Cozy Up with These 8 Local Book Nooks

Alas, we can’t all have a sunny window seat in which to thumb through our latest book obsessions. But many of us do have a little space in our homes that can be transformed into a cozy nook to steal a few minutes (or hours — we won’t judge!) with a good read. We asked local designers how they created the following hygge hideaways for their clients and hope their tips and tricks will spark some literary inspiration in your own home — and maybe put a dent in your TBR pile.

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Photography by Jane Beiles;

Striking wallpaper by Schumacher/Iksel depicts a dreamy Istanbul seascape, where designer Kaitlin Smith’s clients have traveled over the years. A supple leather chair is the “perfect spot to escape into a favorite novel or travel book,” says Smith, of Kaitlin Smith Interiors and Highland Home, a seasonal home design store in Watch Hill.

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Photo courtesy of Pernilla Interiors.

When this book nook needed a refresh, Swedish-born Pernilla Bergquist of Pernilla Interiors looked to England for inspiration. New pillows done in fabrics by Jane Churchill, Nina Campbell and William Morris — “all British, of course,” Bergquist laughs — in coordinating earthy shades add a pop of color and warmth to an otherwise neutral setting.

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Photo by Greg Premru

Jocelyn Chiappone of Digs Design Company designed this built-in bookcase herself, adding interesting angles and walnut backers and brass sconces for warmth. The room — a former kitchen — is a “lesson in pattern play,” Chiappone says, with chairs done in a John Robshaw print (Diba in peacock) and an inlay coffee table topped with design books.

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Photo courtesy of Lindsey Dana Interiors

This alcove was custom fitted with shelves to make an in-home library. Designer Lindsey Bouley of Lindsey Dana Interiors balanced a swanky club chair with soft textures, including a velvet blanket and pillows from the client’s travels in India. A West Elm cocktail table and rechargeable light from 1^stDibs add warmth to the space.

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Photo courtesy of Pernilla Interiors

Pernilla Bergquist honored this midcentury home’s history when reinventing a small desk area. The Cole & Son wallpaper, Libreria, is based on a midcentury design by Fornasetti, which she paired with dark gray walls and a chair reupholstered in a fabric designed by Alexander Girard in 1954. “In such a tiny, contained space, you can go a bit wild,” she says.

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Photo courtesy of Lindsey Dana Interiors

In reimagining these family room built-ins, Lindsey Bouley set off the client’s books, memorabilia, heirlooms and antique finds with a bold wallpaper choice: Vintage Peacock by Rebel Walls, which complements the room’s rich teal color and is also used in the home’s entryway. Bouley aimed for a “cozy, playful and approachable” style that reflects her client’s creative personality.

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Photo by Jane Beiles

Kaitlin Smith wanted to create the feeling of a warm English library, with layered fabrics and textures, for her Watch Hill clients. Farrow & Ball paint in Green Smoke adds depth and a beautiful sheen to the millwork and cabinetry, while the shelves are lined in a neutral grass cloth backing that highlights her clients’ eclectic collection of books and vintage objects.

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Photo by Angel Tucker

In designing CHOP inside the Providence Public Library, designer Kyla Coburn of Kyla Coburn Designs and architect Christine West leaned heavily into the restaurant’s bookish setting for inspiration. “My dad was a librarian, and I was aware that libraries discard books all the time,” says West, principal at Kite Architects. “I suggested to Kyla, ‘How about we use some of these discarded books as decoration?” The team pored over boxes of books for eye-catching colors and titles, ultimately fashioning them into sculptures and works of art throughout the space.