8 Banquette Seating Ideas for Your Kitchen

Banquettes are generally considered to be a more casual kitchen seating solution, but not these ones from the WL archives. While they’re certainly smaller and more relaxed than a typical dining-table-and-chair combo, thanks to their beautiful upholstery, interesting shapes and clever storage, they’re also big on sophistication and style.

True Blue

Upholstered walls help to give these kitchen banquettes an exaggerated look—and play up the home’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired look. It’s almost as if designers Paul Lavoie and Julie Lanctot gave the dining area an “Eat Me” cookie that made it grow in size. See more of this colourful Calgary residence.

Cabin Fever

Space-maximizing tricks are used throughout designer Sophie Burke’s Howe Sound cabin. Take the dining area, for example—there’s storage under the bench, creating a cozy (and clutter-free!) spot where the family can enjoy leisurely meals together. Tour this remote island home.

Big Deal

This North Vancouver laneway home is too small for a dining table or nook, so designer Rebecca Foster and the team at Revel Built Inc. came up with a pretty genius solution: “We created an oversized island and incorporated seating on the side, so the homeowners are able to sit as a family,” she says. Find out what else makes this kitchen work.

Princess Peach

Designer Suzanne Tetrault of Studio Felix wanted to give this spec home a unique palette. “I think people are drawn to colour—I think they want color,” she says, adding that different textures and patterns would be key to not overwhelming this space with peachy tones. You’ll see this beautifully exhibited in the dining room, which features a banquette with a velvet seat and tweed tufted backing. Check out the rest of this Calgary abode.

Hidden Gem

Suzanne Tetrault strikes again! She also incorporated colour into this Calgary infill; the emerald green breakfast nook in the kitchen really pops, especially under the light that pours in from the adorable circular widow. Explore this stunning spec home.

Two Faced

This Gillian Segal-designed kitchen proves that “laid-back glamour” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron. Here, Kelly Wearstler chairs, a rattan pendant light and a casual banquette seat offset the glitzier elements of the room, like the mirrored hood vent. “We wanted to create a space that was transitional from the intimate day-to-day of raising kids to hosting, connecting and entertaining,” she explains. Get more tips from this kitchen look.

Double Duty

The banquette in this dining area achieves two main things. First, it allows room for guests to easily walk through to the kitchen. Second, it makes after-dinner cleanup a cinch for the homeowners. Designer Annaliesse Kelly chose a durable leatherette upholstery that doesn’t wrinkle and can easily be wiped down. See more before and after renovation photos.

Combo Meal

Ben Leavitt of PlaidFox Studio helped give this Yaletown condo a much-needed makeover—one that balances heritage elements with a contemporary vibe. In the dining room, a black terrazzo table, brush brass chairs wrapped in quilted antique leather and an elegant velvet banquette all work in concert against a brick wall. Step inside this playful Vancouver loft.