A Reading Nook

Our house has a built in style wall in the family room. One side contains the fireplace and the other this large nook for holding a TV. Our house was built in 2003, so the nook is rather large and designed for the fatter tube style TV. We have housed our TV in this nook since we moved in in 2008. It has been OK, but the way we have to set up the couch makes watching TV a little awkward. I've been envisioning a change for a while now but wasn't quite sure what I would do with the gaping hole once I moved the TV.

So, I forgot to take a before picture but I found one that would work. Don't mind the pile of laundry or the bookshelf in front of the fireplace.

This is taken from my kitchen looking into the family room. As you can see, the room is narrow and the best place for the couch is under the windows. This was before moving the TV.

I decided to use that built in space to create a reading nook. With school just around the corner, reading and homework time is going to increase. I wanted to make a fun place for the kids to hang out and read a book.

 Once I started the project, I decided to paint the entire wall a grayish blue color instead of the boring, dark beige color it was before. This really helped lighten up the space and make it feel like less of a cave.

The white bookshelf is a Closetmaid 2 by 3 shelf from Target. It holds all the books perfectly and fits the space just right. The aqua back pillow is also from Target and very fluffy and soft. The kids love it. The two navy floor cushions are from Ikea. I made the sign with my favorite Dr. Seuss quote. The clip on light is from Fred Meyer.

Here's the whole room put together:

Once the large armoire that holds the toys and the train table are no longer needed, the room will be perfect.
I love how it all came together. The kids love it, too. The family room has much better flow and it is much more enjoyable to sit and watch TV.

Shara