Making Room For Guests
Traditional window seats become extra sleeping space for company.
When Terry and Marilyn Friddle added onto their Charlotte home, they wanted to make the most of every square foot, giving their three sons plenty of room to roam. The best example of their space-saving design plan: hidden guest beds in an upstairs family room.
Two built-in window seats flank a children's entertainment unit in the light-filled room. Each seat lifts up to reveal a twin sleeper pull-out bed. When not in use, the beds disappear inside the custom structures.
The double-duty window seats are Marilyn's brainchild. Having seen the same idea used in large chairs and sofas, she didn't see why it couldn't be adapted for use in built-ins. After searching for suitable fold-out mattresses online, Marilyn eventually gave up and headed for the furniture store. She found a chair-and-a-half sleeper, looked beneath it, and found the name of the manufacturer on the fold-out mechanism. She then contacted the manufacturer directly.
Once she procured two twin sleepers, the builders went to work. Builder Duane Johns said creating the guest bed/window seat units was a matter of trial and error. “Because we didn't have instructions, we made a couple of
attempts to make sure it would operate properly,” Duane says. “It was basically good, old-fashioned craftsmanship and creativity.” Each seat opens up from the front. A small hole in the door makes it easier to grasp and pull up. The beds then fold out just as one would from a couch or chair.
The builder had to contend not only with the size of the mattresses but also with the entertainment unit between the two windows. The Friddles wanted the two window seats to match the style of the center unit.
Marilyn added fun children's bedding to the mattresses and topped the window seats with plump, striped cushions and bolsters. She says they are the most popular seats in the house when company arrives for Boy Scout meetings or children's gatherings. Plus, overnight guests can sleep comfortably in a treetop room that serves more than one purpose.