Dining Room Ideas: Try a Banquette In Place of Chairs For More Style (and Seating Space)

If you’re anything like me, you’re always calling dibs on the banquette seat when you dine out. I mean, who doesn’t want to be super comfy and cozy on a plush sofa seat (sorry chairs!). To further entice that lust for the best seat in the house, check out this round up of settees being used in uber-chic dining rooms by some top-notch design talents.

Tucked between a whitewashed fireplace, with brick as a backdrop, is a perfectly fitted banquette devised by famed interior designer Windsor Smith—an artfully composed and serene spot for afternoon tea. (via One Kings Lane)

Simply perched under a kitchen window is a brightly pigmented banquette by Patrick Mele that draws the eye over the dining table.

Lindsey Coral Harper played with vibrant hues when assembling this quaint kitchen nook, spotted in House Beautiful. The clever use of a banquette here allows for ample seating and paired with a non-intrusive round table, really hits all the right notes.

Benjamin Vandiver is the master when it comes to tailored details and this banquette, featured on 1stdibs is no exception. By creating an L shape, he allotted for more seating opportunities while also adding dramatic lines to the space.

Philip Gorrivan chose a pair of square tables to live with his right angle banquette that he extended on one side to fill the space appropriately. (via Elle Décor)

BarrieBenson opted for a slightly curved banquette with geometric nailhead detailing on the base and paired it with an oval Saarinen table. This leather seat really hugs the edges of the table and creates a cozy, elegant dining nook.

Showing off her neutral side, designer Eileen Kathryn Boyd used a handsome Belgian linen for the settee, whose low arms allow for easy in-and-out access, in her own Long Island kitchen.

Black Band Design constructed this custom banquette with a high-back and nail head trim; met with a concrete table, this is a true fusion between coastal chic and modern minimalism.

Garrow Kedigian is known for his ultra-sophisticated spaces and that extends to this super luxurious dining area (from House Beautiful), where a slipper settee with a tasseled bottom evokes a sort of royal demeanor. The glass top table allows for views in all angles of the space.

Olivia O’Bryan Design created a lovely, effortless breakfast nook with a streamlined banquette that spans the entire length of the oval table.

Playful and bright are the words that come to mind with this stand-alone banquette designed by Houston designer Paloma Contreras. Her clients have children so she chose to use a highly patterned and saturated fabric for the settee to help hide any little accidents that might transpire.

→Got the itch to add a settee to your dining area? Peruse 15 our of favorite options under $600 here.