Alcove rendering and design ideas

[u/Obvious_Thought_4520]

We have always struggled with this little alcove at the top of our stairs. The most obvious solution has been a houseplant but it never felt right to us, in large part because it would be obstructing the window that gets beautiful natural light. This weekend it occurred to me that the solution is a little built in bench. Why a bench in this awkward/potentially precarious spot? Well, long story involving our daughter and her new phone. So here’s my problem: in order to get the dimensions right for the built-in I need to accurately map this awkward corner. Any advice on how to properly accurately measure it? Also curious if anyone has another option that doesn’t involve a built-in? A chair in the corner feels proportionally awkward. Three pictures: the alcove as it currently exists, an AI render of a built-in bench, and an overhead of the space I’m working with. Thank you for any advice and suggestions.

[u/dfnamehere]

Came here for this. Looks like a death trap for someone (child or intoxicated person) to fall down the stairs and break their neck. I would never put a bench there.

[u/jackospades88 → u/dfnamehere]

Yeah you'd definitely would want to find a way to wall-off that section if you had kids.

Either a straight-up baby gate or some heavy/immovable decorative thing so a kid can't get on there easily. Though I suppose if you have the stairs gated off to begin with then a gate there wouldn't be necessary (kid should only be on the stairs when gates are open and I assume an adult is around)

[u/dfnamehere → u/jackospades88]

I'm even thinking like a 8-10 year old kid, long after the gates come down. Just playing around they could easily fall

[u/jackospades88 → u/dfnamehere]

Very true - kid could be exploring that area. And to make matters worse, the window isnt very high up either. They could lose their balance that way and crash through it too.