January was our two year anniversary of living in our little cape in Connecticut. We were quick to make a lot of changes to the home right when we moved in. I couldn’t wait to paint the entire house, rip out the carpet in our upstairs, update both bathrooms and tackle the outdated kitchen. We did all of it within the first few months. I really wanted to add some sort of banquette style seating in our little eat-in kitchen. But I was tired of spending our savings on this house and just wanted to be done with the projects. So I made our settee work and created a little banquette with what we had.
It has done the job of what I imagined a banquette would do- a cozy spot to sit and linger longer in the kitchen. It has been my blogging spot, a spot to squeeze over 10 little girls for multiple Birthday parties, homework station and where I sit to watch my husband do the cooking. I shared more about this space HERE. But I have the itch to change it up. So I thought I would share my idea with you. We are weighing the options of having our handy-man do it or tackling the project ourselves. We have made friends with this great guy who actually hung our sliding track door, hung the wallpaper in Finn’s nursery and helped install our new front porch. Everyone needs to find someone like Marcin. I will share what route we decide to go with. He is coming over today to give us a bid.
For now these are some of my inspiration photos-
I love the fluffy cushions and casualness of this banquette. It screams cozy, lived in and just fun. (source)
I love all the pillows in this banquette. Great use of space in a small house (source)
I loved this banquette because it shows that it can still work underneath windows, like we have. (source)
This is my friend Annie’s home. I love the shiplap above her banquette and all of her tone on tone pillows. Really this is my FAVORITE. (source)
I love banquettes for the fact that you can squeeze so many more around the table (source)
And one of the BIGGEST reasons I want the banquette seating is for the extra storage. I plan on having the top open to fill it with kitchen supplies. We need any and ALL the extra storage we can get in a small space. I am already imaging our crock pot, pressure cooker, extra plates, napkins…basically it will be like Mary Poppins bag.
We have our chalkboard above our settee now and I want to take that down and do some floating shelves to replace the bookcase we will be missing once we add the banquette that wraps around the corner.
#1 (source) #2 (source) #3 (source) #4 (source)
Next we will be switching out our dining chairs. I want to do either a white chair or a black or possibly the fog gray on THESE chairs. Below are some of my FAVORITES that I am having a hard to deciding between!
Affilate links to shop-
#1 (source) #2 (source) #3 (source) #4 (source)#5 (source)
Love to know your favorite chair and what you think of me changing up our kitchen for a built in banquette. Hoping it will add some value for resale too.
Gorgeous, I love this look and it can seat so many and still be so comfortable.
totally agree! I think adding bench cushions helps with the comfort- that will be a must for us!
I absolutely love your home- your current kitchen was a huge inspiration for me. I have a small south philadelphia rowhome with a corner that is considered my “dining room”. I really wanted to build a banquette as well, but instead landed on an old church pew bench, which I paired with an oval table and some chairs! I still dream of a beautiful breakfast nook and can’t wait to see what you do!
We are also redoing our kitchen in the next 2 weeks and are adding open shelving- those inspiration pics are perfect. Heather Bullard’s kitchen (pic #3) is ..heaven. Good luck on your decisions but my vote is pro-banquette:)
Have a great day!
Allie (IG @mrseisel)
Thank you Allie! I am honored to know that I inspired you:) What you have sounds really charming. How exciting for your open shelves!!
hey girl good luck on the new banquette seating! It will look so good! And I like #4 and #5 the best on the chairs!
Thanks Shawnna! I like #5 best too- deciding what color! I always love timeless white…but the light gray might be nice too.
I think that’s a great idea, it will look more open as well as provide more seating if you continue under the window. All the chairs look great, I like the low profile of #2 and it looks comfortable like it hugs your back. The added storage you will have is a win win! Good luck!
Thank you Meg! I appreciate your thoughts! I really like #2 also. Storage will be huge!!
Great idea to add a banquet – it will look wonderful in your space. As for the chairs, I like #5. I did sit in #1 and found it quite uncomfortable – guess because I am 5′ 2″ and the top rim of the chair felt terrible on my back. The open shelves will look fantastic.
Oh thank you for your help!! I am leaning to #5 so that totally helps!
Love your ideas for the banquette!! Can’t wait to see how you style your floating shelves. Seriously. You are my go to source for styling images. I love how you incorporate purposeful pieces and make it all look so lovely! And, if you plan on selling your settee, I’d love to buy it!! Please email me! ??
Thanks so much! I appreciate your sweet words! And I will add you to the list:)
OMG I would literally buy your settee! I am in love with it and cannot find one like it anywhere…
I will let you know…I might keep it, it is one of my favorite pieces!
A banquet would look perfect in that space! Very cozy! I love #5 chairs, they look the most comfortable.
Thank you!!I am leaning to #5 as well!
I recently redid my kitchen and adjoining family room- now one great open space. I did a 90″ window seat between two custom built-ins. I have a custom cushion and loads of pillows. I strongly recommend you do drawers for storage instead of top opening lids. Would you really want to have to move cushions and pillows every time you need something?! Pulling open a deep, wide drawer is SO MUCH easier. Also, I chose not to put knobs or handles so the feet wouldn’t use them as a resting spot and damage them. Have fun renovating. My window seat/banquette is my favorite part of the renovation!
Thanks Kathy. I did think about drawers. But then I thought I could store bigger items if we didn’t do drawers. Like our pressure cooker and crock pot. I will have to compare the sizes. Your built ins sound amazing!
This will be awesome! And much neater and more put together. Love open shelving. I really like chair #2, it would add a little edge and is light and bright. Not the same old predictable chair everyone uses.
Thank you!
First of all, love your darling home, your style and your blog….so well done. Banquet seating is ideal in a small eating area. We did exactly that in our previous home. With 5 children and a very limited eating area, it provided outstanding seating for many bodies. We had a skilled craftsman build one almost identical to the last banquet photo that you have shown and ours also sat below many windows. The hinged seating area allows for tons of excellent, overflow storage. Looking back, with the time and the proper tools, you could totally tackle it yourselves. We are huge DIYers, but in that day/period of life, it may have taken us 6 mos to create, trim, prime, ant paint it. You will love the space that it brings to you beautiful kitchen.
Thank you for your kind words. I am excited to get it done. I would love to tackle it ourselves- but I know that might be tricky with our skills and lack of time. And tools! We will see!
Aaaah! ou are making me want to do the same! We have a nice cozy space in our kitchen and it currently has 2 arm chairs from Ikea, a table with drawers (storage) and open shelving for my nice cookware. I go back and forth but man I love banquettes! I can’t wait to see what you decide to do! 🙂
I am excited to change it up and have that storage. I will share it and how we did it for sure.
Love the coziness of a banquette sitting area! I am looking to incorporate coziness in my kitchen as well and the use of a bench seating is perfect way to achieve that. My only comment would be to be careful picking chairs, I have #5 in my dining room. And although I love the look, sitting in one for any length of time is tough on the rear end! Be sure to incorporate seat cushions for those chairs as well. Good luck! Love all of your style overall !
Oh good to know! I have actually not sat in them- I better go try them out. Thanks for your help!
While I definitely love all of these, I like the second one and next to last best I think. I love the indigo pillows in the second one but I like the bench that goes all the way around in the L shape . I think the floating shelves es will look great. As for the chairs, I think I like the first and second ones best, but they are all very nice,.Cant wait to see what you come up with . I know it will be fabulous with your talent.
Thank you Donna! Yes, we are going to do an L shape one! And I love those indigo pillows:)
Hi! I like #1 chair because i have not seen those around much and they are a little more unusual.. Great ideas though! Butttt…I always love your ideas!
Thank you Brooke and I like that one too!!
I agree, great idea!!!
Thank you!
LOVE the banquette idea! Storage underneath is great too. I like chairs #2 (if they are not too big for your space and #4). While I like the look of metal chairs and stools like #3, I find that they are really uncomfortable to sit on. Just my 2 cents! Good luck–can’t wait to see the after photos!
Thanks so much! And I agree- those are not the most comfortable and we need comfort!
Chairs # 2 and #5 are the best looking, and appear more study and durable. Love the storage bench seating it will be great, and I bet it makes you kitchen feel larger!
Thank you for your input! I think it will make a big difference in here!
It’s going to be amazing and fit so many people. I can’t believe how functional our banquette is in our little kitchen. One tip that I learned while researching how we wanted ours to be is to make sure you have an overhang on the seat. It gives the legs a natural place to be, otherwise it won’t be very comfortable.
Oh thank you! That is a great tip!