One way to create a unique design during kitchen renovations is to add a custom dining nook with a bench seat. While these structures can be retro, they can be designed for modern, traditional, and other decors. Here are several benefits they provide.
Space Saving
A dining nook is an economical way to use space in a kitchen, as the bench seat can be built against a wall or under a window. And the table can be pushed closer to the wall than it would be with conventional dining chairs that need space behind them. Plus, you can usually seat more people than you can with stand-alone chairs. Children, in particular, can squash together. Thus, these arrangements both save the kitchen floor area and offer more seating capacity.
Customisable
Banquette seating allows you to bring attractive fabrics and colours into the kitchen as well. They soften the hard countertop and cupboard surfaces. You could install classic blue fluted upholstery on the back and seat. Or you could use tan faux leather in modern rectangular shapes.
The bench seat itself can be built to match the cabinetry. It could have simple shaker-style profiling and be painted dark charcoal. Or the bench could be clad in timber strips in pale oak shades. If you angle the bottom of the bench inwards, you'll create more leg room.
Additionally, you can customise the shape of a dining nook. It could form an L-shape in a corner of a room. Or it could follow a straight line along a wall, with a high floating shelf overhead full of photos or books. You could also build a curved bench seat for a round table. Rather than being set against a wall, banquette seating can be inset into the back of a kitchen island.
Provides Extra Storage
This kind of booth seating provides the opportunity for extra storage. You can insert drawers into the bench seat for infrequently used items. Or else, the seating can be built with a top that opens. However, this may be inconvenient to access as you need to remove the upholstery or cushions to access the storage.
Multi-Purpose
A dining nook will add to the versatility of a kitchen, as they lend themselves to different purposes. They provide a place to have breakfast or read the paper with a cup of tea or a latte. Or else, they can be used for working from home or as a study space. All members of the household can enjoy the benefits.
If you're planning a kitchen renovation, talk to your contractor about kitchen nooks.