Kitchen Banquette Seating
Although a traditional table and chair set might not necessarily catch your attention when you walk into a kitchen, there are types of seating that can make a statement and offer much more! Banquette seating is a good option for many kitchens.
Banquette Design
Even if you’re unfamiliar with the term “banquette,” you’ve most likely seen banquette seating in a kitchen. Banquettes refer to upholstered bench seating, usually built into the wall. They can be configured into different shapes—I, L, and U. U-shaped banquette designs can be harder to get into and out of and require more room. We usually build straight-across or L-shaped banquettes. Banquette seating:
- Can be space-saving
- Is comfortable
- Provides seating for larger groups
- Can provide extra storage
Banquette seating is great—but not for every kitchen. The space you do have is a major factor if you’re considering installing a banquette. You have to have enough depth to make the bench comfortable, and in some kitchens, banquette seating doesn’t architecturally fit. We recommend the bench be approximately 18 inches tall and base recessed or angled for more foot room. If you want to use the banquette for storage, you’ll want drawers rather than lift-up, hinged seating for easier access.
Kitchen Banquette Seating Tips
An experienced design-build company like Wentworth will be able to help you work out all the details, but in general, keep the following in mind when you’re considering banquette seating for your kitchen:
- Corner banquettes are great space-savers
- Round tables work well with corner banquettes
- Banquettes are ideal by windows
- Outdoor fabrics are good to use (try to avoid fabrics that are slippery and stain easily)
Wentworth was recently featured in The Washington Post for designing a kitchen in Potomac with banquette seating. Visit our news page to learn more—and contact us to learn more or if you’re ready for a kitchen renovation that includes a banquette design!
