READING NOOK MAKEOVER

This reading nook has been a long time coming and it's now my favorite spot in my apartment! When I'm not out doing things or working {let's be honest, that's mostly what i'm doing}, getting cozy and reading a good book is probably my favorite way to pass time. I have a pretty large book collection in my bedroom {which is another favorite spot, of course} but I've been running out of room for a while now so it just made sense to finally convert this spot in my living room into a usable reading space. It took all of one movie {Deadpool 2 lol} to put everything together. Most of the pieces {and definitely the books} I've had for years and I threw in some new additions to pull the whole look together.

*Note: if all you want is links, skip to the bottom of this post where I've listed links for everything pictured.

My goal with this space was a mix of boho, natural vibes with a contemporary touch. Boho to me has always screamed relaxation and that's what I wanted this space to be - an oasis within my apartment. The printed chair and pillow, soft blanket and eclectic animal and plant inspired accessories definitely provide that bohemian feel while the crisp white and bright gold finishes {to match my living room and also because I can't say no to gold lol} add a luxe element. I think this particular combination makes the area feel inviting but still design forward.

THIS CHAIR Y'ALL. I've had this Neyla armchair for over 2 years and I still just love to stare at it {and sit in it of course} because that print is so gorgeous! It has to be one of my all time favorite finds from World Market. I looove the colorful print, the mid-century legs and the fact that I can sit in it comfortably for hours.

I chose this white chenille blanket so as not to take away from the chair but for real y'all this is the SOFTEST blanket ever. The underside has long faux fur that is literally like being hugged by the softest cloud. My exact blanket is by Peyton & Parker at JCPenney and isn't sold anymore as far as I know but you can find similar ones on Amazon here and here. The pillow was a random find at Target one day when I wasn't looking for one lol {isn't that how it always goes at Target?}. There are some excellent pillow options at Society 6, Urban Outfitters and Amazon that I linked below. Specifically, Woven Nook is brand that I discovered on Amazon that I've bought some of my other pillows from and I always love them - both because the designs are nice and the quality has never disappointed. Real talk, my fur footstool was originally a really ugly thrift store buy that I spray painted gold and reupholstered with white fur. I linked a similar one below.

I knew when I made this nook that I wanted plenty of storage space for my books and other knick-knacks. The cube storage organizers by Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart are awesome for this. I used an 8 cube and 6 cube organizer {if I had room I would have added a 5 cube in the corner but alas}. I have some in my bedroom and closet that I've owned for over 2 years so I already knew I would be happy with them. They come in enough size variations that you can literally make whatever configuration you want. They also come in so many colors that it's super easy to match them to whatever decor you have. In this case, I needed them to be white to tie into the decor in the living and dining areas {it's all one open area}. The storage bins are also from Walmart and could go with literally any color scheme.

My gold tree stump side table is another one of the pieces I love in this space. I actually happened to already own this and just moved it because I felt like it fit this vibe too perfectly not to use it here. This was super lucky find at Home Goods and I apologize that it's almost $100 more online than it was when I got it there... I linked it below along with some cheaper {but still boho} table and lighting options:

I love how the gold lamp and side table tie in so well with the gold accent pieces. Speaking of which, aren't all these pieces so gorgeous?

These bird bookends were too cute to pass up!

This mancala game was a gift when I was in middle or high school and I 've always loved the level of detail in the carving.

I've had this gold bulldog since medical school {i actually bought 2 and the other one is at the entrance of my apartment} and the details on it are ah-mazing. The bird bookends are so adorable and I love how unique they are. My other accessories like the rattan elephant basket, the buddha and the skull don't go together when you think about it but within the little cubicles that they occupy they're perfect {at least to me they are lol}. I just threw in the letterboard and Cards against Humanity deck because I thought they were a nice contrast to all the white. And I had to start off with a Harry Potter quote because duh.

Finally, the wooden statue, hand-carved mancala game and the candlestick figurine are all pieces that I've collected during my trips to visit family in Senegal and I love that they fit right in with the theme. The abstract print candle from DW has a delectable jasmine scent and was literally made for the african + boho vibes I had going here. All accent pieces from this section are linked below:

I originally wasn't sure what to do to fill the wall space above the chair and above the cube organizers. I didn't have any art pieces that I wanted to move necessarily but I also didn't really want to buy anything. I also didn't feel like I had enough of the "natural" look that I wanted - that's when I decided to try to create a curtain of leaves above the organizers.

These artificial vines from Amazon were SO cheap {like $11}. I figured if I didn't like it I'd just return them real quick. But obviously, I totally did like it and I'm actually planning to purchase a another roll to fill in more of the gaps {only 1 roll was used in these pictures}.

The faux cactus is another Amazon buy and is so surprisingly real looking! Funny story, I totally accidentally bought it with 1-click and didn't realize until it was too late to cancel - I literally saw the order confirmation email and was like, when did I buy a cactus?... lol. When it got here, I was surprised that I actually liked it enough to keep it. I unfortunately seem to possess not just one but two black thumbs so I've all but given up on real plants at this point. My actual cactus can be found here but it's currently out of stock. Linked all my faux plants here:

My license plates are my real {and super old} ones from some of the places I lived growing up. I had been planning to hang them in my room but realized they would fit perfectly on the wall above the chair.

I really love the look - kind of unexpected but it somehow just works doesn't it? If you want to DIY this and don't have old license plates lying around, you can easily buy some off eBay for cheap or Amazon for about $20 (linked below). I just used the small command picture hanging strips to hang them up. Super easy!

Last but not least, the BOOKS!!! A big reason for creating this space was to free up some room on the overflowing bookshelves in my bedroom. I stored some of my books in the bins but my favorites I left out for display.

Like this Pan 70th anniversary collection!

Many of these are special editions that are just beautifully bound. That Poisonwood Bible cover art is gorgeous {I didn't particularly like reading it in high school but I certainly love the cover... all the heart eyes for that sunset <3 }. The Agatha Christie Black Dog & Leventhal hardcovers are a literal rainbow of happiness.

The Pan 70th anniversary collection is by far my favorite though because of the super bright, abstract covers. The bird bookends were the perfect accents to flank this colorful set. Many of my books {including some that are in my bedroom collection and not pictured} are linked below and at the bottom of this post for my bookworms who can also admit a pretty cover totally matters ;) :

To fully realize my oasis dreams, I would love to add a macrame light fixture and some more greenery but that'll have to wait til my next paycheck... #notevenjoking LOL.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my reading nook design! If you have any questions about the pieces shoot me an email, comment on my IG post, or send me a DM on Instagram. ALL links from the post are listed below for an easy reference and I've also included a few other things that were either not pictured or were pictured but not linked in the text above.

ALL THE LINKS {in order of appearance}

neyla armchair

sherpa blanket

pom pom blanket

urban outfitters winky face pillow

society 6 good vibes pillow

amazon southwest print pillow

amazon rivet mud cloth pillow

woven nook pillow set

woven nook amazon page

fur footstool

BH&G 8 cube storage organizer