At Home With Her: A Sunny Home Library with a Reading Nook
Tell us about your favorite spot in your home. Why is it your favorite spot?
As soon as I saw the sunroom with picturesque windows and built-in bookshelves, I knew I wanted to own this house. It was the very first house we toured, and I was sold. As a child, getting my first library card had seemed as important as getting my driver’s license, and I had always dreamed of owning the library in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. While my library isn’t nearly as elaborate as Belle’s, I delight in having a space that celebrates my love of reading.
Is there a particular story about how this spot came to be arranged/decorated the way it is?
It's been a work in progress over the years. My husband and I repainted the bookshelves ourselves to brighten the space, which made a huge difference. I aimed to create a feeling of bringing the outdoors in when selecting the decor. Navy accents provided a cohesive look, while the decor extended the greenery visible through the windows. One of my favorite furniture pieces is the plant stand—from Ikea, of all places!—filled with plants to evoke an overgrown, luscious garden feel. They’re fake, though, because I have the opposite of a green thumb.
Another favorite piece is a whimsical print by Angie Pickman of Rural Pearl Studio, a cut paper artist from Kansas. I stumbled across her artwork in a boutique in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and felt it was perfect for the sunroom. She incorporates whimsical wildlife themes, and in this storybook-like piece, a bird holding a key hints at future adventures. It perfectly complements a room filled with books. Another cherished print is of the Hemingway House in the Keys, a memento from our travels that adds to the room’s literary theme. A custom portrait of my rescue dog, Rue, also hangs in this room.
I fell in love with Hunt Slonem's famous bunny artwork and wanted to incorporate it into the room, as well. His bold, energetic, and playful style perfectly matched the room's vibe. To bring his art into my home affordably, I found some throw pillows on Etsy that were made from fabric featuring prints of his work.
Have there been particularly inspiring or moving moments in this corner of your home? Or, is there a particular feeling you get when you are in this space in your house?
The bright sunshine and cozy loveseat make this the ideal spot to curl up with a good book. During the 2020 lockdowns, I began reading Advance Review Copies for publishers and writing reviews. It’s not unusual for multiple complementary books to arrive in the mail. With overflowing shelves, my book collection has taken on a life of its own. To add a new book to my permanent collection, I must remove one to donate to a Little Free Library, making me very selective about what stays.
It’s also here where I daydream about writing my own book someday and where I craft magazine articles. I read a study years ago about the color green boosting creativity, so what better place to craft words than in a room surrounded by it? It's also my rescue dog’s favorite room, so on a typical Saturday, you’ll find us both cozy in the sunroom—her dreaming of running at the dog park and me finding inspiration for my latest writing project.
Editor’s note: We all have a favorite spot in our homes—a spot that gives us comfort and inspires us, or one that has hosted inspiring and fun moments with family and friends. At Home With Her allows us to share these corners of our homes with each other. If you’d like to write about a favorite area of your home, review our Readers Write guidelines here.
