comfort. One can play with many themes from going neutral with baby shades of purple beige, taupe and ivory to going all boho with a vivacious palette to using Nordic style minimalist design, all that depends on your taste. A chandelier on the ceiling will make the place more idealistic and transport you in the realm of fantasy as you read.

Library in furniture

Furniture can have a multifaceted character. Some of the most imaginative ideas have been carved out of furniture where we have seen staircases partly turn into bookshelves or the cavities of a sofa set transformed into living room libraries. Some of the hottest mod-chic designs under this template are the bookshelf chairs. There are a plethora of options where tech and design innovation have integrated to produce creative products.

Pictures:

Cover:

Garden Library

Sculptural Shelves

Walled Libraries

Canopy Nooks

Furniture Bookshelves