Homes + Decor

12 Stunning Banquette Ideas to Elevate Any Kitchen Design

Both practical and visually appealing, this cozy design treatment will add personality and function to any space

By Jennifer Fernandez

Naomi Watts has one. So does Patrick Dempsey. But star power aside, there are plenty of reasons to install a banquette in your kitchen or breakfast nook. More than just a bold design treatment, the cozy construction makes for a seating arrangement that’s more conducive to intimate conversation than the traditional table-and-chairs setup, much like the corner booth at your favorite restaurant. It’s also a great choice for families, as anyone who’s ever tried to get a squirming kid to sit still in a single seat can attest. Whether upholstered in a cheerful patterned fabric or classic leather, banquettes can even make a big impact in smaller spaces, where there’s limited room for a full dining area. Here, we’ve rounded up 12 stunning banquettes that will inspire you. From modernist benches to cushy booths, there’s one to suit every style.

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    The banquette and Saarinen chairs in accessories designer Fiona Kotur's kitchen in Hong Kong are cushioned in a DeLany & Long outdoor leather.

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    Designed by Campion Platt, the sunny breakfast nook in a Hudson Valley, New York, home features a banquette in a Kravet vinyl, leather chairs from Ralph Lauren Home, and a custom wood-grained-vinyl area rug by Patterson, Flynn & Martin.

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    In the kitchen dining area of a New York townhouse designed by Delphine Krakoff, the table by Paul Evans is accompanied by a Pamplemousse Design banquette, upholstered in a Holly Hunt fabric, and Erwine and Estelle Laverne chairs; the pendant light is by Tom Dixon, and the marble floor is by Exquisite Surfaces.

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    In the dining area of a rustic home in New York by Francis D’Haene of D’Apostrophe Design, Tom Dixon pendant lamps are grouped with Hans J. Wegner Wishbone chairs and a custom-made table and banquette.

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    In one corner of a New York dining room created by Design firm Stephen Sills Assoc. and John B. Murray Architect, a Lucio Fontana painting (left) and a Cy Twombly work hang above a tufted banquette; the chandelier is 1940s French, and the tablecloth is made of a Lee Jofa fabric.

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    A Slim Aarons photograph surmounts the mantel in the Los Angeles breakfast room of Dave DeMattei and Patrick Wade, where a table and chairs designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll are grouped with a banquette upholstered in a Ralph Lauren Home plaid; the tufted ottoman is covered in a fabric by Jasper.

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    In the breakfast area of designer Sara Story’s Texas home, which was completed in collaboration with Lake|Flato Architects, a Paavo Tynell light fixture from Craig Van Den Brulle joins a banquette clad in a Moore & Giles leather and vintage Thonet chairs.

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    In a Malibu breakfast area, Scott Mitchell devised the table and banquette, which is cushioned in a de Le Cuona linen, while Denise Kuriger designed the chair; the kitchen includes a pot rack custom made by Paul Ferrante, counter stools by Bourgeois Bohème, and a Wolf range.

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    Giorgio Morandi still lifes cluster over a parcel-gilt banquette at Bunny and Paul Mellon's Manhattan residence, a 1966 French Provincial–style townhouse by architect H. Page Cross; it was decorated with Paul Leonard, William Strom, John Fowler, Bruce Budd, and others.

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    A Richard Estes photograph overlooks a banquette in the breakfast area of a Manhattan home by architect Peter Pennoyer and designer Victoria Hagan.

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    A 19th-century French mirror from Marvin Alexander punctuates the breakfast room in a Hamptons, New York, home by Peter Pennoyer and designer Matthew Patrick Smyth; the custom-made banquette is clad in a Lee Jofa suede, the bistro tables are vintage, and the side chairs are by Janus et Cie.

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    In the breakfast room of a Manhattan home by Gomez Associates, the 1960s Lightolier pendant lamp and the table, a 1960s teak partners desk by Florence Knoll, are both from Wyeth; the banquette is covered in a Lee Jofa linen, and the Knoll Saarinen chairs, from Design Within Reach, are upholstered in a Manuel Canovas chenille.

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