Sitting down with a book on a warm Australian afternoon is the best thing in the world. You can read in a special area of your home whether you’re in Sydney in the summer or Melbourne in the winter. This will make your home feel like a personal sanctuary. Really, though, there are a lot of people in Australia who are squeezing into small rooms and big houses with weird layouts. I think the hardest part is making a place that feels like it was planned on purpose instead of being thrown in as an accident. This post talks about how to make cosy reading nooks that look inviting without making a room feel crowded. Get some useful tips and creative ideas that will change the way you see that empty corner of your house.
How to Choose the Best Place for Your Australian Home
Finding the right spot is always the first step to making a great reading book. Aussie homes with a big open-plan layout and lots of natural light coming in through the big windows should choose a spot that works with how their day goes. Think about those quiet spots that you don’t see very often. Is there a bay window that looks out over the garden? Is there a while at the end of the hall? Or maybe a space under the stairs in a traditional Queenslander home.
To keep things running smoothly, you need to think about how people normally use your home. If there are pets and kids running around, you should stay away from busy areas like the kitchen and entrance. Instead, pick a place that is somewhat out of the way; that way, it will feel like a getaway. For example, if you live on the Gold Coast and have a reading nook near a window, you can enjoy the cool breeze from the ocean while you read. It’s almost like being on vacation. If you live in a rental or a smaller unit, don’t worry, movable screens or plants can be used as walls to make your own private space without having to do anything permanent.
Orientation can make you feel very at ease. Since we have a lot of light, you wouldn’t want the afternoon sun to turn a cosy spot into a sauna. Places that face east are great for reading in the morning because they let in soft light without too much glare. If you are planning renovations and additions, a quick look at a property report might help you figure out if your floor plan has any hidden gems that haven’t been used yet. This way, you can see if there are any rooms that need to be changed without having to do major renovations.
How to Choose Furniture That Fits Just Right
Once you’ve chosen the general area, set up the seats in a way that makes people feel good and doesn’t take over the room. Curated, not crowded; choose pieces that can be used for more than one thing and are the right size for your space. A gulf chair with thin arms is the perfect size for a small apartment in Australia. It’s also extra cool if it has storage for your current favourite book or a throw that you can hide.
We want to find a design that fits our laid-back way of life, which is why we use natural fabrics like cotton and linen, which let air flow when it’s hot outside. A standard wingback chair is comfortable and has a cosy feel. A small ottoman can be used as a footrest or side table with this chair. If you live in the areas of Brisbane or Perth with your family, think about modular so that the nook doesn’t feel cold or rigid.
It’s never a bad idea to pay attention to ergonomics. Your back will thank you after lots of reading. Put back support first, and if you can, make it height-adjustable. Even if you have the space, it will be hard to fit a window seat with handmade cushions. This is especially true in older homes where the built-ins fit in so well. It’s best to measure twice and buy once. Make sure the furniture lets you move around easily so the space doesn’t feel too squished. When everything is in its place, your nook will be a well-thought-out retreat that fits in with the rest of the room instead of taking over it.
Bright Lights and a Flowery Atmosphere for a Day of Reading
The lighting sets the scene for the nook, which is especially important in Australia, where days can go from sunny and bright to cloudy and gloomy. This area gets a lot of natural light, so let it in through sheer curtains. They’ll soften the direct sunlight without blocking the view. When you’re reading at night, ambient lighting is most important.
Start with a floor lamp that gently curves over the chair. This will give you the right amount of light without taking up too much space on the floor. Warm-coloured LED lights make you think of the last golden rays of the sun setting, which is a great way to relax after a day at the beach or on the grill. Sconces that are mounted on the wall are another cool choice for places that are tight on space. This way, you can use the surface space for something else, and you get some beautiful decorations at the same time! With the flip of a dimmer switch, you can change the mood from bright for thrillers to soft for poems.
Serenity is more than just the right lights. Think of the feels and smells that make you feel calm. An area rug that feels good underfoot really grounds the room. Adding a diffuser with lavender or eucalyptus oil would honour our native plants and give the room a cool Aussie vibe. Choose a few important pieces to tie in, like a knitted throw or a small plant. No more than that. Even if your little nook is on the smaller side, this complex way of decorating will make it feel put together and roomy.
You Can Keep Things Neat With Smart Storage
A few extra shelves would help many reading places go from being well-organised to being a mess with books all over the place. When it comes to the Australian home, where minimalism meets usefulness, smart solutions will keep your nook feeling open and well organised. Built-in shelves are great for showing off your best things in an alcove without taking up too much floor space.
Floating shelves that are put right above your seats can hold any carefully chosen collection. For a more personal touch, mix classic books with ones by local authors like Tim Winton or Liane Moriarty. Renters can get by with freestanding shelves that aren’t too thick and maybe have doors to keep the clutter out. If you put baskets or fabric bins on the lower shelves, you can keep mags and e-readers close together and keep the neat look.
If you are building or remodelling, working with professional home builders to add storage to your nook will let you recess some niches that look like they are part of the wall. The most important thing is to edit the collection. Change the items in the rotation every season to keep it interesting and not too much. After being the focus of both utility and style, the storage can add to the “curated” look, making it more enjoyable to use the nook instead of painful to deal with.
Putting Your Own Stamp on Things Without Going Overboard
The fun of a well-prepared nook comes from the little things that make it your own and turn a plain area into a place where stories can happen. There are a lot of different kinds of Australian culture right now, so think about adding things that speak to you and your tastes, like prints of Indigenous art or decor silks with coastal effects to honour the land.
Here are some ideas for the first entries:
A framed picture of a favourite holiday spot
A collection of strange bookmarks
A cushion made by hand at a nearby market
Textiles are also very important. Add cushions in earthy tones that remind you of the Australian outback, or switch them out for bright designs that remind you of the Great Barrier Reef. But remember that less is more; we only need three to five important items at most so that the display doesn’t get too crowded.
There needs to be something in Australian homes to bring life and freshness into the space. A pothos or fern would work, as long as they get some indirect light while they clean the air. A very small charging station for your tablet will add a very techy touch that won’t take away from the cosy feel. These little touches make the nook yours, like an extension of your own world that wants to draw you in instead of drawing attention away.
Keep in mind that curation is the very fine balance between comfort, usefulness, and style as you set up your reading nook. Try it out for a weekend and then make any final changes that make sense for your lifestyle, like adding a small side table for your coffee or moving it to make room for more airflow when it’s hot outside.
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
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