Kitchen booth seating with storage: Clever ideas for your banquette
Posted on 15th July 2021
Love kitchen booth and banquette seating already? Let me introduce you to this amped up version with seriously useful benefits. The team and I talk a lot about storage here at These Three Rooms. Why? Well, can you ever really have enough? I’m all for getting more storage space into a home, and particularly into a kitchen where you’ll always find something that needs a place (or is that just me?).
Multi-functional storage is a great idea and works brilliantly in a small kitchen where you’re a little tight on space.
Kitchen booth seating or banquette seating is made-to measure bench-style seating that’s built into a room, so is immovable. It means you can utilise those awkward areas where a dining table and seating might not work, you could create a window seat, add a bench area to the end of a run of units, or even create a long banquette along one wall or on the room-facing side of an island.
A joiner or kitchen designer can give you ideas for how banquette seating might work in your kitchen and create a bespoke design for you in the most practical place.
Once you’ve found the best spot for a built-in seat, take it to the next level: banquette seating with storage. Oh yes. Make the seat a lift-up lid and voila, you have storage. Add some drawers beneath the seat: extra storage. Let’s take a look at some clever ideas, shall we?
The circular shape in this scheme by Jones Britain was inspired by the form of a shell and creates a stunning focal point, while the plush banquette seating can comfortably sit six people. This project cost around £70,000The bench seating in this Davonport kitchen features drawers underneath. It links perfectly to the kitchen thanks to the use of the same cabinet style.The Fututa Nautic Oak units by Mereway Kitchens in this design by Classic Interiors contrast with the white wall units in this kitchen, while stepping the levels down creates a window seat below the window. Photography: Kasia Fizser.This clever banquette seating in a kitchen-diner includes a wide drawer under the seat which is ideal for storing those extra plates and serving dishes. Kitchen Design by Roundhouse. Small, but mighty. The Cambridge midnight blue kitchen, featuring an integrated seating nook, from Benchmarx Kitchens and Joinery has space for storage under the seat. Prices start from £1,700 for an eight unit kitchen.Banquette seating for your home can be part of an open-plan space like in this Daval kitchen design using Varenna and Rio cabinetry. Instead of a dining area, the owners chose to create a more relaxed sitting space. Put the kettle on. Bench seating in this kitchen diner by Drew Forsyth & Co curves around a circular oak-topped breakfast table, creating a practical and comfortable space for family mealtimes. The seat lid opens to reveal hidden storage, while open shelves at each end are perfect for storing recipe books. Handy, right?This bespoke seating solution was created using Herringbone Kitchens’ Rye pantry range. It has drawers on each side adding to the kitchen’s storage capacity. Plus, it’s a pretty nice place to sit. Herringbone Kitchens schemes start at £25,000.With concealed storage underneath, this window seat looks like the perfect place to perch. Design: Studio Atara. Photography: Adam Scott.This Day True design is a modern take on banquette seating in the UK. The London property has been given a kitchen makeover to include a dining area with a built-in bench, complete with drawer storage that pulls out underneath. Kitchens from Day True start from £25,000.
Sliding doors on the front of this banquette seating with storage means opening it is easy and you don’t need to account for doors or drawers swinging out. As part of a kitchen by The Main Company, schemes start from £25,000.
You can keep your storage more open under a banquette like this design by Mowlem & Co Baskets are on runners so they can be easily slid in and out – great for stashing toys and shopping bags. Mowlem & Co kitchens start at £30,000.
This kitchen using Stamford cabinetry by Symphony has a nice seating area by the window as well as the dining table and breakfast bar. The banquette features cupboards to match that of the kitchen for a cohesive look. The Stamford range starts from around £7,203.
