Making the perfect reading nook and daydream spot, window seats are an at-home refuge for AT's Escapes Month. A cozy window seat with natural light is an ideal place to read, blog and take a nap (not necessarily in that order). We rounded up photos and sources to help you make your very own window seat, including some wild window seats from around the world ...
Roundup: Best Window Seats 2008
Washington DC
Online Sources for Creating Your Own Window Seat:
- Instructions and how-to video for making a window seat out of stock kitchen cabinets from This Old House
- An Ikea leksvik tv bench hacked into a window seat from Ikea Hacker
- Order cushions in different shapes and sizes from Cushion Source
- Decorating ideas for bay windows from Rafter Tales
Past AT Posts:
- The Ikea Molger bench as window bench
- Aad's Homage to his old dwelling - a House Tour from 2007 with an amazing window seat
More great window seat ideas from around the web:
- Castle window seat (from flickr user Haribo)
- Locker cabinets and cushions make a great window seat (from flickr user halfbisqued)
- Window seat with drawers and tropical cushions (from flick user tektsu)
- Window seat with a lift-up lid to provide storage from Handyman Photos
- A bench that comes out from and faces the window from Design & Emotion
- Window seat in an eclectic library from HGTV
- Urban cottage with bay window seat and curtain from HGTV - this episode features our very own Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan!
- custom built window seat with storage and fancy curtains from picasa user Bill
- reading nook from flickr user Design Public
Window Seats in Hotels:
- The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
- Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele
Don't Forget Your Pets - Window Seats Especially for Cats:
Did we miss your favorite window seat? Please let us know.
[top photos from Secret Beach B & B and Coastal Designs; photos below the jump from Handyman Photos, HGTV, flickr user Haribo, Omega Paw Window Seat, ]
Comments (6)
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Window seats are great, but designing a room to flow when you have a huge window seat can be problematic. I have yet to see a layout like my LR so that I can see how someone else solved the problem that I am having.
view cinema's profile
When I walked into what is now my loft in LA I had two thoughts:
1) I want to live here
2) This place could use a window seat.
I had a carpenter make the window seat to end all window seats. It spans the whole length.
http://exonome.com/fj/living_spaces/LA_loft/window_seat_to_kitchen.jpg
I designated a reading area:
http://exonome.com/fj/living_spaces/LA_loft/window_seat.jpg
and also use it as an extra dining seat:
http://exonome.com/fj/living_spaces/LA_loft/dinner_table.jpg
http://exonome.com/fj/living_spaces/LA_loft/window_seat_kitchen.jpg
view FJ!!'s profile
FJ!!! - great photos and ideas. Thanks for sharing!
view rachael in dc's profile
I absolutely LOVE the window seat in the third pic. Always loved the idea of having bay windows with a seat and plenty of fluffy cushions.
I think watching Small Wonders (Vicky the Robot, remember??) as I was growing up has contributed to my liking window seats :)
view water damage restoration's profile
Window seats work best when they can be opened from the front. Tops that open may seem cool. but they're not nearly as useful because you have to dismantle the whole thing just to get to the storage. Just a tip if you're building one.
view quiltmaster's profile
I'd love a window seat and have the perfect spot for one - but my loft has large and tall double glass thermal windows so there would be no way to stand close enough to open the one that would be above the seat.
view Taureg's profile