Bright ideas
Book nooks and reading corners are on trend at the moment, which means that bookshelves are in demand as are comfy chairs and, of course, side tables where you can place your book and a cup of tea/coffee or glass of wine/gin if you prefer. While more people are investing in e-books, the majority of us still prefer physical books, according to a recent survey by Oxfam.
Almost half of those questioned said that they enjoy the feel of a paperback or hardback and a third said they became more immersed in the story when reading a physical book as opposed to a digital version.
That doesn’t mean you need lots of shelving space because unless you are sure you are going to read a book again, keeping it is pointless.
For the reading nook, I like the Umbra Conceal Bookshelf, which appears to defy gravity.
The “shelf ” is an L-shaped bracket that fixes to your wall and is hidden by the book at the bottom of the pile.
They cost £10.90 each from www. redcandy.co.uk and look good when grouped as a trio. Each shelf holds 6.8kg with a 41cm stack height and 20cm maximum book depth.
Ladder shelves are also useful and inexpensive. Dunelm has them from £49 and find small bookcases at Ikea or hunt for vintage ones.
If you want to decorate your nook then book inspired wallpaper or a mural like this, below, from Wallsauce would be perfect.