How to Create a Cozy Reading Nook on a Budget – Week 5 of the One Room Challenge

Welcome to week five of the One Room Challenge where I’m taking an area of unfinished basement and turning it into a serene home office. This week I took a small corner of the basement and built a daybed reading nook with storage. In this post, I’ll share how to choose the perfect spot for a reading nook, my source for the building plans and how they can be adapted to meet your needs, and a few construction tips.

*This post contains affiliate links.

In case you want to see the progress I made in the first four weeks of the One Room Challenge, you can read my earlier posts here:

Plans for the Serene Basement Home Office

How to Choose Serene Paint Colours for a Home Office

How to Choose Flooring for Your Basement Renovation

Custom Built-in Shelf DIY

There are only three weeks remaining in the One Room Challenge and I still have A LOT of work to do. I hope you’ll stick around to see the big reveal on May 22.

The Space

The area that I transformed into a cozy reading nook was a dusty corner of our basement next to our home’s HRV system. We had to build a wall around the HRV to close it off from the finished area of our basement. However, we weren’t able to extend that wall across the room as it would have cut off the only existing window in the room. What resulted was a small awkward space 76” wide by 40” deep. That sounded like the perfect size for a generous reading nook. I love design challenges and how they force us to devise creative ideas and solutions to dilemmas.

A Note on Terminology

What I have really wanted my entire life is a window seat in front of a large window with a beautiful view. While that isn’t possible in our basement, I was inspired by the idea of a window seat. A daybed is another word that can be used to describe a cushioned seating area. The main criteria of a daybed though, is that it be a suitable size for sleeping, most often in twin or double bed dimensions. Our space happened to be the exact size of a twin bed so I used twin daybed construction plans for this project even though it won’t be used as a bed (aside from reading sessions that may turn into naps!). I have chosen to describe my space as a reading nook as it feels like a cozy little spot in the corner of our basement.

Inspiration Photo

I fell in love with this gorgeous bench by the Alexander Design Group. I like the crisp white paint and shaker-style trim.

How to Choose the Perfect Spot for a Reading Nook

I think the best reading nooks fit into small cozy corners and out-of-the-way spots. If you are lucky enough to have a window in a cozy place, like on a landing or in an attic, this would be the perfect spot for a reading nook. Alternatively, you can create a reading nook on a larger wall nestled in between built-in cabinets or bookshelves. And make sure to consider closets as possible reading nooks. I helped a decor client of mine with her closet reading nook and it turned out beautifully.

How to Create a Cozy Reading Nook on a Budget

One of the big challenges for me was creating a reading bench on a small budget. Most of the pre-made benches and daybeds I found were out of my budget, not the correct size for the nook, and did not have the type of storage I wanted. Additionally, they didn’t have the built-in look that I desired. I didn’t have the funds for a custom-made project so I had to get creative.

I noticed that the size of the nook was very close to that of a standard daybed. It was the same width and just a few inches shorter than a twin daybed. So I started looking for woodworking patterns for a twin daybed that I could customize. Since we don’t plan to use this area for sleeping, it didn’t matter that the space would be slightly too small for an adult to sleep comfortably.

I used mostly leftover remnants of wood for the frame of the daybed. I just needed to purchase the plywood for the drawers and the top surface. Reusing materials you already have or finding free materials on your local buy-nothing Facebook page can be a real money saver. I purchased the drawer hardware from Lowes/Rona and it was very affordable. Since the unit is built into a nook, only the front face and the top surface needed to be primed and painted, saving on the amount of paint needed.

Plans for the Cozy Reading Nook

I used the DIY Built-In Storage Bed plans from Shanty to Chic. The plans are free and come with a materials list, cutting diagram, and detailed instructions.

Customizing the Plans to Fit Your Space

The first step in building the daybed/reading bench is to measure the space and find a suitable bench or daybed tutorial. The measurements of the nook most closely matched those of a twin daybed, so I found and modified the woodworking plans from Shanty to Chic. I spent about 20 minutes carefully reading the materials list and plans to determine how to modify the plans to fit a slightly shorter width (75” compared with 79”). I simply reduced the length of the 79” pieces in the plans and decided to make all three drawers the same size for simplicity.

Hints and Tips for Using the Plans

If I were to make this project again, I would:

• Make sure to use perfectly straight, unwarped lumber to avoid problems with the drawers fitting perfectly
• Consider using 1/2″ plywood for the drawer construction to have lighter (and less expensive) drawers
• Assess whether such large drawers are necessary as they are heavy and more costly to make
• Use sturdy drawer pulls since the drawers are so heavy

Purchasing Materials

I updated the materials list, scoured my leftover lumber pile to salvage anything usable, and went to Home Depot to pick up the remaining lumber. I didn’t purchase the plywood for the drawers right away as the plans recommend completing the frame first to confirm the actual sizes of the drawer openings. Also, I always purchase plywood from a different supplier, KJP Select Hardwoods in Ottawa as they have great quality Baltic Birch plywood. It’s fine-grained and very strong and when it’s painted, it has a smooth appearance.

Cutting and Assembling the Pieces

I spent about half an hour cutting the pieces and laying out the fronts and backs of the frames.

Next, I used my brand-new Kreg Jig 720 to fasten the pieces together. This was my first time using the Kreg jig and once I get more experience using this tool, I plan to share my experiences with you. I have coveted this tool for a while but felt that it might be too expensive or too difficult to use, but it turned out to be neither of those things. It’s a great tool to own and I can’t wait to use it on additional projects. I also purchased the Pocket Hole Screw Kit. The first thing I did was to assemble the front and back of the frame.

Next, I joined the front and back together with the connecting pieces. While I worked, I checked to ensure that the frame I was building fit perfectly in the nook where I planned to install it in case I needed to make some small adjustments. It only took about one hour to assemble the frame and place it in the opening.

Installing the Unit

I affixed it to the wall with a couple of screws through the frame and into the wall studs. I was relieved to see that it fit perfectly!

Constructing the Drawers and Finishing Up

Next, I measured the three drawer openings and the top area to order the plywood from KJP Select Hardwoods. They were able to cut the top piece to my specifications and the drawer pieces were cut in strips that I could easily cut down to size with my compound mitre saw. I don’t have a table saw so I appreciate companies that offer custom cuts at a reasonable price.

I assembled the drawers very quickly and checked to make sure they fit properly into the openings. They did not. Needless to say, I had to do a lot of sanding and chiselling to make them fit properly and slide easily. At this point, I never want to see a chisel ever again.

It was then time to apply the decorative moulding to the drawer fronts. Next, I primed and painted the drawer fronts and the front and top of the daybed.

I added some drawer pulls from Lowes to the fronts of the drawers and placed them into the openings. Finally, I added the top and a small piece of trim just below the overhanging top (the top overhangs by 3/4″) using brad nails. I will be adding baseboard trim when I do the baseboards for the entire room.

Painting the Bench

Because the bench is made entirely of raw wood, it was necessary to apply a paint primer designed for raw wood. I used two coats of primer, then painted the entire unit with Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace (semi-gloss). This is the same paint I will use for the baseboard and window/door trim. Two coats were sufficient to produce a smooth finish with full coverage.

Bench Cushion

I found a clever and affordable shortcut for the bench cushion. IKEA carries twin bed mattresses that are the exact size of the frame I constructed. The mattress I selected is the Agotnes Twin Foam Mattress and it’s 10 cm tall. The dimensions make it suitable for a benchtop application. It was very affordable at only $99 CAD or $69 USD. Making a foam bench cushion from scratch would have cost much more than this. I plan to make a washable cover for the cushion and add some decorative pillows.

How to Create a Cozy Reading Nook on a Budget- The Final Result

I’m pleased with the final result and can’t wait to decorate this reading nook with fabrics, artwork or wallpaper, and lots of books! Plus, the drawers are huge and will be perfect for storing much of my Christmas decor.

What Else Did I Accomplish this Week

This bench took up a lot of my time this week, but I did find a little time to work on the desk unit. Next week I’ll be sharing how I built the desk unit. The following week I’ll share the painting and custom shelf part of the desk wall.

Progress on the Project List for the Home Office

Here’s my updated project list for the One Room Challenge Spring 2024 edition:

• Plan an optimal layout for the space ✔
• Clean up the space- remove everything, sweep, and wipe every surface clean ✔
• Construct window jamb extensions and frame the window ✔
• Prime and paint walls and ceiling ✔
• Install vinyl plank flooring ✔
• Design and construct a reading bench ✔
• Plan and construct built-in shelves ✔
• Design and construct a two-desk wall unit with storage Started
• Apply feature wall behind desk unit
• Prime and paint desk unit
• Apply and paint trim
• Install lighting
• Make a cover for the reading bench and choose/make pillows
• Decorate with rugs, cushions, plants, and accessories

Plans for the Coming Week

My goal for the coming week is to complete the structure of the custom desk unit. This includes positioning all the fully assembled IKEA pieces in place, building a base and top for the cabinet unit, building shelves on top of the desktops, and adding crown moulding and baseboard trim. This is a big undertaking, which I think will occupy most of my time.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed reading about how to create a cozy reading nook on a budget. And thank you for joining me for the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge. There are only three weeks until the big reveal on May 22, so please stay tuned. The next three weeks will see the construction and painting of the custom (huge) desk unit. Plus, I’ll be sharing the installation of the lighting and the addition of all the decor and finishing touches. I think the space is really going to come alive. Please head over to the One Room Challenge site to check out the posts by the other participants.