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How We Made a Dog Bed with Storage!

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

bedside table | cushions | vintage knobs (similar) | vintage print (similar) | faux fur throw

This post is in partnership with Homes.com. See the full tutorial right here!

What does one do with an awkward recess in their bedroom (or in any funny little nook, really)? It was one of the first questions we asked ourselves when we walked through Tree House for the first time. To the left of the closet and next to the bed is a 2′-ish x 4′-ish nook, and for a reason we’ll never know, there was a capped junction box and an off-centered octagon window. For as long as we’ve been renovating the home, we’ve used this dead space for the dogs’ bed, and they’ve become so accustomed to this spot as their zone, that we knew it had to stay their zone! (The few times that we’ve forgotten to move their bed to this area, CC will stand in the nook and let out a yelp! to let us know that, um, it’s past her bedtime, and where is my bed anyway?)

Sweet little crannies, while sometimes awkward, have a special place in my heart. Embrace the awkward, we say! And can we all agree that the off-centered window only adds to the charm? We recently shared our solution for the unused junction box with this brass light, and a few weeks ago, we made the dog nook official in partnership with Homes.com! To get started, we began by drawing up designs to fill the space, seen below. Our idea was to create a window bench of sorts, using a raised bed and incorporating built-in storage:

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

We never finished installing the baseboards in this corner, because all that time ago, we knew they’d eventually need to be pulled out. If you squint, you can even see where I stopped painting the trim (and we didn’t even bother to patch those nail holes!):

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

The trick to filling this space was purchasing a ready-to-assemble cabinet, and we landed on a 36″ w x 24″ d cabinet that would give us maximum storage. Additional trim, fillers, caulk and paint help the cabinet to look like it had always been there!

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

We created a custom cushion using Sunbrella fabric in Heritage Leaf from Patio Lane, adding in bolster pillows at the last minute – because who could resist? A big, fluffy faux fur throw blanket pulls double duty, acting as a cushy, cozy spot for the pups, but it’s also our secret weapon to keep the cushion cleaner, longer. Although the cushion cover is removable and washable, it’s much easier to toss the throw in the wash (again and again). Like the cherry on top, we hung a kitschy painting above and added vintage brass knobs to the cabinet, salvaged during our mudroom demolition:

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

We’re sharing our entire process for creating this DIY window-seat-slash-dog-bed on the Homes.com blog, including a complete supply list breakdown and how we trimmed it all out. Bonus: There’s no shortage of charming pups! Cheers to all the perfectly awkward nooks in the world; may you be filled with sinkable cushions and contain all the things. Find the full tutorial here.

Window seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick HomeWindow seat bench with storage (makes a great elevated dog bed!) | via Yellow Brick Home

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  • ellen from ask away blog9.18.18 - 6:32 AM

    OMG that looks awesome!!!!!! So impressive!ReplyCancel

  • John Newell9.18.18 - 6:54 AM

    Looks great! Now if only we could get the dogs to sleep in the “dog bed!” LOLReplyCancel

    • Kim9.18.18 - 8:12 AM

      Haha, teaching them the difference is the hardest part!ReplyCancel

  • Stacy9.18.18 - 6:58 AM

    That last photo of CC peeking around the corner just killed me dead.ReplyCancel

  • Lynn9.18.18 - 7:01 AM

    perfect use of an “awkward” spot! Love reading your posts.ReplyCancel

  • Phoebe9.18.18 - 7:49 AM

    This looks awesome! Would you mind sharing where you got the cabinet? We have a similar nook in our home that would be perfect for a window seat, and I’m excited to replicate yours!ReplyCancel

    • Kim9.18.18 - 8:14 AM

      We searched high and low for something that wasn’t too tall but still deep (and a place where we could buy just ONE), and we landed on RTA! It’s the same company that we used for our laundry room.ReplyCancel

  • Heather9.18.18 - 8:19 AM

    Oh my goodness, it is perfect! I just love it! I feel like when I go house hunting I’ll be looking for ones with weird nooks hahaReplyCancel

  • Paige Cassandra Flamm9.18.18 - 10:04 AM

    This is so cute! I totally want to make one when we get a dog in the next few months!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.comReplyCancel

  • Rebecca J Milton9.18.18 - 3:13 PM

    Jack is a very handsome boy, but OMG CC you delicious ham sandwich! She is the best. diy. model. ever.ReplyCancel

    • Kim9.18.18 - 3:21 PM

      She knows how to work it, that’s for sure! hahaReplyCancel

  • Katt9.18.18 - 7:09 PM

    Best part of the whole house! It’s SO CUTE!ReplyCancel

  • gmail email login9.19.18 - 11:22 PM

    The dogs seem enjoying their space :) Thank you for sharing the post!ReplyCancel

  • Lianne10.2.19 - 6:32 AM

    I cant seem to get the link to work anymore :(ReplyCancel

  • Beau1.20.22 - 8:56 AM

    It looks like homes.com is just a real estate website now. Is the tutorial for this available somewhere else now? Would love to be able to see it. It’s a really awesome project.ReplyCancel

    • Kim1.20.22 - 10:16 AM

      Sorry about that! Updated the links, so they should go to the article now.ReplyCancel

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