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There’s No Home Design Problem a Banquette Can’t Solve

Built-in seating solves space problems galore and adds a cozy, communal element to most every room in the house (including the backyard)

Chantal Lamers
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Create a Multipurpose Kitchen

A deep banquette can certainly function as seating during meals, but this spot was also designed for binging on books or, let’s face it, Netflix. Layer on a graphic touch with a mash-up of colors and patterns, like this upholstery from Sunbrella’s collection for Pendleton by Pindler fabrics.
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Set up the Comfiest Landing Spot

Let’s be honest: a daybed is a bit of an indulgence, so why no overdo it? That’s exactly what designer Katie Hackworth did at the top of her staircase in her Seattle home when she whipped up this book-lover’s dream retreat. To recreate the look, don’t simply pile on pillows; consider common colors and patterns from your home’s palette for cohesiveness.
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Increase Closet Capacity

For spaces that lack closets, built-in wardrobes can provide some heavy storage lifting. To keep a single wall from being overwhelmed with storage, take a cue from Levi Velvick's minimalist design here and break up the piece into a set by incorporating a connecting built-in bench.
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Customize Your Patio

If you’re struggling to nail down the perfect furniture for your backyard living space, take some inspiration from the Sacramento home of Kyle and Morgan Hagerty. They implemented entertaining-friendly seating by designing and building handmade redwood benches that they finished off with inexpensive IKEA cushions.
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Max out Your Dining Space

In a small dining room, chairs can hog precious real estate. As an alternative, a built-in banquette nixes half the chairs and makes the most of a tight footprint. This enviable adaptation by Mary Randolph doubles as seating, storage, and a heavenly perch for the family’s dog.
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Add a Touch of Whimsy

When looking to liven up a small, dark niche, unexpected color and coziness can go a long way to transform the space into something special. In this Spring City, Utah home, designer Meta Coleman installed a built-in bench and chose Scandi fabrics from the 1930s and ‘40s, along with modern lighting and pops of color along the window frame, to create an inviting nook.
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Keep the Playroom Organized

Eschewing traditional freestanding furnishings for built-ins helps max out floor space, especially in rooms that tend to get cluttered (we're looking at you, playroom). A banquette like the one that parents Jessica and Mike Kraus designed here can be used to keep toys out of sight when not in use. Top it with a comfy cushion and pair it with a round vintage table so it also doubles as the go-to spot for messy art projects and playing Legos with friends.
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Break up Your Work Space

Home offices can benefit from a cozy nook for making phone calls or taking a breather from playing email catchup. Take this room for example, where designer Lauren Nelson dreamed up a spacious work surface that’s paired with inviting pillow-topped seating and storage on either side.
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Invigorate a Small Space

Oftentimes a lack of square footage can lead to ill-fitting furniture arrangements. But the owners of this San Francisco home didn’t let a bitty sunroom get the better of them, opting instead to add a built-in daybed that overlooks their sprawling garden.
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Elevate a View

Give an empty window nook purpose with a cozy built-in bench just as designer Alexis Garett did in her San Diego cottage. To make the spot even more inviting, pair the look with an overstuffed cushion, which softens up the hard surfaces.
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Abate Messes

In this family kitchen, designer Lynn K. Leonidas took a practical approach by covering the custom built-in seating with leather—it's practically spill-proof for the kiddos, and let's face it, the adults too.
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Incorporate Seating

Don't have a built-in? Fake one by repurposing custom mattresses or bench cushions. Here, L.A. designer Frances Merrill of Reath Design executed this idea by stacking a rainbow of upholstered mattresses and finishing the look with a bolster and graphic throw pillows for an extra-welcoming touch.
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Exercise Minimalism

Chairs are so overrated, and you only need a handful if you opt for a maintenance-free concrete banquette outside. This built-in bench and table in Mexico City turn a courtyard into an open-air dining room perfect for year-round alfresco meals.
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Make the Most of a Narrow Room

When traditional floating couches won’t do the trick, look to a built-in piece of furniture to pull off the tricky job of creating seating in a narrow space. In Sunset’s 2016 Idea House in Berkeley, Calif., designer Lauren Geremia installed a custom sofa in soft monochromatic tones that creates breathing room in an otherwise constricted space.
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Accommodate Your Needs

In Sunset’s 2017 Smart Cottage in Sonoma, designers from California Closets constructed this versatile wall-length built-in to function in a nursery that could grow with the child. The piece features two countertops (one designated as a desk, the other as a changing table) that flank a sunny window seat; it also has a cabinet perfect for stashing everything from wipes to crayons.

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