If space in your home is an issue, a study nook is a great alternative to a full-blown office area.

Metricon interior designer Hannah Joosse says study nooks can be set up as part of the main communal living zone without taking up space in other areas.

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Study nooks can be squeezed into communal living areas.

Alternatively, they can be established in other parts of the home where there is available unused space such as the zone under the staircase.

“Study nooks don’t have to be grand. It’s all about practical spaces and using creative storage solutions to make the most of a smaller area,” Ms Joosse says.

“With computers becoming such a huge part of family living, having a study nook located centrally within your home is a great way to keep everyone together while allowing everyone to do their own thing.

“It allows for easy supervision of children and provides the opportunity for family members who consider themselves a bit of a whiz in the kitchen to look up that show-stopping recipe for dinner without having to go too far.’’

Ms Joosse points out that having additional cabinetry above a study nook is a great way of bringing in extra storage capacity.

“You can never have too much storage,” she says.

The Metricon designer says when setting up a study nook it’s important to have plenty of power points for all your gadgets.

Pinboards help to collate ideas and keep you inspired.

She adds that “great lighting” is another vital element in creating a good study nook.

“A study nook can be used for many things so keep it versatile,” she says.

“You may use your study nook as a place to pay bills or just spend some leisurely time on the computer, whereas your kids might use the space for studying and school projects, so you want to make sure it caters for all people and all family members.”

Ms Joosse suggests that the installation of a chalkboard painted area that you can write on is a fun way to mix the practical and stylish elements of a study nook.

“Not only does it make for a stylish feature wall, but it can also act as a helpful and fun way to keep track of things because you list them on the wall and wipe them off when the task is completed,” she says.

And when it comes to storage, Ms Joosse says decorative boxes are a great way of ensuring a study nook is a clutter-free space.

Seating is the other key component in designing a study nook.

“A stool that can live under the bench when it’s not being used is a great way to save on space,” says the interior designer.

“Pin boards are a great way of keeping any pieces of paper together, rather than having messy piles on your desk. They can also work as a stylish focal piece.”

Ms Joosse points out that keeping the study nook space “relatively minimalistic will make the space more functional and easy to use”.

“This is one space in the home where less is definitely more,” she says.

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