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I would like to share my recent project - I am so happy with how it turned out, despite my husband (Lee) and I not doing anything like this before! It basically started as a bunch of random sketches which I presented to Lee and asked him if he could make it. 😆 Luckily for me (and him!), he said yes, and here we are! I had seen similar creations online which had provided me with some inspiration, but as the space ear-marked was unique to us, we had to build it to suit. This project came about because we had a nook in the main bedroom that was pretty useless. We wanted to make it more cohesive with the rest of the room and provide some storage which we desperately needed.
We searched for some flat-pack drawers which were suitable. Size was the most important element and what would fit, so we decided on some Nordli drawers from Ikea. These were especially good as we could just buy the drawer carcasses, rather than a complete unit.
The first job was to pull back the existing carpet and remove the grippers and flooring from the area, ahead of the framing.
The framing served a dual purpose. We needed to create a stable base to attach the carcasses to, but also needed to elevate them off the floor slightly. We used the blue treated pine for this, which you can buy by the linea metre. Our concrete sub-floor was a bit brittle in places, so we plugged and screwed and used liquid nails to secure in place.
The drawers were then built and placed on the framing before screwing down. We didn't have quite enough room sadly for another small set of end drawers, so we decided to make a shelf space for storage. The other 3 sides (1 side being the drawer end) were framed out using white melamine shelving which we cut to size. We set the framing away from the wall to allow another piece of the timber to sit securely on top of the drawers at the back. This was done to allow us to have a stable structure to attach the timber top onto. We added some pine framing down the left hand side of the bench seat to make sure that we had adequate room to open and close the drawers. We also used a small piece of timber along the bottom to hide the framing.
Next came the timber top! We used a Specrite Red Oak panel which was 2400 x 900mm, which we cut down to size. It looks like that particular panel isn't in stock at the moment, so here is a similar product:
The panel was glued down, as well as using little brackets around the perimeter of the drawer carcasses. It was then given a good sand all over using an orbital sander, and some Tassie Oak quarter rounds were placed to hide the small gaps left for expansion against the walls. The wood was then stained with Feast & Watson Liming White
I hope that this project inspires someone else to make use of a wasted space in their living area or bedroom. This was our 'before' space, which was a dark space with no real purpose.
Hi @theDIYedit
Thank you very much for sharing this beautiful custom-built window seat project. The drawers are very nicely built and the Specrite panel fits perfectly with your setup. It's a fantastic transformation and makes that area very appealing as a relaxation spot.
Again, thank you for sharing such a wonderful project.
Eric
This is brilliant @theDIYedit!
You have really transformed this dead space into one that can be enjoyed for many reasons. I like that you were clever in design knowing you couldn't do another drawer and left it as a simple nook for displayed storage. Did you have to make a custom cushion for the bench?
Katie
Wow, your custom-built window seat with storage is absolutely impressive, @houseonhockhill! You've certainly put a lot of thought into this project, and you've done an awesome job, especially for your first time creating anything like this. What a wonderful way to use a nook, and you've achieved an amazing result. I trust it's a wonderful place to curl up with a coffee and a book.
Many thanks for sharing and well done.
Mitchell
