another view...

Could you do narrow built-in shelves and then a bottom cabinet that is deeper but fits under the window?

I think I would do built-in shelves about 10" deep. You could do doors on the bottom, if you think you have anything to store in a space that shallow. Then I'd probably look for some kind of funky little stool or child-sized antique chair to put in there too, just for fun.

You could get creative and wallpaper the back wall of the shelves, or just paint the back wall a different color. Maybe even get a little 2' x 4' (if that fits) oriental rug to put in there.

I'd want to do something about those cords and stuff on the left, though... not sure what... maybe something will come to me later! Maybe the chair or bench or stool could hide it.

Just double checking measurements - do you mean it's 34.5" DEEP - from the front opening to the back wall ? It sure doesn't look like it's that wide side to side, maybe more like 24" at most based on the floor boards. But anyway...... that is a challenge. What is the style of the rest of the home office? What kind of storage would be useful to you? Open shelves, file cabinet , bench under window with a lift up seat,.....? Something like the attached file cabinet would fit and you could put shallow selves above it but of course depends on the type of storage that would be useful to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: File Cabinet

Try places like Ikea -- and simply find a shelving unit in white that would fit the space best -- yes -- it will be seen through the window -- but you could add window frosting to the panes to hide most of the shelving or a white sheer curtain on two rods (top and bottom)

OR -- If you could add a tall, thin filing cabinet -- then paint it white -- and again -- add a simple window treatment to the window area ....

I think a big plant would go nice in that spot.

My first thought was a padded bench/seat that fills the space..up as high as the lower sill of the window. On the walls you could have a reading light since you have an outlet and use the rest of the walls as a photo gallery of sorts. You could put doors on the bottom of the bench/seat so that you would have hidden storage. I would put a shade of some sort on the window, not a drape/curtain. French shade maybe.

Can you give us a sketch of the layout of the room? The door that opens to the right of the window - where does that go?

I'm thinking about a more significant change - moving the closet or moving the window - but I don't know if either of those options would work in the space.

In the existing space, I think 11" deep shelves could work, if you have stuff that you could fit there. You could even use standard 12" shelving, notched on the right side to fit around the window frame.

What sort of storage do you need? Out of season clothes? Paper files? Books? Other? The space might be tight for door, but a pretty fabric curtain would hide the contents without taking up space.

I'd put a sheer curtain on the window and a bookcase or narrow cabinet in the nook.

Practicality wins out.

I don't know what the rest of your home office looks like, but one idea would be to have a shallow book/display case built along the back wall, with the bottom part, just below the window ledge, built out deeper. Perhaps to the full depth of the cubby. With doors on it, that part would make a nice (smallish) storage space. You could then use the top of it as a small bench/window seat to sit on, adding a cushioned top or just a couple throw pillows. A wall sconce on the left side wall could turn it into a nice little reading nook.
Here's just a couple ideas for sconces. There are thousands of options if you went that route:

Lynn

This post was edited by lynninnewmexico on Thu, May 9, 13 at 22:25

Wow, thanks for all of these great ideas. Yes, the width of the space is 34 1/2", it looks smaller in the photos I know... Unfortunately the idea of window treatments or frosting won't really work because we have four of these interior windows in the house (they look out from the bedroom/home office onto a long, wide hallway which used to be a front porch) - and whatever you do to one you'd have to do to all four, and I don't want to obstruct them in any way since they are the source of light for the whole house... BUT I think bookshelves are lovely, especially filled with books and other decorative elements, so I wouldn't mind seeing them through the window. Also the window seat idea would be great. It's really too confined of a space to put a reading chair in there, but a built-in window seat would feel cozy I think. I guess I didn't really think about the fact that you can get 10 inch deep bookshelves (or certainly do built-ins that depth) - that seems to make sense though. Thanks!

I found this pic by googling "bookcase with bench". My idea would be to make it a nice medium or dark (real) wood instead of white, taking the shelves (perhaps more shallow than these) all the way to the ceiling, and across the entire width of the cubby.
I hope this will give you a better idea of what I was suggesting.
{{!gwi}}
Lynn

I love this, Lynn!