Creating a Cozy Home Library
By Siena McCleery
Depending on where you live you might still be facing the persistent cold weather. That final stretch of winter when afternoon stretches into evening. Perhaps you are looking out your window and see a sky full of grey or maybe on your walk to school the rain has been pelting down around you. The shoulder season before the pastels of spring appear can often be a time of stress as school and life usually begins to get busier coming out of the holidays. With this in mind, we thought it would be beneficial to show you how to create your own home library. Think: a cozy space made for you, by you. A place where you can retreat into warm lighting, the glow of a candle, and a good piece of literature.
Although a home library might just sound like some cute Pinterest project, it is important to acknowledge the benefits a designated area for reading can have. We live in some fairly tumultuous times and self care is especially important now more than ever. Having a corner, table, or perhaps even room dedicated to a hobby that brings you comfort is an important way to take care of yourself, be intentional about how you read this year, and embark on a fun project.
Before getting started, it is important to note that everyone’s home library looks different and the term library in itself may be deceiving because you don’t need to fill every inch with books! Remember that creating a home library shouldn’t feel like an overwhelming task and there is no one “right way” to create a reading sanctuary for yourself. The key parts of the process this article will cover are planning, organizing and displaying books, and customizing the space (whatever this looks like) to YOUR liking. If you would like to know how you can create a unique space best suited for your reading needs and preferences, read further.
To begin, find a space that speaks to you. Maybe this is the corner of your room or perhaps the back of your closet could serve as a reading nook. Maybe what comes to mind is the left side of your living room between the tv and couch or perhaps it's that old tree fort you built eons ago. Whatever the space may be, take into consideration where you would best be able to focus, tune out the world, and engage in some mindful reading.
Next, the thrilling part: start planning. You can put together a moodboard on pinterest, canva, or collect inspiration from magazine clippings and compile them together on a larger piece of paper. Whatever your method, visualizing what you want this reading space to look like will help get you excited and set the tone for this DIY project.
Once you have identified the general vibe and feeling you hope to add to this space, throw on your favourite playlist and start thinking of creative ways to organize your books. Do you want to take inspiration from a real library and have the novels lined up alphabetically? Or do you want to colour code them by spine (though the book community might have something to say about this…). You could group books by genre or put them in categories of “favorites”, “finished”, and “to be read” to help motivate you to plough through that looming list of books you always say you are going to read.
Once this step is complete, consider how you want to display the books. Will you keep them on a shelf, lined up against the wall, or perhaps you will stack them in a pile as tall as you are! Now comes the fun part: decorating and truly personalizing this reading nook. Return back to that initial planning board and draw inspiration from a certain colour scheme or picture that you see. With inspiration coursing through your veins look to find innovative ways to decorate your space by upcycling or “DIYing” items for personal flair and environmentally conscious creativity! You can:
Create book art by thrifting an old dictionary and piecing together certain words to form poetry
Drawing or painting your favourite childhood book hero and displaying it as wall art
Hanging up your different bookmarks
As seen above, the options are truly endless and that is what makes a project like this so special. In addition to bookish crafts you can make, turn up the cozy level of the space by adding a blanket, some pillows, and of course, that childhood stuffed animal. A great touch is always a source of warm lighting whether this be adding fairy lights, a small lamp, or a candle burning brightly with your favorite scent.
We hope that this guide serves as a source of inspiration for you and that you are able to create a comfortable haven where you can open up a new book and let your imagination run wild, further developing a healthy relationship with books and integrating reading into your daily routine. You might even consider starting a reading journal, a book that will inevitably become the staple of this new reading area as you keep track of your current and favorite (or least favorite) reads.
Now, before you rush off to go build your own book nook, consider that not all youth have the privilege of a safe space filled with literature and cozy decor. As such, consider how you can utilize your own resources, platform, and creativity to give back and help young readers access the impactful literature that you came in contact with throughout your childhood. This could look like volunteering at a library or donating classroom supplies to your old school to help with the creation of a miniature in-class reading corner.
