ZARİF HOME

Creating a Reading Corner

In shades of vanilla, apricot and honey; a warm invitation to November days.

Outside the window the air grows cool, while inside a soft light glows. A throw left on the arm of the chair, a cup of tea on the side table, a book with a bookmark tucked between its pages… November's warmth is felt in small corners like these that we prepare for ourselves at home.

A reading corner does not need a room of its own. A spot near the window in the living room, a bright corner of the bedroom or the space beside a bookcase can be enough. What matters is creating a place where you feel comfortable when you sit down and where you want to spend time.

Settle beside the light

Choose a spot that gets natural light during the day and sits a little away from the household's walkways. Position your chair so that the window light falls on your book from the side. Being able to look outside when you pause your reading adds to the pleasure of this corner.

If there is a cold draught near the window, move the chair slightly inward. Keep the front of the radiator clear, and place your throw where you can easily reach it when you need it.

Begin with a warm cream armchair

A bergère in vanilla or warm cream tones meets the light softly. When choosing a chair, sit in it and try it: your back should be supported, your feet should rest comfortably on the floor, and the armrests should let your arms relax while you hold a book.

You can also turn your existing armchair into the heart of this corner. A cushion in soft apricot, a throw in light honey and a small side table placed beside it are enough to change the atmosphere.

Welcome the evening with a soft light

A champagne-gold floor lamp makes an elegant detail beside the cream armchair. Its adjustable head lets you turn the light onto the page and keep it from shining straight into your eyes.

Use the room's general lighting together with the reading lamp. This way the area around the book stays gently lit as well. Do not choose a light for its looks alone; adjust the lamp until you find the position in which you can read comfortably.

The harmony of apricot, peach and honey

Let the colours of this corner be like sunlight coming in on a cool day. Use vanilla and warm cream as the base; peach and apricot on small surfaces; honey and light caramel tones in the wood.

A velvet cushion in apricot gives a cream armchair a lovely liveliness. A soft-textured light caramel throw can be draped over the arm of the chair. A light honey-coloured wooden side table brings these colours together with a natural warmth.

You can use champagne gold on the body of the lamp, on a small frame or on the rim of a tray. A few fine details are enough; cream surfaces and light-coloured textures give the corner a sense of airiness.

A small place for your cup

The side table should be within reach when you sit in the chair, without having to lean forward. Leave room for your book, your glasses and your cup.

A cream porcelain cup, a linen napkin and a small plate suit this corner. Alongside your tea you might serve a few almond biscuits or a thin slice of cake. In everyday use, keeping the surface of the table simple lets you set down your cup with ease.

Add details that are your own

Keep the book you are reading, and a few works you love to open again, close at hand. A small shelf, the lower shelf of the side table or the bookcase beside the chair is enough for this.

A family photograph, a ceramic piece you love or an object brought back from a journey can also find a place here. Cream and apricot flowers in a small vase gently repeat the colours.

If you use candles, place them on a stable surface, away from books and fabrics; never leave them unattended while they burn. A flameless candle can also give a lovely glow in the evening hours.

Give this corner your time

Visit the place you have prepared during the day. Choose your book while your tea is brewing, draw the throw over your knees, put your phone a little out of reach. Sometimes you read a few pages; sometimes a single sentence keeps you thinking for a long while.

In time this corner develops habits of its own. Your cup finds its place, the books change, the throw is always within reach. On cool November days, when you come home, a familiar and warm place is waiting for you.

FIVE ESSENTIALS OF A READING CORNER

– A comfortable chair that supports your back

– An adjustable lamp that lights the page well

– A steady side table within easy reach

– A soft throw and a cushion that suits your needs

– Space set aside for your book and your cup

NOVEMBER'S WARM PALETTE

Vanilla · Warm cream · Soft apricot · Peach · Honey · Light caramel · Champagne gold

Adding a piped velvet cushion in apricot to your reading corner gives it a detail that is entirely your own.