Who doesn’t love a window seat? They just INVITE lounging and feel luxurious and decadent! But they are also a practical way to add seating where space is at a premium, and potentially add storage as well.
Where to use a window seat
A window seat, by definition, involves a window! If the window has a lovely view, even better! A window seat provides a wonderful place to lounge and contemplate a spectacular view. But a great view is certainly not a requirement.
For a bedroom, living space, or hall alcove, a window seat can make a lovely reading nook. It might include storage cabinets or drawers below the seat and built in bookshelves and lighting.
A built-in storage wall in this compact home office includes a sunny window seat - it is, of course, the cat’s favorite spot in the house! JRL Interiors
The bedroom window seat pictured in the opening image is in my own primary bedroom and includes storage below the seat as well as wall sconces to add mood lighting. It is the perfect place to curl up with a cup of tea and journal or meditate. You can see more images from this room in the ORC dressing room reveal.
built in window seat nook. image via Alexandria Moulding
For a kitchen, breakfast room, or dining space, a window seat makes a great place to hang out and converse with the cook. With an adjacent dining table, it makes wonderfully flexible bench seating - a great way to squeeze in a lot of people in a smaller space, or a place to lounge and linger for after dinner conversation and drinks.
For any tight space where seating is needed a built in windowseat can be an ideal solution.
City condo breakfast nook featuring an L-shaped window seat to take advantage of a small space. Performance fabric covered cushions and a galvanized tin tabletop make this a hard working and practical family space. JRL Interiors
Window seat basics
Window seats are most commonly custom built-ins that are fitted to the window or alcove. Some have backs, some do not. Sometimes they incorporate out of the way storage for less frequently used items, sometimes they are just millwork, and sometimes they are open underneath to accommodate mechanical systems like heating or AC vents.
We created this window seat with millwork feet to allow circulation for the existing floor vents, while providing some extra seating space in this connecting space. JRL Interiors
Window seats can also be created with furniture - benches or settees nestled into an alcove are a less costly way to get the mood of a window seat without the expense of a custom built-in. You can even use a cubby tower (like the IKEA Kallax) on it’s side and topped with a cushion to create an impromptu bench.
Standard seat height is between 18” and 20” from the floor for a seat that works comfortably with a dining table. Be sure to factor in the height of your seat cushion when calculating the height to build your window seat.
While you can perch on a shallower bench, ideally a window seat should be ~18” deep or more. The deeper it is, the more lounge-y and inviting it feels!
The breakfast nook in this expansive kitchen features a window seat built into the curve of the windows with storage drawers below. Custom fitted seat cushions and throw pillows outfit the nook in comfort and spectacular style. JRL Interiors
Window seat pillows
Much like a sofa, and many even more so since they rarely have an upholstered back or sides, a window seat NEEDS throw pillows both to look inviting and to be comfortable! Having pillows you can lean or lounge against is part of what makes a window seat function well.
For our breakfast room refresh project in progress, we’ve selected an assortment of delicious textured fabrics for the throw pillows to enhance the striped seat cushions and beckon guests to lounge.
Multicolor stripe for the window seat cushions was the starting point for the breakfast room color scheme of blues, greens, and corals. JRL Interiors. .
This 15 feet of window alcove needs at least 7 good sized pillows, and more would not go amiss! We’ll do appliquéd patterned pillows reversible to a fuzzy chenille, some solid chenille pillows, and some diamond embroidered pillows. Different edge treatments will lend more variety with self welting and micro flange edging.
A collection of delicious textured fabrics for custom pillows for the striped window seat in our kitchen refresh project. JRL Interiors
Unless allergies dictate otherwise, our custom pillows are always generously stuffed with a feather/down blend filler to look plump and inviting and to retain their fluff-ability. Polyfill or foam flattens into sad pancake pillows much too quickly! (be sure to check out our tips for getting pillows right HERE).
