There's a particular kind of reading that only happens when you're truly comfortable. Not perched on a dining chair, not with one eye on the TV - but genuinely settled in, with nowhere else to be. Here's how to create that space.
There's a particular kind of reading that only happens when you're truly comfortable. Not perched on a dining chair, not half-watching something on the TV, not with one eye on your phone - but genuinely settled in, book in hand, with nowhere else to be. That kind of reading requires the right chair.
A bean bag does something that most reading chairs don't - it holds your whole body rather than just your back, which means you can read for hours without shifting, adjusting or giving up and going to lie on the bed instead. Here are our favourite picks for the readers in your household, whether they're five or fifty.
The Serena Armchair is the reading chair for the person who wants proper furniture rather than a floor seat. It's structured, beautifully proportioned, and sits higher off the ground than a traditional bean bag - which means you can get in and out of it easily and hold a book at a comfortable height without your arms getting tired.
It's also one of those pieces that looks exactly right in a reading corner. Pair it with the Serena Ottoman to put your feet up, add a side table for your tea, a floor lamp behind it, and you have a reading nook that people will actually want to use. A faux fur cushion tucked into the corner adds that final layer of softness that makes it genuinely hard to leave.
The Mooi Cord Chair is for the reader who also cares deeply about how their space looks - which, in our experience, is most of them. The ribbed corduroy fabric is warm, tactile and genuinely beautiful in a bedroom or living room corner. It catches the light differently across the day, feels luxurious to sit in, and photographs exceptionally well.
It's the piece that turns a corner of a room into a proper reading nook without any additional effort. Add a corduroy lumbar cushion for a little extra lower back support during longer sessions, and a faux fur throw for cooler evenings. Available in Caramel, Beige and Olive Green - all of which suit the warm, bookshelf-lined spaces that serious readers tend to inhabit.
The Hallie Chair is a more compact, structured piece that works beautifully in a bedroom reading corner - somewhere a full-sized armchair would feel too dominant and a floor bean bag would feel too casual. It sits at a comfortable height, has a defined back that gives proper support, and comes in Crème Sherpa and Olive Green Bouclé - two fabrics that are genuinely lovely to be curled up in with a book on a quiet evening.
It's also a good choice for smaller adults who find larger bean bags a little overwhelming. The Hallie is sized to feel personal rather than generous - a chair that belongs to the person who uses it.
Not all reading happens upright. The Brooklyn Luxe Lounger is for the reader who likes to stretch out fully - on their side, half-reclined, legs draped over the end - the kind of reading position that a chair simply can't accommodate. Foam-filled and ready to use straight out of the box, the Brooklyn has a softer, more couch-like feel than a bean-filled piece and the full-length design supports the whole body rather than just the seat and back.
Drape a faux fur throw over it and it becomes the most inviting reading spot in the house. Fair warning: other people will want it too.
Getting kids to read more is one of those parenting goals that's easier to achieve than most people expect - the trick is making the reading space feel genuinely appealing rather than dutiful. A bean bag they love sitting in is a surprisingly effective part of that.
The Mini Cord Chair is the children's version of our Mooi Cord Chair — the same soft corduroy, the same structured shape, just sized right for younger readers. It's the piece that makes a child feel like they have a proper seat of their own rather than a scaled-down version of something adult.
It works beautifully in a bedroom reading corner or a playroom, and the removable, machine washable cover handles everything that comes with a child who reads with snacks. Roomy enough for a parent to squeeze in for a bedtime story too — which will happen more than you expect.
The Canvas Mini Triangle is for younger children who want their reading spot to go wherever they go. Light enough for a child to carry from room to room, comfortable enough that they'll actually settle in, and made from natural cotton canvas that suits a bedroom, a playroom or a living room without looking out of place in any of them.
It's the reading seat for the child who hasn't quite decided where they like to read yet - which is most of them.
The bean bag is the most important element but it's not the only one. A reading nook that actually gets used tends to have a few things in common.
Good light. A floor lamp or a clip-on reading light positioned just over the shoulder makes more difference than almost anything else. Reading in poor light is tiring — good light makes it effortless.
A surface for a drink. A small side table or a ottoman within reach means there's no reason to get up. The longer someone stays in the nook, the more reading gets done. It's simple logic that's easy to overlook.
Something soft. A throw and a cushion transform a comfortable chair into a genuinely inviting space. They're also the things people reach for first when they sit down — having them already there removes one small barrier between someone and a good book.
A dedicated spot. The reading nook works best when it's the thing a corner is for rather than a chair that happens to be there. Even a small corner with a bean bag, a lamp and a side table reads as intentional - and intentional spaces get used.
Browse our full indoor collection or explore our dedicated reading nook collection for curated picks. And if you're buying for a child, our kids range has everything from toddler-sized pieces through to teen-friendly options. Get in touch if you'd like a recommendation — we're always happy to help find the right piece for the right reader.
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