As part of a larger trend for recreating hotel-style amenities in the comfort of your home – whether that’s restaurant dining booths, spa-like bathrooms or professional, stainless steel kitchens – banquette seating is all the rage right now.

Banquettes offer the best of both worlds – they’re incredibly pretty to look at, but they also offer plenty of practical benefits. Intrigued? KBB journo Nicky Rampley-Clarke has the lowdown on this popular kitchen feature…

As comfortable as it is stylish, banquette seating enables us to linger long after dinner is done, enveloping us in its welcoming embrace and adding a truly elegant touch. “I don’t perceive banquette seating as a passing trend; rather, it’s a timeless choice that will always resonate with those who seek a more intimate ambience for their dining experiences,” says Peter Humphrey, design director at Humphrey Munson.

Whether you’re thinking about going down the bespoke route to fully customise your design according to your kitchen size and needs or simply purchasing a freestanding booth-style bench for your dining area, these are some of the popular styles at the moment:

• L-shaped – The clue’s in the name: a design that wraps around two adjacent walls – or even an island – to create an L-shape. It’s great in tight spaces and makes the most of corners or awkward nooks.
• Curved – This style features a curved bench usually complemented by a circular or oval table. It’s aesthetically beautiful and best for large rooms.
• Linear – Arguably the most common banquette is straight, comprising a linear bench against a wall, window, or island. The look is clean and unfussy while being more suited to small-space living.
• U-shaped – This style wraps around three sides of a table and provides a convivial design for kitchens, plus lots of seating spots.

Pretty and practical

Not only do banquettes look amazing in a kitchen-diner, but we’re also fans of their functionality. They are ideal for maximising space, gaining extra storage, and having a place to eat, relax and socialise. “They’re a wonderful and practical way to introduce seating when space is tight, such as an awkward corner or bay window,” notes Melissa Hutley, co-founder of interior design studio Hutley & Humm. “They increase circulation space in the room as you don’t need to account for chairs to be pulled out and for walking around the table.

“You can have full seating against a wall using a bench or upholstered seat for three or four people, compared to two or three stand-alone dining chairs, so they are a much more efficient way of maximising space. Not only that, but they provide an opportunity to bring in beautiful fabric, pattern and texture, which adds interest and warmth to a scheme. The extra upholstery can also help with acoustics in areas that typically have hard flooring.”

These creative designs, such as kitchen islands with built-in banquettes or multi-functional benches with storage underneath, are built-in solutions. So, you need to think about including this feature at the early stages of your kitchen project. Talk to your designer or seek expert advice to discover the best ways of bringing your vision to life.

But if you’re looking for inspiration, we’ve gathered some of our favourite ideas you’re guaranteed to swoon over…

Inspiration gallery

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