• Make your window seat more inviting with cushions and other features.window image by Mila Supynska from Fotolia.com
  
  Depending on which room your window seat is in, there are many ways in which to use it. While tossing a cushion on top of the window seat and calling it finished is common practice, you probably won't be tempted to use your window seat unless it's a little more inviting than that. The size of your window seat may determine how much you can do with it, but a little creativity can go a long way toward making it a useful feature of your home.
  
  

Cat Nap Nook

• Most window seats aren't quite large enough to become a full bed, but if yours is big enough to relax on in a gently curled position, consider making in into a cozy nap spot for warm winter afternoons, either for yourself or for your children if it is too small for adults. Use a thick cushion, such as a crib mattress, to create a smooth, comfortable base for your nap bed and hang a curved shower curtain rod above the window seat nook. Hang sheer drapes from this that can be pulled shut from inside the window seat to allow a little privacy at nap time. Add drawers or cabinets under the window seat if you don't have them already and store fresh pillows scented with lavender sachets and a lightweight throw blanket there. Hang a small radio or white noise machine from one wall of the nook, or place it just outside if the window seat is in a bay window, to create a greater sense of seclusion while napping.
  
  

Mini-Office

• With laptops and tablet computers so prevalent, there's no need to work in an uncomfortable spot. Instead, soak in the sunshine from your window seat while you work, catch up on emails or even play games. Convert any drawers or cabinets beneath your window seat to file drawers and cushion the seat to maximize lumbar support. For deep, enclosed window seats, consider hanging a flat screen monitor on the wall at one end of the window seat. Hook your laptop into the flat screen for easy viewing that lets you look up at a comfortable angle for your neck. Pad the seat well and add a large pillow against one wall for your back, plus a roll pillow for lumbar support. Store a lap desk under or next to the window seat for easy access and attach a small reading light on the wall of the alcove opposite the monitor to provide extra work light during the evening hours.
  
  

Kitchen Cafe

• For small window seats in the kitchen, dining room or nearby hallways, consider creating a mini-bistro or dining booth. Line the window seat with vinyl diner-style cushions and set a bistro table with a chair or two opposite the nook. Decorate the area with a kitchen or coffee house theme and bright, cheery colors.
  
  

Reading Area

• Creating a "book nook" is one of the most common uses of window seats and if it's done well, it can make the area a creative place to encourage relaxation and reading. Place the emphasis on comfort and good lighting when designing a window seat reading area, keeping in mind that the best light for reading comes from above and behind the reader and projects a soft, diffused light onto the page. Keep plenty of reading material nearby and consider hanging a curtain or shutters that can be used to separate the nook from the rest of the house, minimizing distractions while reading.