While most of us prefer spending our free time relaxing, taking a break from our busy schedule and taking a nap, others love being in the open and being surrounded by fresh air.
If you’re one of those people and, in addition to that, are lucky enough to live in a house with a backyard, you don’t have to go far at all – just step outside your home and you can have a blast in your own personal outdoor space!
This area can be used any way you want, from an outdoor cinema to a party hangout spot, but what more and more people are doing is turning it into their private reading nooks. If you’re a fan of reading, this is the perfect thing for you, so here’s how to design the ultimate outdoor reading nook in just a few steps.
Define the Space
This is the first thing you need to do as every reading nook needs properly designated and designed space. If you have a spacious backyard, just pick one of the corners and start working on it – decluttering, mowing the lawn, removing unnecessary bushes and hedges, etc. – and get it prepared for a reading nook.
If your backyard is rather tiny, though, all you have to do is make sure there’s enough space for a small bench – even a DIY bench might do the trick – or a comfortable chair, and you’re good to go. Defining your reading space is more important than people think, especially if have a lot going on in your backyard, and this is the best way to make sure nobody’s bothering you and that you’re fully concentrated on your reading.
Find the Perfect Seating Option
Again, even the simplest bench in the world is going to be quite enough to make your outdoor reading nook comfortable and cozy, but how can you pick the perfect seating option? What most people do is use their existing outdoor bench, update it with a few cushions and throw pillows, and that’s it! After all, outdoor reading nooks should be stylish and inviting, and nobody says you need to spend a fortune designing and furnishing them.
Alternatively, you can use your living room chair, especially if you enjoy the comfort it provides you, or, in case you wish to go all in, get some new outdoor furniture just for this occasion. It doesn’t really make a difference whether you go with wood, bamboo or steel, but keep in mind that this furniture needs to be cleaned and maintained properly, particularly in the winter, as that’s the only way to make the most of it in the years to come as well.
Details and Additions
Once you’ve found the perfect bench or chair for your outdoor nook, it’s time to make it more practical, comfortable, visually appealing and inviting. The way to do this is by using lots and lots of cushions that come in all shapes and sizes, as well as various colors, patterns and designs, so everyone can find something they like. You can even make your own cushion covers, thus saving a considerable amount of money yet still giving your reading nook a ton of personality.
These cushions won’t just look good and give color to your nook, but they’ll also make it more comfortable, and that’s quite important if you plan on spending hours and hours there. In order to take your comfort to an even higher level, be sure to add a few blankets as well, just in case you wish to pause your reading for a while and take a nap. Blankets don’t necessarily have to follow the pattern and colors of your cushions, so knock yourself out and add as many colors as you want.
A Proper Coffee Table
Lots of people associate reading with drinking coffee or tea, so don’t forget to add a small coffee table to your reading nook as well. Once more, this is another piece of furniture you can work on by yourself, coming up with a completely custom and personalized coffee table that’s going to fit your reading nook perfectly.
Keep in mind that it needs to be big enough for a couple of books and at least one cup of coffee, but not too big for your limited outdoor space. In the end, you can even design and build a small bookshelf for all the books you’re planning on reading in your new nook in the future.
After finishing all this hard work, you can relax and actually start reading! Be sure to pick the books that are somehow connected to nature – Wild, The Peach Keeper, Alice in Wonderland and The Secret Garden are just some of those that might actually suit you much more if you’re reading them in your beautiful outdoor reading nook.
About the author:
Becca is an interpreter, a translator and a lifestyle writer, embracing the digital nomad life, and taking on the world. She got hooked on home accessories and decorations during her traveling and now cannot stop searching for new inspiration. For more creative ideas head over to the Corell Timber and they will answer any question about architectural timber cladding, decking and mouldings.