Dining Chair Alternative: All Wood Bench Seating

Recently I have been on the hunt for the perfect dining chair and can't find anything I like. I think this is a sign — bench seating might be the solution! I have always loved the Windsor inspired communal bench…

The bench seating would look great paired with a long table and other chairs as well. Or … the bench could be pushed against the wall and brought out for additional seating when entertaining. I could think of many different reasons to convince myself that I need a bench seat.

1: Continuous Arm Bench: Thos. Moser $2,600
2: Windsor Settee: Matter $8,000
3: Windsor Love Seat: Anthropologie $1,498
4: Enfield Shaker Meetinghouse Bench: Shaker Workshops $900
5: Mori Bench: Organic Modernism $795
6: Village Black Armless Bench: Crate&Barrel $399

Images: As credited above

Comments (9)

I like benches, but not at the dining table. My parents had them and it was a pain in the neck if someone seated in the middle had to get up during the meal and leave the table, haha. Not quite as annoying as sitting in a booth and having to shuffle around when someone needed to get up, but very close! I'd have benches in other rooms of the house, but not in the dining room :D

I totally agree with jamieo...perfect for an entry hall but never for a dining table.

I like the bench seating without a back for a dining table (picnic bench style), but with a back it seems a little too big and cumbersome. Although, the photos shown are beautiful benches.

I love #1 - so beautiful. I'd rather have a chair, though.

We have an old church pew as seating at our dining table and love it. The above benches are very nice though.

I'm in the process of repurposing an old hotel credenza into a bench seat/banquette. I knew it was a hip idea! lol. I really just wanted a hangout spot in our eat-in kitchen & a long bench seat (6 ft) seemed ideal.

Why not a Windsor chair, then? They're just as beautiful, and each person can decide how close to the table to sit so as to keep crumbs from falling in his lap.

We had a bench at the table when I was a kid, and I echo jamieo's middle-person lament. I do like benches, though.