“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark on a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” John Boswell certainly captured the slow cozy feeling that winter can bring, and one of the best ways to fill those idle hours is to pick up a book.

There aren’t many things more comforting than the feeling of a thick read in your hands and the smell of steaming peppermint tea. Every person deserves a special place in their home to curl up with a book and hot tea. A reading nook just for lingering and escaping into the pages of a real page turner. Take a look at these 10 essentials for creating a cozy reading nook in your home.

1. A Dedicated Space

Before you can put together a reading nook of your own, you have to decide where you want to put it. Whether it’s a corner of your living room or a bedroom window seat, dedicate the space to literature and coziness. (via Style Files)

2. A Chair

Is it cotton? Is it leather? Is it large or does it form to your body? Every reading nook requires seating and of course you’ll want to choose something that will make you want to spend all your free time right there. (via Modern Parents Messy Kids)

3. Book Storage

Whether you’re an intense reader of one book at a time or you skip from title to title depending on your mood, you need a space to keep all those volumes. It helps to have a bookshelf close to your reading space for maximum convenience. (via Design Milk)

4. Table Space

You can’t very well hold a cup of teaand a book at the same time. Give yourself a little side table to hold your beverage of choice while you turn the pages. (via Love Grows Wild)

5. Lighting

You need light to read so choosing the darkest corner of your house for a nook isn’t the best idea. The ideal space includes a window for reading by day and a nice lamp for nighttime perusing. (via Popsugar)

6. Put Up Your Feet

Your cat probably won’t be happy if there isn’t lap space in your new reading nook. Put up your feet on a cushioned pouf or ottoman and you can both be comfortable while you read. (via Emily Henderson)

7. Pillows and Throws

Speaking of being comfortable, pillows and blankets are a necessity when it comes to comfort in your home. If you’ve got them on your couch and your bed, why not steal one or two for your reading chair. (via My Paradissi)

8. Pretty Plants

Big plants, small plants, whatever you’ve got, grab one and put it near your reading space. This will help to create a relaxing and rejuvenating atmosphere. (via Fabric Paper Glue)

9. Personal Touches

No person is happier than when they have their own things around them. Bring your reading nook to life with some bits and baubles and art that reflect your style and personality. And possibly the book you’re reading. (via Kimberly Genevieve)

10. Love Your Space

In the end, you need to love your reading nook. Create a space that inspires you to spend some time in the pages of a good book. If you put it together and you don’t like it, try again until you can sit with a sigh of contentment that says “This is home.” (via Apartment Therapy)