I'm Justine from The Lone Home Ranger, and I'm pleased to be writing a guest post on Emily's wonderful blog. Her post on my blog has inspired me to think about planting my first spring garden with the kids as assistants, and I hope I can return the favor with a bit of my own inspiration for achieving an attractive, quiet space in your home for your kids to unwind.
I'll begin with a confession. Sometimes I don't want to talk to anyone. I don't want to answer my phone. I don't want to check email. I just want to sit in my own shell, with little to no outside stimulation, and be alone with my thoughts or a good book. To me, there is nothing more perfect than a nook for this activity. I love nooks. I even love the word: nook. It connotes peace. Quiet. A hide-out. A haven. A place for the butter to go in my English muffin. In a word, perfection.
The only flaw with this love affair of mine? There are no nooks in my home. It's a Cape Cod style brick box with small square rooms and no nooks of any kind. This predicament brings us to my tale for today: my quest to build a nook in my home.
Growing up, I loved to read...well, I still do, as a matter of fact. When I was a little girl, my dad had a cedar armoire with a TV in the top, and the bottom was an open chest of sorts that held sleeping bags. I used to sit in there amidst the downy bags, the smell of cedar surrounding me, with the doors cracked just enough to provide light for reading. I read Charlotte's Web, Little Women, and all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books cover-to-cover in single sittings in that armoire.
One day last fall, I was staring at a picture I had taken of my kids. At first glance, they seem so peaceful. They are "reading" quietly (or the one and three-year-old's version of it), next to each other on the floor of the guest room. Then I was struck by how un-cozy they looked. Here they were, leaning against a bed on wheels, cold hardwood below them, wide open space around them, with no cozy blankets or pillows in sight. This situation must be remedied!
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| Exhibit A: The un-cozy reading spot. |
I became determined that we could provide them a cozy space, no matter what our housing situation, where they could develop fond memories and foster a love of reading. After all, my memories are of sitting in a piece of furniture! Enter Pinterest, my go-to source for all home, DIY project, and many other kinds of inspiration.
My Mission:
Provide an area of my home,
free of electronic stimulation, that my kids want to sit quietly in and
read or ponder the toddler's version of the meaning of life.
My Muse: Pinterest!
In no time at all, I had a ton of ideas. I am sharing a few of my favorite pins in this post, and you can also come see my Kid's Room Pinterest board for more ideas.
I had plenty of books, blankets, and comfy pillows, so my only constraints were funds, space, and materials for the nook itself. I considered going with the closet-turned-nook idea in the last pic, but I wanted to incorporate the potential for both natural light and privacy. Then I found the key images that got the wheels spinning in my head...
Luckily, my mom had given the girls a tent last year for Christmas, and it fits perfectly in the space. There's a lamp and window for light, and the tent also has little tab doors that can be opened and closed at will. Of course, no modern children's room would be complete without at least one decorative owl, so I'm pleased the tent came pre-owled (there really should be a sarcasm font. In truth, I admit I do not understand the owl trend).
The result? The tent nook is a huge hit! Both of my girls love to sit in it, and as an added bonus, they can both fit in it comfortably at the same time.
For more inspiration, check out this post by Molly Makes Do, in which she shares her own child's nook and her ideas (as a future librarian) on how to foster a love of reading. Design Mom shared some inspiration last week, and I love See Jane Blog's {design a fort} series. Although not as frugal and simple as reusing an item already in her home, I love the matching tights and tipi! You can also see Centsational Girl's post with more grown-up ideas for nooks. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in my nook obsession! How about you? Do you have a favorite quiet space in your home?
Editor's note: This post is a part of Seasonal Celebration Sunday, Natural Parenting Group's Monday Blog Hop, Made by You Monday, the Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways Blog Hop, and Frugal Friday.
Thank you Justine for such a wonderful post! L. and I are going to have to create a nook of our own!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the shout out! I'm so glad our little nook is "inspiring" to anyone!
ReplyDeleteThat is so great! I think i will try to build a space like this for my son, thank you for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. Something to plan for when my son is older.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you all enjoyed the post. Thanks again Justine!
ReplyDeleteThis is great. I bet your daughter's love their nook. When I was in Second grade we had a Rocket shaped reading nook made of an old cardboard box. The teacher had put a pillow and small blanket in and we took turns using it and a couple other reading nooks during quiet reading time. It was always my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the cardboard box. Anything can become a nook if you use your imagination!
DeleteThank you Justine for sharing this on Natural Mothers Network, I loved the imagery you conjured up for me, sitting in your cedar armoire reading Charlotte's Web..
ReplyDelete