Good Questions: How to Commission Custom Bench Seating?

I've never done this, but I would think a GOOD upholstery shop could fabricate this for you. They can usually redesign furniture to update the look of the legs or shape of the upholstered arms, so that is where I'd start. (You might want to get references if the job is likely to be expensive, just to be sure.)

I would go to an upholstery shop - Actually I'd go to one that specializes in restaurant seating and banquettes. I don't live in SF but you can probably find one through the yellow pages. You can talk to whomever you go with about making the seat openable for storage. If you're doing an ivory color in an eating area I would recommend doing a vinyl like shown in the picture. It's durable and easy to clean.

check for custom sofa and upholstery shops on yelp. I found a place on Yelp a few months back that does custom club/lounge stuff that looks really similar to this but I just can't find it through all the pages @_@ sorry!

Westcoast Industries have been around forever..They have been making banquettes for restaurants, cafes for decades.
http://www.westcoastindustries.com/Html/banquettes.htm

Nice people and not overly expensive.

SF Millwork is good too but very expensive and might not do this for a residence, commercial only.

I stumbled across this place today that has something very similar on their website. I have never used them so I can't recommend them and have no idea how much it would cost. But here you go.

www.foamandupholstery.com
http://www.foamandupholstery.com/Couch341a.jpg

They're located in MI but you can order things online.

I have a similar (custom) bench in my kitchen/dining area. Here is what I would do, if I could do it all over again:

Have a carpenter build you a bench that will accommodate commonly-found floor-cushion seating, like the ones shown here:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1275&f=31089&q=floor cushion&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1275&f=31091&q=floor cushion&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30112341

http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&partNumber=WE-PRODr636&retainNav=true&parent_category_rn=&cmsrc=SCH&parentId=floor cushion

http://www.worldmarket.com/JavaPink-Floor-Cushion/lev/4/productId/8859/Ntt/floor%20cushion/Ntx/mode matchallpartial/Ntk/Def/N/0/Nty/1/index.pro

etc..

This way, you can clean the cushions if they get dirty and swap them out when you get bored of them.
Just a thought!

My good friend Al has been one of NYC's premier upholsterers for decades. His website is www.martinalbert.com

They don't really keep it up to date, but they have beautiful, newly remodeled show room on 19th street. You can drop in as see what they can do. (You don't even have to go in if you're not sure. Just peek in the window)

They do almost all the upholstery for big fashion corporations and ad campaigns. They're reasonably priced and FAST!

Call them, they're great!

You could commission an upholsterer to do this type of work - and if the structure is beyond their capabilities, they would subcontract that the structure to a cabinet maker that they work with to complete the piece.

Bear in mind that you must be very exact in describing what you want, as this is a rather complicated thing you're asking for - you'll need measurements, drawings, choices of fabrics, styles of tufting, wood finishes, etc. You must account for the possibility of having it fabricated in sections for accessibility into the space including any doorways, stairs and corridors plus limitations in the sizes of fabrics, etc. You can't just show them a picture while waving your arms around and say "I want something like this here in this but with drawers down below in the corner of my kitchen - How much is it?"

If all this detail is beyond your time, capabilites or interests - then an Interior Designer would be the person that you need to hire to take all of these things into account and ensure a successful result.

You could- as some have suggested, start by finding an Upholsterer (but besure to ask if they do "re-Upholstery only"- or have the capability of creating a piece from the Ground Up.
But, better off start with a Custom Furniture Designer.
Why?
As opposed to a Carpenter/Builder- who may be "able" to construct a frame to be cushioned- a Furniture Designer should be much more in touch w/ Ergonomics, your body size- and the folks who will be sitting on the Banquette.
To get the proper densities of foam- for a "sit" that youll like- find a good upholsterer as well (unless the Furniture Designer already has a great workshop/workroom that they utilize) .
Seating, is very involved.
Much more involved than say- building a Table- which is a top and generally 4 legs.
So- pick who you will- but my advice is to go with someone who's already studied all the angles- seat depths and proportions involved.

(Full Disclosure- I am a Furniture Designer in Chicago- so I have my own bias/knowledge)
www.kramerdesignstudio.com

Have assisted in a couple of these over the years from a restaurant supply source, J.M. Carr, in Seattle. They don't seem to google - it's been a few years! You know, I think they used the West Coast Industries brochure, so that would be a good place to start.

I don't know about upholsterers in SF, but you can definitely save some money by sourcing the fabric yourself from a variety of discount vendors. Just ask the upholsterer how much fabric is needed for the project (it is always WAY more yardage than you were thinking) and then start looking for bargains. eBay is often a good place to start.

Here are a couple of examples of discounted UltraLeather in colors (and quantities) that may work for you:

http://newtoto.stores.yahoo.net/geulna.html

http://newtoto.stores.yahoo.net/ulprinpe.html

http://newtoto.stores.yahoo.net/deulinwh.html

One other note: avoid vinyl faux leathers. Go with a quality faux leather made of polyurethane, which has a much nicer hand and a more realistic finish.