Creating A Reading Sanctuary
Carving Out A Corner of Your Space for Peaceful Reading
Looking for a quiet atmosphere that is conducive to relaxing with a good book? Look no further than your own home!
Our lives are packed to the brim with work, school, activities with the kids, the list could go on indefinitely. Finding time to read among all the hustle and bustle can be difficult, but it can also be quite rewarding. The key is to find a place where you can go when you want to relax with a good book and a cup of coffee (or wine perhaps!). You've probably tried reading at the library, the coffee shop, the park, during breaks at work, or on the sidelines at your kids' games. However, none of these places offer the peace and the quiet and the overall relaxing atmosphere you are seeking. You want a reading refuge of your own. And what better place, than in your own home!
Making a temporary sanctuary
You don't need to have a designated room to have a reading sanctuary. You can spend some time on the couch after the kids have gone to bed and the husband's in the other room watching TV. Light some candles to create ambiance. Scented ones with a relaxing aroma, such as lavender or lilac, will set the scene. Curl up on the couch with a warm blanket, a good book and a glass of wine or a cup of tea or coffee and dig in.
Creating a permanent sanctuary
If you do happen to have a small room that's become your home's "junk room", why not convert it into your reading sanctuary? With a little imagination and creativity you can really have a place of your own just for reading. Try painting the walls with calming and relaxing colors (think lavender, light blue and soft green). Tack up an inspiration board that is aesthetically pleasing to you. Invest in a cozy chair, couch or chaise lounge, or even just pile different textures and sizes of throw pillows on the floor. Make sure that your room has good lighting, either natural or artificial. You may want to also include some music into your reading sanctuary to block out the outside noise. (Think New Age Instrumentals.) Even a sound machine would work for this purpose. And don't forget to put your "Do Not Disturb" sign up when you are in your reading sanctuary, so that everyone in the house recognizes that it is your quiet time.
Using the outdoors as a sanctuary
What if outdoors is more your thing? What could be a better location for a reading sanctuary than your backyard garden! Set up a comfortable chair and table and bring out a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade or iced tea. Inhale the scent of the flowers around you, listen to the birds sign, and enjoy all the colors of the plants and flowers against the sunshine.
Your reading sanctuary can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. The point is that it should be a place where you can go and feel relaxed and spend some undisturbed time with a good book.
