Around the House || Our Reading Nook

I love that the summer gives me more time to tweak - to focus on the details of the kids, our lives and rhythms, and this home that often blur into the busy of life once the school year starts again.  At the beginning of every calendar year, I make a long list of house organization and cleaning projects I want to tackle throughout the year.  These are small, but rewarding projects I can tackle in one sitting, things like "clean and organize utensil drawer," "hang some things on the walls in the guest room," or "add some pillows to the family room" (because one just can't have enough pillows).  I usually try and cap my list at 100 or so, and then make it a goal to tackle two projects a week.  This process has worked for me for years, as it gives me an opportunity to touch nearly every space (like the pantry, linen closet, sock drawers, etc.) every year, as well as freshen up area I want to give a little love.  It's not overwhelming, I can pick and choose things based on what my week looks like, and it's fun to see gradual progress throughout a year.  

Last week, I put the finishing touches on a favorite space we created in our finished family room downstairs.  When we started to design the blank canvas of our basement space, there was a big wall on the south side of the space that inspired me.  I think it's funny when people say new houses are boring because they lack character.  It's really just a big blank canvas for you to build in all the character you want!  At first we were going to build a closet, but then we couldn't really think of what we'd store in it.  One thing we made sure to do when we built this girl was give her ample storage space!  We also thought about a built-in cabinet set up, complete with counter space for projects, a hard floor for messy things, and a full on creative space for the kids and I do go nuts.  But then we laughed and decided while it sounded cute and Pinterest-y, we don't really do that many messy art projects around here!  And then around that same time, I was watching a rerun of Fixer Upper and I fell in love with the reading nook Chip and Jo built into a big wall right in a family's living space.  And one thing we have no shortage of around here is BOOKS.  The idea was perfectly fitting for the space, and it would make the big space cozy and eye catching.   

I couldn't love this nook more!  It still provides ample storage, three drawers for toys below and a ton of space for books, but it's unique, charming, and usable.  It's the first wow we get when people walk downstairs and it's the perfect space to crawl up with a blanket and read, nap, or play a game of Battleship with Cruz.  And it's big enough for someone to stretch out and sleep there if we need the extra space.  My only complaint is that it's not upstairs!