Elevate Your Eat-In Kitchen with Banquette Seating
Again and again we hear or read that the kitchen is the heart of a home. Kitchens are no longer a utilitarian space where food is prepared. It’s become a place where we hang out with friends. It’s a convenient space for kids to do crafts and schoolwork. Other times, it’s simply a place to lounge around while having a quick snack. Many modern kitchens today are what we would call “eat-in kitchens” where people can prepare and eat food in the same space.
For some, the term eat-in kitchen makes them think that a house is small and cramped. But these days, a number of homes have both an eat-in kitchen and a separate formal dining room. Having an eat-in kitchen is great for lounging around, makes for a great breakfast nook, and is perfect for entertaining guests while preparing food at the same time.
There are many ways to achieve a kitchen space that doubles as a casual dining space. You can add a full dining table if the space is large enough or incorporate it with a kitchen island. Today, however, we’re going to talk about banquette seating.
What is a Banquette?
A banquette is a dining bench, often run along a wall, seating multiple people. It’s often upholstered and built-in, especially when used in restaurants or bars. The term can sometimes be interchanged with booth seating and bench seating.
White corner banquette seating by Wood & Co.
What Makes Banquette Seating Great?
As we’ve mentioned, there are many ways to add dining space in a kitchen. You can add seats to a kitchen island or a peninsula. Large kitchens can accommodate a full traditional dining set. Some homes just have a small breakfast corner with a round table and a few chairs. The choice depends greatly on the available space and your own preferences, but here are some reasons why a banquette might be right for you.
Makes the Most of Your Space
Because they’re often built-in and custom made, they’re a great solution to any odd niches and corners. By eliminating the space to walk behind standard chairs, banquette seating is ideal for maximizing a given dining space.
Banquette seating doesn’t just save you space. It also lets you seat more people overall compared to individual chairs. People can huddle together and sit much closer together. This flexibility is great when you have a large number of friends or family over.
Provides Additional Storage
Banquettes are an excellent way to augment your kitchen storage without flooding your walls with tall heavy-looking cupboards. Drawers, shelves, and cabinets can easily be incorporated to the space under or on the side of the seats. There’s also the option of a lid-style compartment under the cushions if you want storage that’s practically invisible. A banquette doubling as storage is an ideal option for infrequently used kitchen gadgets or kids’ toys.
Adds Character to Your Kitchen
A great way to add a touch of color or playfulness to your kitchen is thru banquette seating. Inject some color in an otherwise neutral kitchen palette with a brightly colored cushion. If accent colors aren’t your style, you can opt to add visual variety by using patterned fabrics. On the other hand, you can add a touch of elegance and luxury with an all-leather banquette or fluted back cushions. You can even take inspiration from your favorite local diner and bring a retro charm into your home.
Banquettes aren’t limited to just being on the sidelines and filling in awkward corners. Depending on the design, this dining space can become a statement piece in your eat-in kitchen. Add a built-in banquette fit to the niche of a large bay window, and you’ll get a wonderful dining space with a great view. You can also add in a unique chandelier over the table, drawing people’s attention to it. There are many ways to spice up a humble banquette to and make it an eye-catching showstopper.
Creates a Cozy Functional Space
Just because it’s an eat-in kitchen doesn’t mean eating is the only thing you can do with the added table space. This casual dining area also makes for a great work or study area. The extra plush bench seating is more comfortable over long hours compared to standard dining chairs. An upholstered bench makes the space more inviting, and makes you want to linger or lounge longer. Think of a workstation, but with the comfort of your living room sofa. It’s especially perfect for families as kids can do their schoolwork at the banquette while mom or dad cooks up dinner.
Conclusion
Eat-in kitchens are here to stay and will likely become more and more common in American homes. Banquette seating is a great way to create a cozy casual dining space perfect for you, your friends, and your family. Built-in kitchen seating may just be what your need your home!
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