To Bench Or Not To Bench, That Is The Question

To Bench Or Not To Bench, That Is The Question

The Art of Sociable Seating

When you picture a dining table set-up, it generally has dining chairs scattered around. But why not a bench? They've been used in Asian restaurants for years and are rising in popularity among other cuisines due to the competition to make dining spaces feel cosier and more relaxed; maybe it's time more of us took this space-saving initiative on board and made our home dining spaces more comfortable too. After all, facilitating communal dining isn't only necessary in the hospitality industry, and we could all use a little more conversation in our lives. So, should you get a bench for your dining room?

<p>This year, furniture trends are aimed towards sustainability and comfort. So, opt for an environmentally friendly wooden bench and add colourful accent cushions or soft seat padding.</p>

This year, furniture trends are aimed towards sustainability and comfort. So, opt for an environmentally friendly wooden bench and add colourful accent cushions or soft seat padding.

Dining rooms and kitchens all around the world are thriving on combinations of bench seating and chairs. 2023 is all about taking the simple idea of a sturdy wooden seating option and adding upholstery to make it both comfortable and stylish. Benches are so versatile, it’s easy to mix and match them with a faux leather or velvet upholstered chair in order to give your dining space the exact look that you want. This balanced juxtaposition of styles can act as a bridge between old and new, which can help to integrate any other décor in your home that might otherwise feel out of place.

Ercol Elisa Small Bench

Having a combination of styles like this can be a surefire way to demonstrate a dynamic and unique interior, using the bench as a main focal point. Not only this, but there’s a plethora of advantages that the bench has over the regular chair, like minimising the illusion of clutter created by having too many pieces of furniture (even in the biggest dining room), and reducing the cost of seating your entire extended family around the same table. The best part, though? You don’t even have to keep the bench in sight all the time, especially if you don’t have lots of space. Backless benches allow you to slot them underneath your table and forget they’re there until you next need them and are super useful for different parts of your home, like in the hallway for putting on your shoes, or as storage.

Sit down to put your shoes on

Perfect for keeping things tidily accessible

Benches are renowned for creating a casual atmosphere thanks to their sociable and low-key style. This is especially true when it comes to needing extra seating for big family gatherings or a busy lifestyle with lots of children on a regular basis because you can fit a lot more people around a table when you don’t have to leave space between each seat. However, it is also the perfect seating option for more formal dinner parties, as benched seating gives a much more luxurious feel than an upright chair, and also allows intimate conversation to flow thanks to the inviting, interactive, and comfortable nature of a dining bench.

Hardy Corner Bench Grey

Industrial Corner Bench Grey

A bench will also protect your floors; if your guests can slide along to their dining space, they won’t need to pull their chairs in and out constantly. This is particularly great in small spaces because walkways will be more open to ensure easy traffic flow, especially when hot plates full of food are being moved around!