INSIDER INSIGHT
CREATING THE PERFECT READING AREA
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS One common mistake that people make when planning reading areas at home is not dedicating enough space for books, believes Philip Blackwell, CEO and founder of Ultimate Library. ‘Reading is essential: a study by the University of Sussex found that it can reduce stress by up to 68 per cent.’ Make reading inviting by creating a room with lots of atmosphere, good lighting and comfortable armchairs. Then fill the shelves and spaces with books, but be sure to strike the right balance. ‘A good library should have a mix of old and new,’ says Blackwell. ‘Too many new books will make you feel as if you’re living in a bookshop.’
SMALL SPACES Whatever the size of your home, it’s important to create a quiet corner that can serve as a retreat from the noise of daily life. If this can’t be a dedicated room, then think more creatively, recommend Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham, co-directors of Salvesen Graham. ‘Create bookshelves and a window seat in a bedroom, for example. Or even a chair with a well-considered lamp and table. We’ve often found these become favourite places for our clients.’ One golden rule: a reading room should be a room that doesn’t have any screens, so keep them away.
ON JOINERY The number of books already in possession is a good starting point when designing shelves for a reading room or nook. And if you don’t have enough to fill a whole room, mix them in with interesting objects – just leave space for the collection to grow, recommends Mike Fisher, creative director of Studio Indigo. ‘If your budget doesn’t stretch to hardwood (tulipwood is the best), painted softwood is equally good. One trick is to paint the back wall of the joinery a contrasting colour as this gives depth and richness.’ If using MDF, make sure the surfaces are well sanded down, otherwise they can end up with a bristly quality, he adds.
LIGHT WELL As with other rooms of the house, layers of lighting are essential to set the right mood for a reading space. Wall lights on shelf spines work well as reading lights but consider the height of these when both standing and sitting down, recommends Sally Stephenson of Owl Lighting.
‘Or put them on the sides of shelves to enhance the seating area: they focus pools of light and encourage spaces to pause.’ When creating a reading nook, a sofa in a bay window or a window seat are ideal spaces as they tend to enjoy plenty of natural daylight, but include a soft, dimmable downlight which can be operated separately from the rest of the room for darker evenings.
“A FLOOR-STANDING LAMP CAN BE ANGLED AND SO ALLOW THE DARKNESS TO CREEP AROUND YOU WHILE YOU READ INTO THE NIGHT”
DEBORAH BASS, founder, Base Interior, baseinterior.com