Miniature Book Nooks – Cottagecore, Whimsical Cottage and a Secret Bookcase!

If you have been in the miniature world for more than five minutes, then you have most likely come across the humble book nook. I decided recently to give this project a go and made two book nooks in different styles.

A quick Google search for book nooks will bring up a huge variation of designs and interpretations of this miniature delight. What is the appeal of the book nook? Perhaps the size makes it feel manageable – unlike a whole dollhouse or other large project, it can be completed in a matter of hours or days, depending on the detail. The final result is likely to be satisfying as it’s cute, compact and even on its own, a lovely project to make. But the real joy comes in sliding the book nook onto your bookcase between a row of books – I can’t imagine anyone not finding this just delightful.

How do you make a book nook?

Most book nooks are a similar size but there are many ways of constructing one. There are of course kits that come with everything you need, from the outer box to all the miniatures inside. Some are made just of cardboard while others have more solid pieces. Clever creators on YouTube build the entire nook themselves from scratch, using card or wood to construct the outer box and then decorating inside. If you are curious to see this in action, katharina handmade has this great video – she even makes her own ladder!

The option I went for was to use a wooden kit for building the book nook case, then decorating inside more freely with my own miniatures. I used the kits we sell in the shop by JWT Dollhouses & Miniatures - they make regular book nook boxes but they also have one that – wait for it – comes with a secret bookcase door! Of course I had to try the one with the secret door, but first I created the more traditional nook in a cottagecore style. The kits come with minimal instructions, so it took me a minute to work out exactly where everything went but once I did, it was pretty straightforward. Time to decorate!

Book Nook 1: Cosy Cottagecore

I love everything cottagecore and I especially like how well this aesthetic lends itself to the nostalgia of curling up with a book in a cosy little cottage. I imagine endless cups of tea, crafts and always a book on hand, of course. To decorate, I searched my store for everything floral – wallpaper, furniture, ornaments, paintings – you get the idea. 

I wrote in a previous blog about how I decided on the flooring so check that out if you’re interested in how I chose between wooden floors, wallpaper patterned or carpet. Carpet was the clear winner - it gives me all the cosy feelings - but some of the hard wood floor choices would work also look lovely.

For the exterior of the case, I wanted it to have a brick look to add to the cottage style, even from the outside. I used embossed wallpaper and I do like how it turned out. I’m planning a future video about all the brick options for miniatures because there are quite a few ways to do it. 

Here is the cottagecore book nook - now to find a cosy spot to keep it on my bookshelf!

Cottagecore Book Nook Red Brick Exterior

Book Nook 2: Whimsical Cottage and Secret Bookcase Door

So, this one does have to be my favourite, purely for the bookcase door. I would love to try the same exterior but with different designs inside – I’m thinking a dark academia study or maybe a witch’s kitchen. For a first try though, this was fun to create.

You can see it is quite different from the cottagecore nook. I like the idea of the bookcase leading to another world through a garden, and that led me to the idea of the cottage at the back of the nook. I used a few different materials (through a lot of trial and error!) to bring my idea to life. Wool felt gave the effect of a soft, whimsical sky and I used a DIY trick for making a faux brick wall out of foam for the cottage. Of course, adding the little LED candle through the back add the extra bit of magic that brought it all together. I would like to add some miniature fairy lights so that is on my list of minis to track down.

I had a go at making the miniature books with images from Canva and cutting up many, many, MANY little cardboard rectangles and sticking the covers to the outside. This task is as laborious as you would expect so I think if I did it again, I would either use ready-made books or perhaps buy the little wooden rectangles that just need the covers added.

Here it is, the front, opening and inside the nook. So much fun to create!

The Verdict

I loved making these two styles of book nooks for my first try, I can feel this becoming quite addictive. Pretty much any sort of miniature or dollhouse can be adapted for a mini scene, so it is a very adaptable project. If you create book nooks, I would love to see them. Please feel free to drop me an email at hello@tomthumbs.com.au or pop over to Instagram and share with me there.

That’s it from me this week, I look forward to seeing you next time.

Claire