by Because nothing is quite as chic and cozy as a banquette, it’s time we rethink our dining table and chair allegiance. In addition to reminding us of Michelin-starred restaurants and comfortable sofas, it works well in a wide range of design styles. Here are 39 banquette seating ideas to inspire you to sit back and relax, whether you like statement decor or keep your dining area elegant and understated.
WHITE AND BLACK
It feels intentional and cozy to contrast the white walls of the kitchen with a black leather banquette in an airy apartment designed by Lauren Buxbaum Gordon.
There is no shortage of storage
This sunny yellow banquette in a home designed by Todhunter Earle Interiors features ample storage and ample wrap-around seating for dinner guests and math assistance.
THE 3 WINDOW SEAT
An animal-print cushion, plush blue upholstery, and playful wallpaper make this Los Angeles dining nook a cozy place to sip coffee.
A 4OUT & ABOUT
It’s casual enough for a slow morning yet fully equipped for an evening of lively dining in Christina Seilern’s Greek island retreat.
THE UNDERCOVER
In a picturesque Alpine ski chalet, this version of the traditionally upholstered seat is crafted from the same wood as the dining table.
PROFILE 6LOW
In a charming London home designed by Veere Grenney, this banquette is the same height as the dining chairs for a seamless look.
You need to supersize it
In this family kitchen by Frances Merrill, no one has to fight over the booth side. An oversize corner banquette makes mealtimes fun for kids and their friends.
CURVES CAN BE ADDED
In this dining room, a curved bench takes the place of more individual armchairs, mimicking the oblong shape of the marble table.
THE ARTFUL NOOK
This elegantly understated New York kitchen was designed by Augusta Hoffman, who mastered a perfectly composed nook. In contrast to all the hard materials in a kitchen space, adding a soft layer is important, she says, whether that’s through lighting, window treatments, or upholstery if you’re lucky enough to be able to do so.
A BRIGHT AND BOLD 10
A vibrant turquoise nook (with complementary mustard yellow chairs) creates a stark contrast in this otherwise grayscale kitchen in an Oakland, California, Tudor with interiors by Tiffany Thompson.
11COZY CUSHIONING
A minimalit banquette like this one looks more like a comfortable sectional sofa, perfect for long nights around the dinner table.
BOX IT IN 12
In a Malibu, California, home, this rust-colored seating nook offers performance upholstery and custom millwork.
PLAY WITH PATTERNS 13
Jean-Louis Deniot complemented the deep navy walls with a whimsical patterned upholstery inspired by the home’s seaside setting.
HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT
In this Manhattan apartment, the banquette’s parrot motif is cleverly camouflaged on the ceiling for a seamless design.
CONTRAST IS KEY
To offset the straight lines of the wooden shelves and custom dining table, Husband Wife designed this dusty-pink banquette.
A 16L-SHAPE
The L-shaped banquette provides ample seating and open views of the living room and beyond in this California home.
BLUE 17MIDNIGHT
The pattern-filled dining room of lighting designer Marie-Lise Féry is grounded and coordinated by a curvaceous navy banquette.
DISGUISED IN A DRAMATICAL WAY
This Art Deco apartment highlights its dining table with coordinating banquette and cabinetry.
SAVE SPACE WITH 19SPACE
This one-seat bench by designer Lorenzo Castillo is upholstered in the emerald hue of the Parisian kitchen.
I’M SURE 20CHARMED
The mustard banquette and raw-edge table add an air of unfussiness to this otherwise sophisticated and elegant interior.
COLORFUL COORDINATES
A cinnamon velvet sofa pairs perfectly with midcentury chairs and Max Lamb terrazzo floors in Tatyana Miron Ahlers’s New York loft.
FLEXIBILITY IS KEY
A Manhattan couple wanted their dining table to work both casually for takeout and glamfully for dinner parties, so they hired architect Michael K. Chen to design it.
BITE-SIZE 23
This bite-sized banquette in the home of Christine and John Gachot packs a punch and is perfect for apartment living.
A GREEN WORLD IN 24SHADES
Thanks to designer Tom Scheerer, this verdant banquette feels equally at home in Manhattan or Palm Beach.
A CALM AND CHIC LOOK
Take a look at Isabel López-Quesada’s breakfast room to see how banquettes can also feel clean and elegant.
PURPLE 26
A banquette upholstered in rich purple Maharam mohair adds a luxurious touch to a kitchen in an Upper West Side apartment designed by Kimille Taylor. Additionally, a custom dining table and swivel chairs by Koi, as well as a painting by Allen Anthony Hansen, add movement to the room with the handmade chandelier.
COBALT BLUE
Custom chairs and a banquette in cobalt blue were designed by Stephen Sills for this Manhattan kitchen. A white Saarinen table from Design Within Reach contrasts with a pendant light from Avantgarden, wallpaper by Hines & Company, and herringbone flooring.
SLEEK LEATHER
An Apparatus brass and leather chandelier adds visual interest to Tamara Magel’s black and white breakfast nook.
BLUE AND WHITE
Using a purple rug and a blue and white Zak+Fox patterned banquette for a Brooklyn townhouse breakfast nook, designer Kate Reynolds created an eye-catching breakfast nook. Serena & Lily pendants and a pedestal table are also featured in the space.
CORNER KICK
White breakfast nook with leather banquette and minimalist light fixture in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
31STRIPS
The dining room of Philip Gorrivan’s Upper East Side apartment features a banquette upholstered in a boldly striped Romo linen and limed oak tables; his collection of European drawings is displayed salon-style.
LINEN 32
Designing the dining room of a duplex apartment with panoramic views of Paris, interior designer François Champsaur created a custom banquette upholstered in linen, brass top tables with black lacquer bases, Frank Gehry’s Cloud pendant, and Charles and Ray Eames’ chairs.
NEUTRAL ELEGANCE
There are antique mahogany boxes and fruitwood tea caddies on the shelves in Ben Soleimani’s Beverly Hills breakfast room. The banquette is covered in Rose Tarlow Melrose House fabric; the large Chinese vase is 19th-century.
SUBDUED FLOWERS
The banquette in Allegra Hicks’ kitchen was upholstered in a floral fabric of her own design; the painting is by Ingrid Dinter, and the windows overlook her garden.
BOLD LINEN
A pied-à-terre in New York’s Plaza Hotel features a custom banquette upholstered with Castel linen and tufted cushions. A 19th-century stone-top table is paired with a custom Bhutanese rug from Stark, shades in de Le Cuona linen, and a custom Bhutanese rug.
Oak 36L
The breakfast area of artist David Salle’s Brooklyn home and studio features a Sri Lankan teardrop light made from a recycled fish basket.
COTTON RELAXED
Lacquered cabinetry and a banquette with Manuel Canovas cotton cushions are designed by architect Joe Serrins for an all-white breakfast room in a Miami high-rise. Leather-and-polished-steel stools are paired with Saarinen-style tables.
CHARMING STRIPES
A ticking stripe-upholstered banquette in the dining room of designer Jacqueline Coumans’ Southampton, New York, cottage features 1950s cushions; the walls are painted with Comoglio cotton, and flea-market garden chairs surround the glass-top table.
VIVID FLORALS
The San Francisco home of Alexis and Trevor Traina features matching dining tables flanked by banquettes and folding chairs, all designed by Andrew Fisher; there are photographs on the walls by Joel Meyerowitz and Tina Barney, and a Madison Cox-designed garden is visible from the window.
