Sitting Pretty With Window Seats

Vintage-Style Seat

Period kitchens featured furniture pieces for storage, food prep, and seating. Making this window seat's top out of stained oak that matches the counters on the flanking china cupboards ties them all together, but its more elaborate millwork and high-gloss black paint make it feel like a separate piece. Pull up a small table and it doubles as a banquette.

Tip: In kitchens, mudrooms, and dens, where spots and spills might be a problem, opt for patterned fabrics and removable, washable covers for window seat cushions.

Skill Builder: How to Build a Wall-to-Wall Window Seat

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