Odd spaces in homes are like musical ear worms to me… They beckon, on repeat.

Take this nook space in our living room. From what we can tell from renovation plans left behind by the home’s previous owners, this was created during a major overhaul of the home in the early aught’s.

It immediately had me brainstorming after first touring the house, and nearly two years later, I still am.

In the middle of grocery shopping, I’ll stop and think suddenly, “Reading nook!”

Upon waking in the morning: “Toy storage!”

At the UPS Store: “Piano room!” (We don’t have a piano currently.)

During daycare drop-off: “Homework station!” (Our son isn’t school-aged yet.)

And on and on it goes. This nook is like a solution waiting for a problem, and I know in some mystical future state it will become what it’s meant to be.

For now, I’ve set it up as a seating space where we can play the occasional chess game or tackle bills or computer errands when we want to be in the “main space” while someone else watches TV.

By the way, we play A LOT of chess around here (games daily!) and it’s a great way for my husband and I to catch up after a long day. Simply the act of displaying the chess set in a prominent place in this house and our others has led to the habit, and they’re an affordable decor element that you can get in a ton of different styles. (A few options from Amazon below. I think the outdoor version below might be in our future at some point!)

The nook is also a way to keep extra dining chairs within easy reach of the kitchen when we’re not hosting. But while it’s functional enough at the moment, it definitely needs a design zhush. Wallpaper? Patterned chair slipcovers?

The brainstorming continues.