Hurricane in the Brain

We've been brainstorming. It's been crazy. We have some great ideas, but we have to keep the time constraints in mind.
I am a personal fan of platforms. I love lofts, platform beds, landings, any kind of level change really.

This is one of the ideas we came up with but it's a huge undertaking, and I don't think it would be complete in time unfortunately. The idea is that the bookshelves on the sides (not the walls) would actually open out and underneath would be storage. There would be enough room on the platform for a smallish chair and table or even just some comfy pillows. This would end up being like a large piece of furniture rather than a fixture. (A very large piece of furniture.) I have my doubts about this happening, but I thought I'd share anyway!

If we can't build something this large, maybe we can start with something like a window bench?

Today's Tip: 

It seems simple enough but people often forget that reupholstering furniture is a way of honoring your great grandfather's old chair and still making it your own.