Merton · London
Window Seats in Merton
From one end of Merton to the other, we can design, make and fit window seats. Every job starts with a design visit, then a written quote.
Window Seats in Merton
Window seats in every part of Merton
We design, make and fit window seats for homes of every age. The lists below link to a page for each place, or get in touch to arrange a design visit.
Biggest places in Merton
How we make window seats for Merton
Plenty of period homes across London have sash windows. A seat beneath one needs to sit below the cill so the window still opens and closes easily. Where there are working shutters, the seat must leave room for them to fold back. We check all of this at the measuring visit in Merton. We make window seats from moisture-resistant MDF and strong birch plywood, with a painted finish, and the usual reasons to get in touch are a room with shutters and sashes that deserves a proper seat and needing more storage in the room.
In older rooms, the furniture typically has to meet skirting, picture rails, cornice or coving. On fitting day, we cut and scribe the furniture around these details. How long fitting takes depends on the size of the window and the design, and the fitting days are agreed in your quote.
- To begin, fill in our short enquiry form; a brief note on the bay or sash window is enough.
- At the design visit we measure the window and the radiator, and plan a grille or open front so heat isn’t trapped.
- Your written quote sets out the seat, the grille, the materials and the finish.
- In our workshop the seat is built from moisture-resistant MDF and birch plywood, with the grille made to match.
- We fit it in your home and scribe it to the walls, with the finish sprayed beforehand or painted by hand on site.
How our quotes work
Because every job is different, the cost is set out in a written quote after the visit. Bigger pieces use more board and take longer to make and fit, so size is the starting point. Doors, drawers, internal fittings and the finish make up most of the rest.
Why choose Bespoke Carpentry
- Scribed to uneven walls
- Built in our workshop and fitted in your home
- We visit, measure and discuss the design before we quote
- Work across the whole of London
Ask for a quote
The quote is built from the design visit. We take full measurements, see how true the walls and floors are and work through the design together. Afterwards, we send a written quote for you to look over. To book one, send us a few details through our contact form.
Around Wimbledon
We fit furniture in homes around St. Mark's Church, Willington School and Wimbledon High School and the streets around them. Also close by are Cannizaro Park (0.8 miles west), Bishop Gilpin CofE Primary School (a few minutes’ walk north-east) and Dog & Fox pub (within half a mile west). Wimbledon has its own railway station: Wimbledon station. Other landmarks nearby include Wimbledon Museum (close by, under half a mile west) and Atkinson Morley Hospital (1.2 miles west). Open spaces near Wimbledon include Henman Hill and Merton Park Green Walks.
Awkward spaces in homes across Merton
Across Merton, the most useful storage is often hidden in an tricky corner. A stair void, a bay or an eaves slope can all take window seats built to their exact angles. Everything is scribed and levelled on site.
Homes built between 1919 and 1939 make up about 37% of the housing in Merton, with about 27% built before 1919, on the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax figures for 2025. We take that into account at the design visit, since older and newer walls take different fixings. Around a third of the homes in Merton (about 37%) date from between 1919 and 1939, based on the Valuation Office Agency’s 2025 council tax data. Many houses of that era have bay windows, natural places for a window seat. Terraced houses are home to about 36% of households in Merton, in the ONS Census 2021 figures. Many London terraces have a bay or sash windows, good places for a seat with storage.
Since August 2023, the Ultra Low Emission Zone has covered all of London, and red routes, run by TfL, have strict rules on stopping.
Wimbledon: For families living near Wimbledon High School, deep drawers suit the bulky things families collect, from scooters to swimming kit. If you live in a flat close to Wimbledon station, each piece is planned so it can be carried up and joined together in the room.
What prompts window seats
Storage is another big reason. A seat with a lift-up lid or drawers can hold toys, blankets, books or games. It adds storage without taking up more of the floor.
We’re often asked to help with:
- A period room that needs furniture to suit it
- A child’s room that needs storage and seating
- Standard furniture leaving gaps in a bay
- A recess under the window doing nothing
Tips worth knowing
Looking after painted furniture is simple with a little care. These habits help most:
- Clear the bay or window area before the design visit
- Consider adding shelving around the seat
- Consider how often you will reach for what’s stored
- Choose a colour that suits the room
When we have finished fitting, the seat and its storage are ready. Paint needs time to cure fully, so treat the new finish gently at first. Avoid placing heavy objects on the painted surfaces while it hardens.
Condensation on the glass can drip onto the cill and the seat, so wipe it away. Keep the window ventilated in cold weather. Don’t leave water sitting on the painted surface.
Materials and finishes
Pull-out drawers
With drawers, you do not need to move the cushion to reach your things. They suit toys, books and things you use often. Each drawer is sized for the space.
Moisture-resistant MDF
Windows can run with condensation in winter, so a moisture-resistant grade of MDF makes sense. It gives a smooth base for paint, and it stays stable once fitted.
Bespoke or off-the-shelf?
If you only want a simple bench under a straight window, an off-the-shelf piece may be enough. A bespoke seat earns its place where there is a bay, a radiator or a need for storage. We’re happy to give an honest view at the measuring visit.
What to check before you book
- Can you see real work of theirs?
- Is it spray painted or hand painted?
- How parking will work on your street
- How they handle walls that aren’t straight
Where other trades come in
Electrics, plumbing, gas, plastering and structural work are not part of what we do. Please bear these in mind too:
- Making the seat cushion, which isn’t our work
- Painting the walls of the bay
- Any change to radiator pipes, which needs a plumber
FAQs: window seats in Merton
Is an outside wall a problem for fitted furniture?
An outside wall can be colder and damper than an inside one, so we allow for ventilation behind and inside the furniture to avoid condensation. If there’s damp, it should be sorted before anything is fitted.
Should I send pictures?
Yes, they help. A few pictures of the room, from floor to ceiling, tell us a lot, particularly with rough measurements. To send them, drop us a line using the contact form.
How long does it take to fit a window seat?
How long the fitting takes depends on the size of the window and the design, and we confirm the fitting days in your quote. Every part is made in our workshop before we arrive. If you’d like the fitting on a Saturday, that can be arranged.
What happens when you come to measure?
We measure the space and discuss the design, materials and finish. We look at the walls, floors and anything the furniture has to work around, then send a quote in writing.
Should I choose a lift-up lid or drawers?
The answer depends on what goes under the seat. A lid gives access to the whole space, good for blankets and occasional things, while drawers mean you do not have to move the cushion.
Do I need to be in when you fit?
Someone needs to let us in. It also helps to have someone around at the end, so we can go over the finished furniture together.
Can you build a seat beneath sash windows?
Yes. Seats suit sash windows in many older homes. We measure the cill, the window and any shutters, so the seat sits neatly and the window still works. Repairs to the window itself are not our work.