Recently, reading nooks have emerged as a popular interior trend, captivating interior design enthusiasts, homeowners and even social media influencers.

Just as we saw with home offices, the demand for cosy spaces to curl up with a book is rapidly rising. Luxury bedroom retailer Feather & Black have been inspired to conduct a study via OnePoll to understand the appeal of reading nooks and how people use books in their interior design.

A study of 2,000 respondents revealed that one in ten use books for decorating and aesthetic purposes, which increases to almost one in five for the 25-34 age bracket (18 per cent) and 14 per cent for 18-24-year-olds. This trend is most likely inspired by the growing popularity of reading among younger generations, the rising bookshelf wealth trend and expanding ‘BookTok’ communities.

It was also revealed that nearly one in ten (8 per cent) plan to invest in a reading nook soon. Younger generations are also more likely to be swayed by this interior trend, with 24 per cent of 24-34-year-olds and 16 per cent of 18-24-year-olds planning to create a reading nook.

As to why people are using literature in interior design, one in three (31 per cent) said they use books to reflect their personality and taste. 28 per cent of people think that books add much-needed texture and colour, while 14 per cent believe having books on display makes them appear more intelligent. One in ten (10 per cent) people admitted they use books as part of the latest fascination with old money aesthetics, as a way to elevate their decor.

When it comes to the most popular place to cosy up with a book, 62 per cent of people claim they prefer to read in bed, with Gen Z (18-24-year-olds) being the most likely to indulge in this habit (76 per cent). The sofa (44 per cent) was named the second most popular spot to read on by bookworms, while one in three (29 per cent) preferred reading in a cosy chair.

There were some other interesting findings from the study as…

- A comfortable chair (69 per cent) was named the must-have element for a perfect reading nook, followed by a relaxing ambience (55 per cent), natural light (54 per cent), a tech-free environment (16 per cent) and cosy decor (15 per cent).

- One in three (32 per cent) of 18-24-year-olds and 41 per cent of 25-34-year-olds claimed they have started to read more in the past year, compared to 30 per cent of 35-44-year-olds, 19 per cent of 45-54-year-olds and 21 per cent of those aged 55+.

- Entertainment (61 per cent), escapism (59 per cent), mental unwinding (57 per cent), physical relaxation (47 per cent), bedtime routine (36 per cent), passing the time (33 per cent), educational purposes (32 per cent), discovering new authors (22 per cent) and digital detox (16 per cent) are the main reasons people read books.

- Mystery (39 per cent) was voted the nation’s favourite genre, followed by detective (36 per cent), history (25 per cent), romance (25 per cent) and biography (24 per cent).

- Romance is the most read genre by the younger generations, with over half of 18-24-year-olds (58 per cent) and 43 per cent of 25-34-year-olds favouring romance books. Mystery was voted the most popular genre by 36 per cent of 35-44-year-olds, 35 per cent of 45-55-year-olds and 42 per cent of 55-64-year-olds, while 53 per cent of those aged 65 and over prefer reading detective novels.

- Only 42 per cent of people finish every book they start reading.

- 36 per cent finish reading books they don’t enjoy.

- 26 per cent of the population reads more than 20 books a year.

- One in five (21 per cent) have more than 20 unread books at home.

- Interestingly, younger generations are the biggest fans of physical books with 84 per cent of 18-24-year-olds preferring to read this way - around 10 per cent more than older generations.

- The feeling of holding a book (77 per cent), easier focus (55 per cent), deeper immersion (46 per cent), the unique smell of books (30 per cent), nostalgia (22 per cent) and interior aesthetic (11 per cent) were named the primary reasons for choosing physical books.

“It’s refreshing to see that reading is coming back into fashion, especially among younger generations - and it’s pleasantly surprising that this trend has manifested itself in interior design. There is something so timeless and sophisticated about being surrounded by books. The results also highlighted that beds and bedrooms are also serving as reading nooks for people, emphasising the importance of creating a tranquil sanctuary in your bedroom where you can spend cosy evenings curled up with your favourite book,’’ says, Feather & Black luxury bedroom expert Steve Payne.