Houzz Call: Where (and What) Are You Reading This Summer?
I studied literature so I could read my way through college. During those years I often found myself cooped up in a dorm, geeking out in a library or finishing the last few pages during a bus ride to class. Now that I have a house, I can spread out in the yard, hide in my home office and fall asleep in my king-size bed, book in hand, as I read my way through life.
Homeowners: Where is the best place in your house to catch up on your summer reads? Do you have A Room With a View, is your chair Fifty Shades of Grey, or do you simply like to lay out with Leaves of Grass? Show us where and what you’re reading this summer!
Professionals: Have you designed a dedicated reading area for your clients? Do you have any books our Houzz audience should be reading?
The one room with ultimate privacy is the bathroom. When I was a kid, movies could never make me cry, but books did (think Where the Red Fern Grows or Old Yeller). Because my bedroom door didn’t have a functioning lock, I’d sometimes create a makeshift bed in the bathtub so no one one would walk in on my blubbering.
This homeowner took the sanctity of the modern commode to a new level with bookshelves lining the wall near the seat of honor.
Suggested reading: Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
For me, pool time has always been synonymous with vacation time, and floating on a blow-up raft is a great way to soak up rays and books.
Lucky are they with a private pool. Better yet, a beach-like bungalow like the one pictured here will keep your skin safe and pages dry.
Suggested reading: The Waves, by Virginia Woolf
I don’t think I’ve ever had a closet large enough to walk in — or even hold all of my clothes. This home has a closet room so large, it can hold a sofa, an indiscret and a pouf. Now if that doesn’t say reading nook, I don’t know what does.
Suggested reading: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
It’s no secret how hard we work all year round to keep our plant life flourishing. And summertime is when some of the best of those beauties bloom.
Bask in that glory! With an outdoor sectional and a few throw pillows, you’ve got the makings of an outdoor oasis in which to enjoy your summer stories.
Suggested reading: The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
See how to delight in summer’s garden glories
Who doesn’t like a fort? I suppose this would be a great idea for a kids’ reading area; providing children with their own little quiet-time space would probably get their imaginations soaring and keep them engaged in those summer reading lists from school. But I kind of like it and am now thinking my office needs a fort.
Suggested reading: The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynn Reid Banks
Now It’s Your Turn
Homeowners: What’s on your summer reading list, and where’s the best place in your home to enjoy it?
Professionals: Post photos of libraries and reading nooks you’ve created and share any “required” reading for homeowners.
And remember: “A book is a dream that you hold in your hands” — Neil Gaiman.
More:
Simple Pleasures: Get a Book Club Going
Book It: Bring a Mini Library to Your Front Yard
