Go to Houzz.com and search on window seat. It brings up 14,614 photos!

Here is a link that might be useful: Houzz window seat query

Here's 2 pics of our window seat. I didn't think through the window seat concept in several ways that I hugely regret.

1) I wanted custom cushions (back & seat) made and had the seat cushion originally made to be about 2.5" thick (really comfy). The window seat cabinetry was built to be the right seat height for sitting at a table with NO padding. So, with the padding, it was way too high. It felt really awkward, like you were leaning onto the table. I was distraught, after spending about $500 on fabric & labor. I was able to have the seat cushion re-worked and padding removed from the pillow backs, but they are not as fluffy and pretty as originally sewn. Just think through your pillow/cushion situation!

2) I should have made the cabinetry "seat" deeper. Especially, since I have the back pillows, the seat could be another 1-2" deeper and it would feel better.

3) We centered the chandelier in the middle of the room. And later bought a trestle table (more narrow). If we have the table pushed to provide the window seating, then the chandelier is not centered over the table and we have to be careful that people don't hit their head. So, unless we need the window seating, we have been leaving the table centered under the chandy and this makes the window seat more of general seating instead of table sitting.

I really wanted a functional window seat, and maybe I'm too hard on myself, but I consider those mistakes to be some of the largest mistakes I made on our home build. We can fit a lot of people around that table, including the seat, but it just isn't as pratical for lounging for hours as I'd hoped! We have only lived in our home for 5 months, and we do use it pretty regularly though.

(Our window seat is about 165" long. The seat depth is 18.5" and the seat height is 20" off the floor)

Homeforsale..... I love your floors!!!!!! What kind? Is it pergo or wood? Love the color!!!

thanks! They are red oak #1 wood laid in the home then hand scraped with the grain. We had a complete debacle with the stain color (I posted on this forum last year). I still believe they mixed up the buckets from what they SAID was the sample color and what was really applied. So I can't completely confirm the stain colors. I was told that they used Mesquite Red. Whatever they were they were completely too red for our taste. We fired that company and hired another guy to inexpensively salvage our floors and get to a color we liked. He ended up applying a polyurethane coat *tinted* with Rosewood stain. Probably way too much info! But the color could be a difficult one to match!

If you go to the "Small Home" forum, lavender lass has posted some of her pics that she is thinking about using.

Thank you everyone for your posts and details!

Ooo - home4sale -- I feel your pain. My biggest fear is that I'm going to make exactly the same kind of mistakes on our upcoming new build. The chandelier over the kitchen table is a looming issue. I know that the table will not be centered in front of the french doors to the patio, so the chandelier will also have to be offset. And I'm such a symmetrical girl!!

Anyway, can you lengthen the chain on your chandelier and then swag it so that it is centered over the trestle table where you actually want it to be? Just a thought....