It's such a welcoming detail to add a bench at the front door. For single family detached homes, an exterior bench can be quite inviting. In an apartment building, consider a bench just inside the front door to create a gracious entry. Here are a few of each:
The benefits of having a bench at the front door, indoors or out:
- It's a place to put on/remove shoes.
- It provides a comfortable place for you to watch for your ride if you carpool or are waiting for company.
- It provides a convenient surface for putting down your bags or packages when you arrive home.
- It can help establish an entrance sequence when none exists.
Shown above, left to right:
FIRST ROW:
• 1 The entry at the Country Living 2009 house of the year.
• 2 A bench welcomes guests in the garden at the front of Kevin and Greg's Sugar Shack.
• 3 A minimal yet functional entry hall bench from Angela Ferdi via Apartment Therapy's Entryways for Any Apartment
• 4 A built-in bench plus plenty of storage from Point Click Home. Photo by John Gould Bessler
• 5 A bench tucked into a winding stairway at This Old House.
SECOND ROW:
• 6 A cozy entry via Earthbricker.
• 7 This entrance bench from Better Homes and Gardens is an attractive architectural feature of the entryway.
• 8 An extremely high-backed bench with a place to hang towels at a Cape Cod cottage via Veranda.
Images: Country Living, Gregory Han/Apartment Therapy, Angela Ferdi/Krisel Keeper, John Gould Bessler/Elle Decor, This Old House, Earthbricker, Better Homes & Gardens, Veranda
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Love the bench... Great Home!
I had long wanted a bench at our front door, but other pieces were taking priority during our remodel/redecoration/remix. It was my brilliant bf who suggested using a piano bench, because he preferred sitting in a chair when he played anyway. It's worked out so well, and the size and scale are perfect!
Useful, welcoming, warming. Gotta love the entry bench! Here's mine.
Don't forget your tiny pitchfork with ridiculously long handle.
I love our bench in our entryway! here's <A HREF="http://kristensbloglife.blogspot.com/2010/03/before-and-after-our-entryway-mudroom.html">our before and after</A>.
I love our bench in our entry way! Here's our our before and after.
We actually have a very small compact couch from Target in our entry. We initially bought it after moving when we were waiting 6+ weeks for our coaches to be delivered and we had 0 furniture. After actually getting our furniture we realized it fit right into our entry way. A great comfy spot to put on your shoes, or wait on your wife.
We have a bench in our entrance way and I love it... for years it was a place we passed through and a bench transformed it to a place where we can linger a little bit longer!!! http://www.se7en.org.za/2009/12/07/saturday-spot-the-grand-entrance