Trending Now: Banquette Seating

Alcoves, bay windows, and unused corners are all good spots for a banquette. Upholstered benches and a simple pedestal table transform this cozy corner into a breakfast nook that doubles as a workspace.

Pedestal tables are best for banquettes, because they keep knees from knocking into table legs whenever anyone climbs in or out. This angular design is both practical and eye-catching.

Bay windows are traditional sites for banquette seating, and a semicircular design makes practical, elegant use of this sunny space. Two side chairs increase the table’s flexibility and capacity—and they look great, too!

A great appeal of banquette seating is its efficient use of space, as in this inviting kitchen corner. If you are placing a banquette in front of windows, be sure the windows are a good 24 inches off the floor to allow for a seat height of 15 inches.

Although this kitchen alcove could accommodate a full table and chairs, an L-shaped banquette offers the clever benefit of under-seat storage.

Fans of retro kitchen styles will find much to love in banquette seating. Here, bold red upholstery lends this mint-green kitchen the spirit of a ’50s diner.

Not all banquettes need to have cushions or even throw pillows to be stylish. In fact, where young children are concerned, less can often be more. This playful, easy-to-clean banquette proves the point.

Banquettes can make good use of an otherwise unused space—this small stretch between a wall and cabinetry, for instance. Easiest to clean is leather or vinyl upholstery.

Installing a banquette in the space formerly used as a walk-in pantry allowed designer Susan Klimala (of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn, IL) to accommodate a large island and ample storage elsewhere in her kitchen.

A table with a banquette on one side and chairs on the other offers the best of both worlds.

If you are interested in more about kitchen design, consider:

10 New Ways to Store Kitchen Necessities

Under-Cabinet Lighting: 10 “Shining” Examples

Cabinet Hardware: 10 Styles to Invigorate Your Kitchen