needanap - can you tell me how deep the seating part is at the deepest part and how high off the ground the box is. Looks like it's the same height as the chair, which makes sense. Thanks

Yowza, needanap. That is stunning. Let's trade houses, please.

needanap--what an awesome seating/eating space, with all that wonderful sunshine streaming in! I'd be fighting for one of the "good" seats, too if I were there!

Thank you for the compliments! I'm really pleased with how everything turned out. I feel so grateful to have such a wonderful place to live. We enjoy it every day!

Malhgold, sorry for the delay in getting back to you with the measurements. The box height is 17 inches off the floor, and the cushions add another 4 inches. The chair seat heights are actually a bit higher, but not enough to be a problem. The seat depth is 27 inches, which is much deeper than you really need. In fact, it would be more comfortable for leaning back against the cushions if there was less depth, but we just double up the pillows when needed. Unfortunately, the boxes have no storage in them (built by previous owner). They obviously didn't know about morgue drawers! Only the window seat to one side of the fireplace has storage. You lift up the seat cushion, and the lid of the box lifts up like a toy chest.

Needanap: I also love your eating space and family room - absolutely lovely. I also love your kitchen so I could easily move into your house! Can you tell me if there is a particular brand of copper slate that you used? I love the look and would like to explore that option. Thanks again for sharing your house - well done!

Hi, i've been checking the postings the last few weeks because we are also seriously considering getting a L-shape banquette made for our remodeled kitchen. Our eating area is not very big especially since we have taken up some space in the eating area when we made our pennisula counter into an eating counter (larger counter space to accommodate leg room). I was very impressed with all the pictures i've seen here especially Needanap's and Kitchenkelly's. Beautiful banquettes!! I'm wondering about the table that goes with a L-shaped banquette. In my situation, i probably can only consider a rectangular one because of my lack of space and i probably would need to look for something narrower than 36". Does anyone know if tables of such narrow width are out there? Also, i'm wondering about table base....how important is it to get a pedestal base or trestle leg base vs. regular 4 legs for ease of getting into the benches? Kitchenkelly: how big is your round table and Needanap: how big is your table and where did you purchase it? Thanks so much and i look forward to reading more postings.

Hi hgtvbee, Thanks for the compliment. I think a pedestal or trestle leg is really helpful for getting in and out. If you have a table with legs at the corners I think it would work if you were able to pull it out for easy access. My table is small - only 36." I got it from Macy's. It is amazing how many different table choices are out there.

I don't really use the table that much (prefer sitting at the peninsula.) I think a square table with two chairs would be beneficial for a family that used it on a daily basis. I got the round because I liked the look. And the storage is so great with a banquette.

Good luck. And if you get a banquette, make sure you post your pics!

kitchenkelly: thanks for your comments. Your round table looks quite sharp with your banquette and i especially like how the pedestal leg looks (i noticed that right away when i first saw your photos). I most likely will have to look for a rectangular table because we are a family of 5 and although i love a round table, a 36" one won't be big enough for us and anything bigger than that in diameter will not fit in our space. I hope i can find a rectangular table that is no more than 36" in width with either a pedestal base or trestle leg. My husband originally was against the idea of us doing a banquette because i think he was thinking of the 70's old fashion nooks when i brought up the idea and it wasn't until i showed him some of the photos i found here and in some magazines that he finally gave in (your banquette and Needanap's banquette really helped out!). I'm going to talk to my kitchen cabinet guy this week to see if he can possibly do an L-shape banquette for me and to find out how much it's all going to cost, etc. I'm also thinking roughly of 4' X 6'. Is that about the size of yours?

thanks.

needanap..... oh, I am coveting your space. It is so open, bright, and lovely! Can I please ask... what is your flooring? I assume h/w -- can you tell me the material and finish?

Thank you!

Lis

hgtvbee, mine is only 3 1/2 feet by 4 feet. Your 4 by 6 sounds nice and roomy.

Kulagal, thanks for the compliments! I'm not sure what the brand of copper slate is - I got it from Tile America, though. I know there are different finishes/textures, some with more sheen than others, even from the same company (don't ask me how I know!). There is 1/2 a box left over in my garage, but it just says "premium natural stone" on the box, with no brand name.

hgtvbee, I agree with kitchenkelly that you are better off with a pedestal or trestle type table for a banquette, to make it easier to get in and out. We slide the table out and in frequently. It is heavy but has good glides on the bottom so it hasn't scratched up the floor (yet!) Ours is quite large, 84x42". I think a smaller, narrower table would be cozier, and more practical (easier to clean and climb around, and easier to slide in and out) but we had a large space to work with. I recently saw a lovely narrow trestle table in a catalog, which was not too expensive, but I tossed it and can't for the life of me remember which catalog it was.

Creekylis, the floor is oak, with a high gloss poly finish. It was installed by the previous owner and it looked like this when we moved in 10 years ago and have done nothing to it since! It has some scratches, but overall has held up beautifully.

Neednap, do you have more photos of your family room online? I am curious to see how it connects with the kitchen and where your TV is. Our family room will be smaller than yours but the layout is very similar, I would love to see how it worked out in your case.

Thank you!
annab6

Here are 2 more pics of the family room, from the banquette looking into the rest of the room. The TV is in the cabinet on the far wall between the windows (there are pocket doors). The kitchen is to the right at the near side of the room, closest to the banquette, and the dining room is to the right at the TV end of the room. The kitchen and dining room are connected to each other through a doorway. There is a large pass through (over the sink) and a wide doorway between kitchen and family room.

Neednap, thanks for the photos, you have a beautiful room!
I also like your banquette a lot. Does it look like a bump-out from the outside?

annab6

These are from Ballard, custom made with stain-resistant outdoor fabric. The tops lift up for storage. (There will eventually be a table between them!):

hoffman, those look soooooo comfortable. Make sure you come back and post when you get the table in there!

hoffman, I love your new kitchen. I think this banquette is very pretty.

I like them in theory, but hate getting 'stuck' inside so that someone else has to move to let me out... I'm a little claustrophobic.

Thought I'd share this shot from homedecorators.com: a different look, not expensive:

bump

Here's a budget idea I thought I'd share. I couldn't afford to do a custom-built banquette, so instead I used two IKEA tv benches. They were the perfect height and depth for sitting and have drawers for storage. It says there's a 220 lb weight limit, but they seem pretty sturdy and can be reinforced in the back. Plus, mine are mostly used by my kids.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80116600

Here's how they look in my kitchen. They'd look better with cushions, but for now, with small children, this is easier to clean.

{{!gwi}}

What a GREAT idea! I've been toying with whether a bench is something I want to add - can't really tell til' we have ALL the old kitchen out of hte new dining area, but this is a wonderful solution if we decide to do that! Thanks for sharing :)

Here are some photos of my banquettes now that the table is in place:

We're very happy with the whole set up -- our "booth" has become a favorite place to read the newspaper & work on the laptop, in addition to eating.

The benches are from Ballard Designs, custom made with outdoor (stain resistant) fabric I found on the internet. Table was bought years ago from Williams Sonoma, but they no longer sell it.

Hoffman - absolutely lovely. Love the way the stripe works with the marble top. You should bump up your finished kitchen thread and add this on. I'm sure everyone would love to see it.

BTW...not sure how many are in your family, but has there been an issue with the person on the "inside" needing to get out?

malhgold -- you are right -- that could be an issue! The grown-ups never go on the "inside" and right now our 3 kids are little enough to climb behind us when they want to get in & out but it will get harder as they get bigger. We used to have chairs in the same space, though, and there wasn't enough room to walk behind a chair, either, so this is the best set up for the space.

kitchenkelly - in your post, you say that your banquette measures 3 1/2' x 4'. Are these measurements from the wall to the ends of the banquette? The space that I have is also 3 1/2' x 4'.

Thank you.
Donna

Donna, mine is 3 1/2' x 4' if I don't count the corner section twice. Wall to wall is 4' x 5' (corner is 18".) Hope I didn't confuse anyone. You are right, I probably should have went wall to wall.

Kitchenkelly,

I am trying to build a U-shaped booth in my kitchen and came across the pictures of your banquette. That is beautiful and exactly what I am visioning. I was wondering if it wouldn't be too much trouble if I could ask you to take a bunch of pictures from different angles and close ups to give me a better idea of the construction. If it's easier you could email them to me at amcglinc@arinc.com

Thanks

Sure. I will do it later today. (batteries for camera are dead.)

OP here - we did wind up going with a banquette - we still need cushions for it - and window treatments! - and unfortunately it's not a great shot - kind of tight in there - but grinchmcg, it's a U shape one. Thought maybe it would give you an idea.

BTW, I'm sewing-challenged - where would I go to have cushions made for it? Any ideas would be appreciated!

Hey grinchmcg, I posted some pics on my picasa site. HTH.

Here is a link that might be useful: Morgue drawers

coleen - from what I can see your banquette is gorgeous! I love the richness of the wood - and where did you find that table?!

As far as having cushions made for it maybe you should post on the home decorating forum, they have lots of great advice and info over there. You could try small companies that make slipcovers or do reupholstery...

What an opportune time for this thread to crop up!! I've been thinking of having a banquette/table rather than the typical table/chairs.

I received my Ballards catalog in the mail, and like the idea of two rectangular benches and a corner bench~they can be purchased with or without storage space.

My plan was to use the idea in the breakfast/eating area of the kitchen, but am a little concerned about the size of the space. I wouldn't call it large, but it isn't tiny either. What size is your area? It's also windowed~windows are almost to the floor. The benches from Ballards have backs, and I was going to have 3/4 sheers on the windows as I thought it would make a nice backdrop. Would this be a 'realistic' idea? ;o)TIA

Kitchenkelly,

Thank you so much. This is exactly what I want to do, only in a U shape. These pic's will help. I hate to bother you again but by any chance do you have pic's during the building process. It's the insides that I am having trouble with. Perhaps a pic with the drawer removed to see the inside. If its too much trouble please don't worry about it.
I must say the photos on your site are great. You have a beautiful home.
Thanks

patty cakes -- I ordered my banquettes from Ballard Designs -- scroll up a few posts to see the photos (the ones with the black-and-white stripes). We're very happy with them.

Hi grinchmcg, Sorry I don't have any in process pics and I don't dare take out a drawer because I am afraid I will never get it back in.

I just looked inside and it is just an empty box. The drawers are held in with the extension glides.

HTH and good luck. Make sure you post pics on this thread when you are done!

Hoffman, I liked the black/white(or is it cream?)stripes, too, and I think there was a black/cream check fabric also. What size is the space where you're using the banquette? I'm thinking 2 of the 36" benches and the corner bench might work in my space. I used masking tape on the floor, but the corner piece was throwing me off. Do you feel they're well made? If a child stood up leaning against the back, is it so light that it would tip over? I have Grandbabies I need to keep in mind. LOL

Kitchenkelly,

Your banquette is awesome and I can't get over the morgue drawers! I am replicating it in my own kitchen and would love to know what the depth is of your seats. I've read they should be anywhere from 18-22" but I'd love to know what yours are as they look just perfect. Your entire kitchen is a dream--great work!!

nancy east, that is so nice of you to say. The depth on mine is only 17". I started out with 18" but added more of a backrest slant. I think that 20" would be better. Below is another thread that had the dimensions and pics.

Thanks again. You made my morning.

Here is a link that might be useful: pics of dimensions

patty cakes:

I had my banquettes made with my own fabric, not one of Ballard's fabrics. I wanted to use a stain-resistant fabric, plus I think you are right that their choices were black-and-cream and I wanted true black-and-white.

Mine are set up between two walls in a breakfast nook (like a booth in a restaurant) so I don't have the corner piece. I forget the exact spacing but the table sticks out over about the front 2" of each banquette (I studied booths in restaurants, and this is the typical set-up). If you download the ordering instructions from Ballard's website you can get the exact dimensions. You might have more flexibility with the space if you're working in a more open area (not between two existing walls). I do have a 20" bench on the end (with no wall behind it) have never worried that my young kids would tip it over. They are very sturdy and well made -- more like an upholstered chair that you'd have in your living room (that's hard for a kid to tip over) as opposed to a typical kitchen chair (that's easy for a kid to tip over).

Here is a photo of my set-up:

Hoffman, So so pretty. Very well coordinated in scale, style. timeless, comfortable. Enjoy. I'm jealous! Bev

Hoffman - your banquette is gorgeous!! Are those the Coventry benches? And where did you get the fabric - it's exactly what I am looking for! Thanks!!

I have a restaurant booth in my kitchen. I know it is not upscale but the kids and I love it!

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/skatiero/P1010122.jpg[/IMG]

I guess that did not work-- let me try again:

best thread ever!

BUMP!

(someone was asking about these...)

thanks for some GREAT ideas! we are just finishing our kitchen remodel and i've ALWAYS wanted a banquette! now that the time has come to build one, i can't find any PLANS for them!!!! anyone have any???? hoffman, i LOVE yours!!!! i just hate that they charge different prices for the different fabrics! UGH! they are PERFECT though. will post when i figure out how to build "the perfect banquette".... ;) UNFORTUNATELY, no morgue drawers here...need to do piano bench tops for storage underneath. we were going to buy cabs, but kids kicking them would have DESTROYED them, so why waste the money, right? thanks!

We are in the planning stages for an L shaped banquette. The two sides of the L are almost the same. Would it be best to have a round pedestal table or a rectangular (close to square) pedestal table? We'll order the pedestal part and build the top to fit our space. Any recommendations out there?

I manufacture banquettes
Rollhaus Seating Products
www.seatingproducts.com
Michael Rollhaus

Here is a link that might be useful: Rollhaus Seating Products

I found this really old thread and had another question regarding designing a banquette. Hopefully some of you are still liking your banquettes.

How much overlap should I plan on between the seats and the table? If I am planning my room and where exactly the table will sit, do I put it at the edge of the bench seat or over the seats a little?

chamborn,

My neighbor scored some church pews from a church that was renovating and I'm hoping to build a breakfast nook. I've found the book 'more not so big solutions for your home' has measurements and useful images for building booths. They recommend an overlap of 4-5" between seat and table.

I know this is an old thread, but maybe some of you are still out there. If I have a 40 inch round tulip shaped table, and want to build a L shaped booth (and will add one or two chairs on the opposing sides), how long should the bench be for each of the arms on the L's - corner to outer edge?