Bench Window Seating Pleaseee!

I'm starting a new job next week and all I can think about is window seating! I've been totally obsessed with the idea for a very long time. Currently, we have this corner of the living room that is dominated by the boys toys.

It's actually even worse now, but when I first moved in there I just saw it as this perfect opportunity for a little nook. Natural light, a chair, reading a book, maybe drinking a cup of coffee. So every time I see pictures of window seating it just makes me want it more and more! PLUS, we always have to move the toys into another part of the room when it's Christmas time because that corner is where our tree goes.

Doesn't that just look so relaxing? The only negative thing I see happening is that we live on a second story and maybe window seating isn't a great idea. I don't care, I've put my mind to it. Originally I wanted to use to STUVA Bench system and hide the kids toys in there. Now that I think about it, we're in a little bit over our heads. I just don't really like the idea of having toys in the kid's room. Maybe it's the way I was brought up. Bedrooms are for sleeping. But, we don't have a playroom right now so I am actually thinking about moving the kids toys in there. It just sucks because I have to pick and choose since their room is so small. So, with that said I think even if we got the STUVA system and we decide to put the kids toys in there, we could use it for blankets and pillows. God knows we need that. We have zero storage especially for big things like blankets. To me, it's kind of a hefty price because it's pretty much $160 for STUVA's. So I've been Googling other DIY ideas. I want it to look legit.

I see a lot of people are using the EXPEDIT bookcase on it's side and adding a foam seating on it. Which would be much cheaper. However, if I was to do it, I'd do it with the drawer inserts and like it wouldn't be as practical. I could use it for books but we really don't have that many and we already have a bookcase in our room. For the EXPEDIT bookcase and drawer inserts, it would pretty much turn out to be the same cost as the two STUVA's.

So the THIRD option, so far, is using IKEA kitchen cabinets. If you walk through IKEA they do have a bench seating type thing in their showroom and I believe it's made of IKEA cabinets. They also use it in the kitchen. So after some browsing I decided that MAYBE this one would work that fits my budget. The AKURUM series. The only thing is the measurements come out kind of weird. The space I have is about 69". I could probably push a little more than that and just move the couch over. The cabinets are about 30" or an option of 39" for one. So either way, it'll be too short or too long.

So torn right?!? Look how amazing this looks though with the kitchen cabinets. 

*SIGH*  With all of this said, it's something I'm been looking into for over a year. I think I might stick with the STUVA bench because it's more practical. The kids could use it in their room for toys if we ever move into a bigger place and they have a play room. ALSO, you can pull out the drawer and it doubles into a table! That way I could have Chase color and draw in the living room while I'm cleaning. I think I just persuaded myself. 

What do you guys think I should do?!? STUVA, EXPEDIT or Cabinets?