12 Cozy Corner Banquettes for Kitchens Big and Small
When I was little, I had a great aunt who lived in a snazzy '50s
ranch house. Her kitchen had all the hallmarks of the era's
architecture, including a cozy corner banquette. Her banquette had
yellow cushions and a square table. I would sit there and watch her cook
with her honey-colored beehive hairstyle and her standard-issue uniform
of apron and house slippers.
Corner banquettes are great for a casual eating experience, morning coffee or a conversation hub while cooking. Pull up a chair and take a look at these cozy, corner banquettes. You would be surprised how little space is required for such a seating arrangement; the cozier the better.
Corner banquettes are great for a casual eating experience, morning coffee or a conversation hub while cooking. Pull up a chair and take a look at these cozy, corner banquettes. You would be surprised how little space is required for such a seating arrangement; the cozier the better.
This is the exact configuration of
my aunt's old kitchen, including the half round shelves at the end of
the peninsula. The shelves are a great place to store napkins or
cookbooks.
An old fashioned concept with
modern styling. The Saarinen-style table is a perfect choice for this
sleek corner banquette. Have a tight corner? Try a 36-inch round table;
it'll be a bit easier to maneuver around.
Another tip for corner banquettes is to use a table that has a pedestal base. No corner legs to wiggle around.
A banquette technically has
upholstery, but you can make a wood bench work, too. An all-wood corner
banquette can look seamless with the kitchen cabinets. Notice how the
top edge is built out slightly to double as a shelf.
Corner banquettes can also be built
out to include storage below the seat. I love the mixed woods in this
kitchen. Chair and table colors do not have to be the same.
Try multiple small tables instead
of one center table. Casual, comfortable dining only needs a surface big
enough for a plate or two.
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This is what I call a coffee
corner. It's just big enough to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and read
the morning paper. Notice how the back cushion has exaggerated height to
elongate the space.
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Too hip to be square? Try a rounded
banquette instead. This one has a base built into the corner, and the
attached, custom upholstery then takes on a rounded shape. A round table
is the best choice for such a configuration.
Here is a solution for a corner
with a floor-to-ceiling window on one of the walls. Just build the
banquette right in front of the window. I suggest the banquette be
backless so it doesn't detract from the view.
If you have windows on both corner
walls, build the banquette at typical seat height: 17-19 inches
finished. Use pillows instead of a built-in back cushion.
A corner banquette can also solve the problem of too much
space. If you have an oversize kitchen, consider a dining-room-size
banquette. Multiple chairs and overhead pendant lights bring down the
scale of this generous space and create a cozy seating area.
by Emily Mackie
by Emily Mackie
Outside corners work, too. I love
this "Starbucks style" eating area. Not exactly a banquette, but still a
clever use of an outside corner to create clever utility space.