Really tough to tell much from the pictures posted. can you post pictures without all the glare? Comfy chairs, calm colors, good lighting, small tables for books, etc. Probably a comfy sofa for the children to sit close to see pictures

Try taking pix when the sun is not so bright outside. We like to see all four walls and any furniture you plan to integrate into the space. Comment here and use the Photo button to upload more...

i am going to buy furniture...

really just looking for ideas...

thanks sandra... i was thinking about a comfy chair with ottoman, and a larger bookcase...

Can you create a window seat, and build a few bookcases as the below. You can then add a comfy chair.

Pine Library · More Info

And other ideas.

Living room / Library · More Info

WIMBLEDON FAMILY HOUSE · More Info

Family Room · More Info

Family and budget - you're talking my language! A dear, dear friend of mine introduced me to the wonders of Goodwill about 12 years ago. That first day, someone was bringing in an old oak round table with two leaves - $50. Bought it! Since then, Goodwill has provided sources for all kinds of things - furniture, decorative items (Baldwin Brass candlesticks are a favorite of mine), kitchen goodies, antiques, antique Noritake china that matches the china I have from my grandmother, etc. So, consider adding Goodwill and any thrift store to your weekly shopping trip. Items change quickly, which is nice, and you can find so many things there - lamps, containers for toys, you name it. I've even found Waterford Crystal and Lenox china. Oh - and two sterling silver Revere Bowls. Some days you'll have great luck and other days not so great. I am on a severely limited budget now, so I shop only for what I need, not what I'd like to have or give as a gift.

Next, think outside the box when it comes to furnishing your house. Toss away the magazines that tell you how to decorate. You know what styles you like or gravitate toward, what colors appeal most to you.

Now, for the reading room. I'd get bookshelves at thrift stores, auctions, etc. You can find nicer all-wooden shelves there than you can at other places. Sturdy plastic baskets with solid sides make great bins for sorting books by topic or reading level. Don't get dollar store ones, though, as they are too flimsy. A comfy love seat makes a nice place to share stories. I found a wonderfully made love seat at a garage sale - you can always slipcover or reupholster furniture that you love and is well made. End tables are nice to keep a mug of tea or milk nearby, but don't settle for just "tables". I have an old flat-topped child's school desk that makes an awesome table. I use an old stool for another chair-side table. Old crates (without splinters) can be used as side tables, too.

I'm not a big fan of floor lamps with kids - they look too much like a pole to swing on!

Small rockers would make a nice touch, but my kids always gravitated toward adult-sized furniture.

Other ideas. Look on Pinterest and ebay. Good source of ideas. My daughter and her husband have a new home and I've suggested that they look on ebay for vintage/antique hardware, lamps, etc. that help give a home character.

For instant wall decor that will add character plus help absorb noise, try a quilt. I've purchased beautiful antique quilts on ebay for less than $25. Really! Even a "cutter quilt" could make a pretty valance for your window.

That's it. Out of ideas for now. I'm SO glad you are turning this into a reading room. I actually got rid of TV when my kids were 2, 6, and 7 years old. They turned into voracious readers, love playing all sorts of board games and card games, and can keep a conversation going with just about anyone. Kids don't need TV or electronic games. They need people and activities and books. But I have a feeling you already know that!

Above all, enjoy the process of turning this room into a reading nook! Even the little ones can help with painting and decorating (making choices, taping off windows, etc.) My 4 year old loved sponge painting our dining room! He's now 24.

Thanks for reading my two cents' worth, Andy! I never did include how to pick colors - just that you already know what you like. For ideas, look at your favorite clothing items, the color of the dishes you helped pick out, colors that seem to repeat themselves from room to room. For me, that was burgundy, navy, and hunter green. Those are deep, rich colors but one can definitely go overboard on deep, rich colors! Maybe you can add a chair rail molding in your reading room. That's an easy DIY (really, if I've done it, it's easy!) I painted below a chair rail in my kitchen with burgundy (like old barn burgundy); the chair rail was a creamy color, and above it was just a tad lighter than the molding. Loved it. So did everyone who saw it. I've loved these three colors since I was in my teens, back in times when dinosaurs roamed the earth. But I use them primarily as accents, keeping with neutrals for the most part. I've never tired of it. I hope you post photos of your new room!