DIY Built-in Bench With Storage

Build this simple DIY built-in bench perfect for a breakfast nook or window seat

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Who doesn’t love a good built-in project!

If you have been following along with us for anytime at all you know I am all about a built-in project, we built arched bookcases & an entire closet this year alone 😅

During our never ending kitchen renovation we decided it needed a built-in of its own in the form of a breakfast nook bench!

These bay windows are one of the first features of our home that I fell in love with.

I knew that someday they would be the perfect spot for a cozy breakfast nook area.

Really though my plans for this space don’t just include breakfast, I see us having all our little family meals here.

We do have a dining area that we made-over last year but that feels more formal & only gets utilized for big family meals & special occasions.

Plus I thought building our own bench for the nook would provide the perfect opportunity to add some extra storage!

Update: You can see how we installed the vent extender here!

DIY Built-in Bench With Storage

Supplies:

• 3/4″ Cabinet Grade Plywood
• (3) 2x4x8 Stud Boards
• Wood Screws
• Piano Hinge
  

Building The Base

First we cut 2x4s down to the width of the bay window bump out, minus a small portion for where the vent extender will go later.

Next, we cut a few 2x4s down to 15″ tall, this is about how tall we wanted the seating to be.

We attached them to the long 2×4’s, using wood screws from the bottom side of the long 2×4.

Once our 15″ 2×4’s were attached we screwed the front base directly into the floor.

Next we added the top 2×4 to the front base, the back 2×4 supports, & two center 2×4 supports.

This was the easiest way to make sure everything would be supported without having to make a bunch of fancy angled cuts.

Now that the base was built we moved onto covering it with the plywood.

We started with the easiest part, cutting the front sections of plywood down to side.

They are flush with the top base 2×4 & there was a small gap (tricky circular saw 😉) but don’t worry we will handle that later!

We secured the plywood to the front using a combination of wood screws & nails!

Next, we tackled the top on the bench.

We only wanted the center portion of the bench to lift up for storage so we started by cutting the two side pieces since they would be stationary.

The easiest way to get the measurement right is to use a scrap piece of plywood to work off of.

We adjusted the scrap piece to where the lid portion would start, made sure it was square, then measured what our side piece dimensions needed to be.

We used a circular saw & guide to cut out the two side triangle pieces.

Lastly we cut the center lid down to size & attached it to the base with a long piano hinge.

Adding Trim & Shiplap

Now that the structure of the built-in is complete it’s time to add the trim & shiplap!

I attached a long 1×6 to the bottom to mimic the baseboard & 1×2 trim to the top ledge flush with the plywood.

To add a little extra oomph I also attached shiplap to the front of the built-in.

Honestly I just had some extra from our shiplap backsplash project & thought this would be a great way to tie this nook into the rest of the kitchen!

Finishing The Built-in Nook

Once everything was built I filled all the nail holes & caulked everything necessary.

Then I applied two coats of primer before finishing it off with my final color choice: Rosemary.

If this doesn’t scream cozy Saturday breakfast vibes plus lots of amazing kitchen appliance storage space than I don’t know what does 😉

This built-in bench is exactly what this space needed & it was so much easier to build than I thought it would be!

This little area still needs a few things to button it up but I am loving the progress so far.

Corduroy Throw Pillows – Burlap/Linen Throw Pillows – Antique Plug-in Sconces

The next decision will be to DIY a bench cushion for it or leave it bare & just have a bunch of puffy pillows lining the back…

What would you do?

Update: You can see how we installed the vent extender here!

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