Turning An Old Plank Walkway Into Window Seats

Customized window seats were going to cost me $900. Being Do-It-Yourselfers, and people who work "on a dime" this was a big ouch! BUT I was willing to fork it over since my hubby declared he was on strike from any more house projects (yes, he has worked his butt off to get our home to where it is now in a years' time) and I just couldn't stand the thought of our newly renovated sun room without window seats under all those windows!

THEN... while waiting for my woodworking man to finish up some other jobs so he could get to my window seats.... dun da dun.... my dad drove up for a visit. We were out snooping around in the old corncrib when we both spotted something up in the rafters and a light bulb went on in our heads! WINDOW SEAT!

But what was it? Our best guess is an old wooden sidewalk or planked walkway. And wouldn't you know, it was just a few inches longer than the wall it needed to be span!!!

We cleaned it up, and Dad added legs. Using plywood we also found, he cut it and secured it to the legs for the "floor". I wanted it to have a bottom for a more finished look. Then the whole thing got a nice coat of white semi gloss paint. Semi gloss because well, I have three kids and that would be easier to clean up!

Using tongue and groove boards from the inside walls of the corncrib, my hubby and I constructed the wooden storage boxes for underneath. You can see those and how I added the DIY chalkboards using frames from the dollar store here: http://www.kammyskorner.com/2015/11/window-seat-storage-boxes-from-corn.html

Okay, I just gotta show you a peek in to what this room looked like before I show you the finished product. (ALMOST finished - I'm still looking for the perfect rug!). I guess it's not a total before since this was taken after we removed the brown carpet and five layers of other flooring.

Dad had to make the window seat along the perpendicular wall to match the plank walkway one. You can tell which one is the old walkway and which is "new" construction if you look closely. Dad tried to make it slightly uneven to get the old look, but he insisted it was more difficult to make something new look old. :) In all, we ended up only spending about $25. Compared to $900? I'd say we didn't do too shabby. :)

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/12578635/turning-an-old-plank-walkway-into-window-seats site