Banquettes provide simplicity and convenience

As our collective lifestyle becomes more and more casual, we search for design solutions that simplify and streamline daily living. Laundry rooms are making their way upstairs, home offices are frequent features, and mudrooms are fast becoming a must have. The search for simplicity also explains why more and more of us are opting to include a dining area within the kitchen itself. Close proximity to meal preparation makes this a convenient location for family meals and late night snacks.

That said, today's kitchen is called upon to deliver much more than in past decades; however, available floor space has not always increased to meet these growing demands. One of the tasks designers face is accommodating as many "good ideas" and desires as possible, hence the growing popularity of the banquette.

By its nature a banquette, from the French word for bench, maximizes floor space, squeezing more seating into tighter proportions. A bay window or unused corner can easily be converted into coveted dining space with a custom banquette. The absence of chair backs and arms allows the tabletop to rest neatly over available seating.

The advantages of a banquette are many. If you've ever been disappointed to find all the booths taken in a crowded eatery while you were assigned a center table you know that a banquette fosters cozy seclusion and intimate lingering. In addition, its construction can be adapted to suit any style of decorating, traditional or contemporary. Drawers and compartments can also be built into seating, providing ample storage space. I suggest clients store infrequently used items such as Christmas tins and platters beneath benches.

Children are particularly fond of banquette seating and parents often remark how successfully a banquette can "contain" or "trap" a restless toddler, keeping him or her at the table for longer periods of time.

Regardless of configuration, make sure to allow 24" of space for each seated person. A 36" booth will accommodate three diners.