A Little Girl and a Window Seat...

Here is the Girly Girl's room when we looked at the house:

At first glance I thought no way would this periwinkle blue color work, but after we moved her things in, the pink bedding made the walls look lavender - and that can work with pink, right? Very princessy. But after living with it for a while, it just isn't working. And the wood trim just really has to go.

But before we do all the painting (or beg and plead to hire someone to do more painting), we want to make her the window seat she has been wanting for a long time. She has the perfect little inset window, just begging for place to snuggle up with a blanket and a good book and watch it rain outside.

Are you wondering if the first thing I did in this room was to rip down the balloon vallances stuffed wtih paper? Yes! It was!

But the question is, what to do with the rest of the wall after the window seat? Should we make built-in bookshelves? Or a built-in bookcase/desk combo? Will she use a desk in her room? I have heard lots of people say that their kids don't do homework alone in their room. She really needs to storage for books, trophies and other things she likes to have out - but I would save space by putting a desk here rather than on another wall in her room.

What do you think?

Here are some of my inspiration pictures for the wall-to-be...

Desk/Bookshelves:

Desk 1

I think this one is my favorite, with a combination of covered storage and open. And this is about the amount of space we have to work with.

Desk 2

Houseography

This one is so pretty with the arches.

Desk 3

Perfect plan with the window seat already in place.

Desk 4

Desk 5

This is really pretty.

Desk 6

Window Seat:

Seat 1

Love these drawers for additional storage, but how hard would this be!? And I love all that molding with the chair rail...

Seat 2

This is different with the bookshelves inside the window seat...

Seat 3

Simple and easy.

Seat 4

Plenty of room for books, but maybe not with my 8 foot ceilings...

Seat 5

More simple and easy.

Any favorites?

Bookshelves?

I think I have found the best arrangement for the Living Room. I'm not over the moon about it, but it is the only one that makes sense. I did have a bit of an epiphany that might just balance out the room. What about two bookcases on either side of the doorway to the dining room? It might balance all the black abyss Big Bertha has to offer.

What do you think?

I thought that I need something with decorative cutout sides to keep it a little airier than solid black. And it would give a little more interest for the eye. I found the perfect bookcases at Costco, but I went today to get a second look and they were all gone. Then I found these online:


A mere $649 from Ballard Designs, I did think for a minute how I was going to talk Ryan into letting me spend $1300 on bookcases for a room we rarely sit in - but then I came to my senses.


A little better, $250 from CSN - but does it have enough finesse?




Hmmm - a bit more whimsical? $240 from CSN, and free shipping! I think I like the open back look.

Any opinions? No bookcases? Any favorites here?