Cosy Up in a Small Dining Room With a Banquette!
Rethink the traditional dining room configuration in compact spaces by looking at built-in banquette seating
If your dining zone is on the small side, a banquette seat effectively maximises the available seating while adding a cafe-cool vibe to the space. It also offers comfort and flexibility, and even under-seat storage. It can fit snugly into a corner or stretch along a wall for more expansive seating.
Refined tastes
Even though many associate a built-in dining space with the old-fashioned kitchen nook, sophistication can be brought to the fore when there is a consideration of materials. Here, the banquette’s cream upholstery is supported by a timber base, adding elegance to the eating zone. While the dining suite makes a strong statement, it’s beautifully complemented by the room’s seriously stylish artwork, lighting, wall covering and accessories.
Even though many associate a built-in dining space with the old-fashioned kitchen nook, sophistication can be brought to the fore when there is a consideration of materials. Here, the banquette’s cream upholstery is supported by a timber base, adding elegance to the eating zone. While the dining suite makes a strong statement, it’s beautifully complemented by the room’s seriously stylish artwork, lighting, wall covering and accessories.
Retro diner
Pure white makes a small space seem larger, and the semi-circle shape adds a retro-inspired ‘diner’ feel, making it more casual in the minimalist space.
Pure white makes a small space seem larger, and the semi-circle shape adds a retro-inspired ‘diner’ feel, making it more casual in the minimalist space.
Best (window) seat in the house
Adding a banquette seat under a window is both stylish and space-saving. Here, the area can be used for dining with enough room to include a built-in bookshelf. This means that if you feel like spreading out, the table can be moved away and you have a perfect spot to lay back for an afternoon read – or quick nap!
7 Great Ways to Utilise Your Bay Window
Adding a banquette seat under a window is both stylish and space-saving. Here, the area can be used for dining with enough room to include a built-in bookshelf. This means that if you feel like spreading out, the table can be moved away and you have a perfect spot to lay back for an afternoon read – or quick nap!
7 Great Ways to Utilise Your Bay Window
Kitchen corner
This small space is brilliantly utilised by placing banquette seating back-to-back with a comfy sofa. The banquette continues under the window sills so everyone can fit around the unique quarter-circle table and the view is uninterrupted when only a couple of people are dining. The upholstery follows an ocean-inspired colour palette, and the timber legs are painted to match the walls and ceiling.
This small space is brilliantly utilised by placing banquette seating back-to-back with a comfy sofa. The banquette continues under the window sills so everyone can fit around the unique quarter-circle table and the view is uninterrupted when only a couple of people are dining. The upholstery follows an ocean-inspired colour palette, and the timber legs are painted to match the walls and ceiling.
Tight but right
In this tight space, guests would have been frustrated if the dining table was positioned in the centre of the room. It would be hard to get past each other and the door wouldn’t fully open. Adding a banquette seat and moving the table to one side makes the space completely usable. Plus, the pristine white of the banquette works superbly with the interior’s Hamptons-inspired look.
10 Style-Packed, Small Dining Rooms Around the World
In this tight space, guests would have been frustrated if the dining table was positioned in the centre of the room. It would be hard to get past each other and the door wouldn’t fully open. Adding a banquette seat and moving the table to one side makes the space completely usable. Plus, the pristine white of the banquette works superbly with the interior’s Hamptons-inspired look.
10 Style-Packed, Small Dining Rooms Around the World
Eat and run
When the dining area is right beside an entrance or a hallway, it’s essential that the thoroughfare is uninterrupted with no dining chairs sticking out. The corner banquette provides an elegant solution with enough room to seat six people.
When the dining area is right beside an entrance or a hallway, it’s essential that the thoroughfare is uninterrupted with no dining chairs sticking out. The corner banquette provides an elegant solution with enough room to seat six people.
In the round
A curved banquette allows for more guests to squeeze in around the table. While this area is quite small, it’s possible to comfortably seat six with plenty of space for people to move around the room.
A curved banquette allows for more guests to squeeze in around the table. While this area is quite small, it’s possible to comfortably seat six with plenty of space for people to move around the room.
Cosy and cool
Adding tartan upholstery is a bold move but it not only makes the space cosy, it also sets the colour tone of the room. The wall-mounted lighting adds direct illumination over the table while looking like a structural artwork. This banquette allows the room to utilise all its space efficiently, and provides the perfect spot to gaze out into the courtyard.
Adding tartan upholstery is a bold move but it not only makes the space cosy, it also sets the colour tone of the room. The wall-mounted lighting adds direct illumination over the table while looking like a structural artwork. This banquette allows the room to utilise all its space efficiently, and provides the perfect spot to gaze out into the courtyard.
Long and lean
Here, the banquette seat is much longer than the table, giving it a more casual feel. Designing the seat so it sits perfectly under the window adds symmetry, while the built-in unit provides handy yet discrete storage. Additionally, the table can be moved out of the way to offer flexible seating when entertaining party guests.
Here, the banquette seat is much longer than the table, giving it a more casual feel. Designing the seat so it sits perfectly under the window adds symmetry, while the built-in unit provides handy yet discrete storage. Additionally, the table can be moved out of the way to offer flexible seating when entertaining party guests.
Real simple
If you have a penchant for mid-century design, a banquette seat can look right at home. Here, the rather traditional striped upholstery of the banquette is a nice counterpoint to the modernist Saarinen table, Eames chairs and Poul Henningsen pendant light. As a bonus, the banquette works double duty with built-in, but very discrete, storage.
If you have a penchant for mid-century design, a banquette seat can look right at home. Here, the rather traditional striped upholstery of the banquette is a nice counterpoint to the modernist Saarinen table, Eames chairs and Poul Henningsen pendant light. As a bonus, the banquette works double duty with built-in, but very discrete, storage.
Multi-tasker
Flexibility is key here. The banquette fills the space and provides a handy dining zone at one end. It can also double as a casual lounge area. There’s space to lie down, kick back, enjoy some music, read a book or turn it into a handy workspace.
Flexibility is key here. The banquette fills the space and provides a handy dining zone at one end. It can also double as a casual lounge area. There’s space to lie down, kick back, enjoy some music, read a book or turn it into a handy workspace.
TELL US
Which banquette would you love to have at your house? Share your thoughts, or a photo if you already have one, in the Comments section.
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Bring Breakfast Back With Eat-In Nooks and Tables
Which banquette would you love to have at your house? Share your thoughts, or a photo if you already have one, in the Comments section.
MORE
Bring Breakfast Back With Eat-In Nooks and Tables
In an open-plan space, which must accommodate a kitchen, living area and dining space, a sense of refined modernism and space can be maintained throughout the room by squeezing in a fitted banquette along one wall. In this sleek city penthouse, designed for a busy bachelor, there were a number of custom-built elements including the built-in banquette along a recessed wall.
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