Playroom/ dining room storage -window seat?

osian

Hi,

Just want to get some opinions on my idea. In my front room I have a bay window. It's a bit of a waste of space really so I am thinking of getting a window seat made with some storage underneath. A local carpenter has quoted me £275 to make one with a radiator cover as the back of the seat and lift up storage underneath.

I use the front room mainly to keep my daughters toys in and it is getting quite cluttered, and I also want it to become a dining room as it was originally. So, I was thinking if I got a window seat made it would provide some storage for toys and also seating for one side of a dining table.

I was also thinking of having some shelving units like this stacked up http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20135300 with baskets on one side of the wall so toys can be put away, and some shelving put in to the alcoves, so it can look like a reasonably adult room as well as a playroom during the day.

I also have a 3 seater settee in the room so I guess it would be useful to have friends and their children around to play.

Anyone else got a window seat? Is it a worthwhile idea?
Any other tips for combining childrens storage without it looking too childish?

Thanks

clw1

We also have that shelving unit (but the taller 8 box one) with wicker baskets and it is great for tidying toys away. The door inserts would be good to store books away from sight and the drawers would be good for colouring stuff like paper. I find that the more kids stuff you can tidy away the more "adult" it becomes in the evening.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10115760
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90190944

If you made the window seat a toybox too it might be hard to access to get the toys out with a dining table in front of it. I think you'd be constantly moving the table out to get to the toy box and shoving it back in to get the table close enough to eat on.

Maybe a better option is a larger trunk that doubles as a side table for the sofa to chuck large toys in (ie the ones that don't fit in the boxes in the bookcase). Something like this maybe ?
http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/homeware/livingroomfurniture/3/3?extra=sch&n=homeware&pid=727-616&exclude=00IL0100%7c00IL00%7c00I00&returnurl=%2fshop%2fcat%2dstorage%2dgattproductaffiliation%2dfurniture%2d0%3fx%3d1%26nxti%3d0%26nxtv%3d0%23727%2d616&bct=%26quot%3bShop%20By%20Product%26quot%3b%26nbsp%3b%26gt%3b%26nbsp%3bStorage%26nbsp%3b%26gt%3b%26nbsp%3bFurniture

Also you could ask the person who makes the window seat to put spaces the size of the boxes in the bookcase under the seat so you can rotate the boxes with the ones in the bookcase to change the toys available (you'd prob only need to then move out the table every fortnight to swap the boxes over).

osian

Thank you clw1. I do like those ikea units, I'm glad you find them useful for tidying toys.

It's a good idea to make the window seat to incorporate the boxes, I'll keep that in mind - thank you!

It's just so hard at the moment to keep the house tidy, feel like we're living under a mound of toys and books - well until my toddler goes to bed and I tidy up again.

Thank you.

peachyprice

I just love window seats. I don't have one in this house but did in the bay of my last.

Are you going to have it upholstered? There's nothing quite like sitting in a window seat with a coffee and good book, especially in the winter when the warn sun comes through. My idea of heaven!

osian

peachyprice wrote: »

I just love window seats. I don't have one in this house but did in the bay of my last.

Are you going to have it upholstered? There's nothing quite like sitting in a window seat with a coffee and good book, especially in the winter when the warn sun comes through. My idea of heaven!

Thanks for replying.

If I do have one made, I am going to get some foam covered in a fabric to tie in with the rest of the room and some nice cushions too.

The more I think of it I think I will go ahead with it, the bay at the moment seems such a waste of space, furniture is either too big or too small to fit in the gap properly and it just looks daft, plus I have a radiator to hide too.

I'm just worried a little as we are thinking of moving one day - not yet, but when house prices settle down in a couple of years hopefully. Would it put buyers off or is it a positive feature?

bonty44

I think it's a positive feature, in fact I am thinking of having one myself! But will need to save up first.