Another Dormer Window Nook Update

I PROMISE this is the last dormer update you’ll see from me (mainly because it’s the only one left  ) So we have been working on this little space for a while and to be honest it’s not technically complete, but it will probably stay in this state for a while until I’m ready to get back to it… honestly that’s the way it is sometimes! As you may remember I have already renovated / updated the two other dormer windows in the master bath and closet, but this one is in the “Princess Suite” which is our middle daughter’s room. Again it was just a long hall to a seat destination, not very comfy but it did have a little storage.

This is the picture my hubby took during the walk through inspection.

At this point I have already painted the nook Benjamin Moore’s Teal, which is quite a lovely very dark color that coordinates beautifully with her wall color which is Benjamin Moore’s Sagebrush a totally soothing spa like green/blue/grey… I want to envelope myself in this color it’s so perfect!

I have also made a window shelf with vintage wood brackets and a blackout Roman shade for her as she loves sleeping in pitch black and lets face it at 20 years old she doesn’t want to wake up with the sun!

I had measured the length and width of the dormer and determined it was the perfect size for a twin size bed and what a great place to curl up and read a book (Cassidy is an avid reader) or maybe if you have a friend come over there is a place for her to sleep. It is also a great place to watch the deer in the backyard or just enjoy the scenery.

So rather than remove the existing set we just added to it, much easier in the long run and no need to make a big mess…

First we added 2×4’s, screwing them to the studs with 3” screws after ensuring they were level both front to back and side to side.

Then we added cross braces in order to support the plywood platform.

I was very concerned about screws not being able to withstand weight so we used these hanger pieces to add additional bracing and support

We added 3 cross braces in total, feeling like that should be plenty of support.

We added a 3/4 plywood top, which will eventually have pistons installed on it so you can access the area for storage, but for now is just sitting on the 2×4’s.

We then built a box out of MDF (using the Kreg jig and pocket screws) and nailed it to the sides of the end 2×4’s. This area is right near the outlet and we thought it would be a great charging station area for cell phones, iPads and laptops.

We added MDF around the face of the box, caulked, spackled and added back the baseboard molding to the space.

It took about three coats of teal to cover all of the raw wood, had I primed it with my grey tinted primer I’m sure I could have done it in two. Also, I added a little trim to the front just to jazz it up a bit and that was it!

A nice place to store books and show off collectables… and collect dust if I’m being honest…

Throw a bunch of comfy pillows and a blanket here and it’s such a cozy spot!

I hung up a charcoal drawing self-portrait my daughter drew in high school. She’s a very talented artist I just hope she keeps it up!

Like I said it truly is a great chilling out spot, the kids used it a lot during Christmas break for watching movies and napping (the shades are blackout). The mattress pad that I have on it I bought at Ikea for about $100, it’s foam and comes with a cover and is about 3.5” thick and it’s pretty comfy. I have temporarily wrapped it in a twin sized white duvet cover, but I will get around to making a real cover for it eventually. Like I said we still need to add the pistons on it that will allow easy and safe access to the storage portion, but since we don’t need to store anything there it’s on the backburner for now.

We have three dormers in our home and for each one we have customized it to work for us. I understand why the contractors build little seats in dormers to make them seem useful, but for us I’d much rather have a space we would really use, not just something to fill the void… So what do you think? Have you done anything awesome to your dormers? I would love to know what other people are doing too!

Thanks for stopping by!