The Goods

Bookish Doormats To Welcome Your Guests

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Kelly Jensen

Editor

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She's the editor/author of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

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I don’t have a welcome mat at my door. I also don’t have one of those 6′ wooden signs welcoming people. It’s not that I don’t have a place for folks to wipe their shoes off before entering. It’s because, well, not everyone is welcome.

The good news is, whether you’re a “welcome” person or not, you, too, can have a doormat that allows visitors to scrape off the mud and grass they’re tracking with them before entering. For book lovers, there are a wealth of bookish doormats from which to choose.

A nice thing about bookish doormats is even if you don’t have an official front door entrance, you can use these anywhere in your home. If you’re in an apartment and your landlord allows, plop one right outside your entrance. Don’t have the capacity to do that? Why not put it right inside the door?

Let’s take a look at some of the fun bookish doormat possibilities for reading nerds.

Welcome — or Not — To Bookish Doormats

Image of black and white doormat that reads "Go Away. I'm Reading."

For those who don’t want a welcome mat, this is an ideal option: remind people to go away because you’re reading. $42

Image of a doormat that reads "Go away" in red and "I'm reading" in black.

For another take on the go away bookish doormat, this one is much bolder. $30 and up

Doormat with words "Speak Friend and Enter" in black and a tree in the middle.

Never fear, Lord of the Rings fans. Your welcome mat can let everyone know about your fandom. $30 and up

Image of doormat with a wizard-like silhouette and inside of it, the words "you shall not pass."

“You shall not pass” would be a fun one to plink down at the backdoor while using the LOTR-inspired rug from above at the front. $40

Black doormat with white font. The text reads "Some cause happiness wherever they go;; others whenever they go"

What would your first thought be if you went to someone’s house and they had an Oscar Wilde quote doormat? $42

A black doormat covered in white devils that reads "Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

This Shakespeare doormat is FUN. $42

Hand painted letters reading "toad hall" with a small frog on a brown doormat. There is a pair of witchy shoes on the mat.

THE doormat for fans of the classic The Wind in the Willows. $47 and up

Image of a black doormat with a golden, Hamilton-inspired design. It can be customized but reads "Welcome to Katherine's Reading Room. The room where it happens."

If you’re at the intersection of “loves Hamilton” and “loves reading,” then this customizable reading room doormat is 100% for you. $30 and up

Brightly colored map of England with key Pride and Prejudice landmarks.

You may not want to put this one outside. Travel to Pemberley and the world of Jane Austen with this map rug. $43

Brown doormat with black text reading "Just so you know, there's like a lot of books in here," with a stack of books below.

Depending on your take, this doormat is either a badge of honor or shame. $50 and up

Image of a brown doormat with an image of Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts. Text reads "Off With Your Shoes!"

It’s just CLEVER, okay? “Off with your shoes!” Queen of Hearts doormat, $40

Image of a black cat reading a book with the text "Go away I'm reading" on a brown doormat.

We need to be Very Clear about the messaging sometimes, so here’s another “Go Away I’m Reading” doormat, featuring a Very Serious Black Cat. $28

Now find yourself envisioning a space where you can be left alone to read? You’ll love these reading nook ideas. Conversely, find yourself wanting to make your space cozy and welcoming for more readers? We’ve got you with literary throw pillows.