Jadore Home 5: Banquette Seating

I don’t know one person who doesn’t love sitting in a booth or banquette at a restaurant. They have a much more cozy feel than a simple dining chair.

Source: http://www.davisonhighley.co.uk/pages/custom-work.html

What an amazing wood detail as a backdrop!

Banquette seating always reminds me of the countless hours that I can spend sitting at a dining table having a good conversation with family. I do this alot with friends, visitors and families. In fact our annual tea parties are all about lingering at the dining table, drinking tea, conversation and snacks.  It just feels more luxurious, as if we are taking the time to dine and enjoying our food and each other rather than eating quickly and on the go. 

Banquettes are great transition pieces with a quick nod to both casual living and formal spaces. I believe it is all in the choices of elements and finishings that you use that dictates the type of feel that a banquette can create.  A skirted banquette with a tufted back paired with a pedestal table and traditional wood dining chairs relate to a much more formal and proper feeling whereas a straight back bench style banquette with a low back and casual dining chairs and a painted table can completely change the functionality and feel of the room.

 

Formal: . http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/banquette-seatingrethinking-th-66421

Formal Dining Source:

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/fall-color-schemes

Contemporary: http://alexandracampbell.ca/2010/06/30/banquette-seating/

Mod and Casual:

http://www.colinandjustin.tv/viewinterior.php?id=4

I have come across so many different styles of banquette seating. Built-ins, free-standing, curved, l-shaped (like sectionals), D-shaped and so many more. , placed against a wall or even placed at a games table in a basement family room like this one:

Source:

http://castlehomes.com/southernlivingshowcasehome/category/showcase-home-interior-design/

My friend has a bay window in her kitchen and she has been thinking of placing a banquette seat into the space for a great eat in kitchen. What an awesome idea.

 Another eat in kitchen using a banquette but this time it is attached to a centre island! Gorgeous!

Source:

http://hotelchicblog.com/

Source:

http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/2011/02/six-degrees-of-separation-from-white.html

 I love this idea! Banquette seating as a room divider. Perfect For an open concept home. All of these style choices are great options and must be considered before making the final purchase.

Source: http://www.accentondesign.net/blog/?Tag=banquettes

 Tucked into a sun room. I can just imagine spending hours at this one. Tea parties every day!

Source:

http://patriciagrayinc.blogspot.com/2008/02/banquette-dining.html

Lately, Ive been ogling many free-standing banquette seats with straight backs for our dining room. The great thing about using a banquette is that the didning space can be tucked into an adjoining room against a wall without looking stuffy. It makes the most of small spaces like ours allowing ample seating as well as ample clearance for efficient traffic flow. Here are some of my favourite straight backed options:

Source:

http://www.accentondesign.net/blog/?Tag=casual%20dining%20rooms

Source: . http://thejewelboxhome.blogspot.com/2010/07/when-you-dont-have-dining-room.html

Source: http://www.elledecor.com/image/tid/5027?page=7

Source: http://designmaze-tim.blogspot.com/2011/12/sarahs-house-4-special-edition.html

I just love how these straight backed options look like furniture on their own. I'm leaning more towards a furniture style over a built-in but both options are to die for.