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Time to Give That Nook Another Look?

Make that alcove more inviting with fresh art, new pillows or a good tidying up

Becky Harris September 2, 2016

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected." I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.

Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More

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Nooks are one of those features that often become a favorite place in the house. But they can leave us puzzling over exactly what to do with them. If you have a nice nook to work with, lucky you! But if yours isn’t that inviting, it’s time for a revamp. One or two of these designer ideas could be just the thing to inspire a reinvention.

Priority 1 Project Management

Create a kitchen respite. Just because you have a nook in the kitchen doesn’t mean it has to be a dining nook by default. If you have a built-in banquette or dining bench and find that you aren’t having many meals there, make it a spot where you can put your feet up and relax with your morning coffee, afternoon tea or Sunday paper. This one even has a TV so that the cook can take a break from kitchen work to watch a cooking show. Adding a small side table or cocktail table will give you a place for your beverage, phone or whatever else you need close at hand.

Transitional Living Room Transitional Living Room

Go big with art. Small spaces love large-scale artworks. A piece that takes up most of the wall draws the eye to this living room recess.

Walker Architects

Cover it with chalkboard paint. A dining nook is a prime spot for art you can switch out, whether it’s a menu or kids’ doodles. Just be sure the bench below is covered in a fabric that’s easy to wash — it will be challenged by chalk dust and little feet.

Clean Design

Layer in wallpaper. Nooks are a great place for an accent wallcovering or paint color. If it’s in a small workstation like this one, you’ll be staring straight at it, so choose something that inspires you and makes you happy to be there.

Randall Architects

Tie it into the rest of the room. In this work nook, fabric-wrapped corkboard coordinates with the valance fabric and provides a place to hang children’s art, to-do lists, and important documents and bills that need attention.

Twelve Chairs Interiors

Make everything neat and organized. This couple’s Boston living room also has to serve as a workspace and is within view all the time. A neat desk surface, hidden paper storage in the adjacent cabinets and pretty storage boxes keep this hardworking nook looking living room-appropriate.

Beach Style Bedroom Cape Cod Summer Home

Fluff it up. Turn your nook into the place where you’ll start to read — and then succumb to a power nap within about 10 minutes. Fluffy pillows and a faux fur throw make this bedroom nook hard to resist.

Brian Watford Interiors

Consider first impressions. If your entryway has a nook, think about what you want it to convey to your visitors — it’s the first impression your house will make upon guests. For example, this one says, “I appreciate antiques, pick up art and fabrics while traveling the world, and I still know how to rock an animal print.”

Structures Building Company

Curtain it off. Back in the days before climate control, heavy drapes were a good way to keep drafts out of nooks. Now they’re a fun throwback that can introduce print, pattern and color into a space. You also can draw them when you want to feel extra cozy and private.

Janna Makaeva/Cutting Edge Stencils

Change up the upholstery. Throw pillows are the easiest way to switch out the vibe in your nook. Here, they add cheery color to the kitchen. It’s also easy to have a bench cushion cover made in a different fabric if you’re yearning for a change.

Luxe Nest

Shed new light. If you want to draw attention to your nook, give it some sparkle with a lovely chandelier, as shown here. If you want to make your nook more comfortable for reading, choose wall sconces that provide ample light.

Tell us: How have you decorated your nook? Please let us know in the Comments.

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Comments (3)

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Daniel Louis

Love this ideabook. There's something I can pickup when designing my apartment

2 Likes September 3, 2016 at 7:17PM

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Marj F

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Like September 10, 2016 at 6:58AM

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PRO

archimondo

We have a dormer window nook in each of the three upstairs bedrooms, one with a bed in it , one with a desk and now one with a cot and baby stuff in our 'Grandies' nursery. My daughters loved the 'intimacy' of the nooks in their bedrooms and it added floor space as well as interest to the rooms.

1 Like September 13, 2016 at 5:22PM