reading nook

Photo: David Tsay

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The Possibilities
Sohal, 32, has long harbored hopes of transforming the nook into a reading area with comfy cushions for her two boys to relax on. This would give their books—currently metastasizing throughout the house—a "home," and reinforce the importance of reading. It would also require time, and a babysitter...in other words, a commitment. Enter Walsh.

The Process


First, Walsh installs a large white bookcase with plenty of space to store the books currently littering the living room. "Educational, quiet-time toys," as Sohal calls them—an Etch a Sketch, for example—will live in wicker bins on the shelves. All other toys are banished to the playroom.