Entryway Settees Open the Door to Hospitality
Set a tone of gracious welcome from the get-go with comfortable, cushioned seating for family and guests
I've always loved settees. They're like the Goldilocks of seating: not too big, not too small — just right. And one of my favorite places to see them is in entryways. More so than a chair or bench, they offer an instant invitation to settle in and get comfy. They also make a perfect spot to curl up on and wait for guests, Halloween trick-or-treaters and others to arrive at your door.
These entry settees, vastly different in style, all add a vital sense of warmth and hospitality to their surroundings.
These entry settees, vastly different in style, all add a vital sense of warmth and hospitality to their surroundings.
To my mind, nothing puts forth an air of welcome like a cozy place to sit. This high-back, tufted settee helps to make the formal entry feel less imposing and more relatable, especially with the casual throw and toss pillows.
Large-scale furnishings cozy up this narrow entry hall. The settee and the zinc-topped console, against an unfussy backdrop of wood planks and textural weaves, make the small space instantly inviting.
A battered bench found at a garage sale, refreshed with a lemon-yellow seat cushion and a sprinkle of candy-colored pillows, adds a stroke of sunshine to this entry hall.
An entry settee in a luxe fabric such as velvet or silk adds an air of pure luxury. Sleek lines and bolster-style pillows give this model a hint of art deco glam.
Although I'm usually a fan of overscale pieces in voluminous rooms, I think the opposite approach works here. A low-slung, luxurious velvet settee and sideboard keep the focus on the spectacular barrel ceiling and decorative painting, which are the real stars of the space.
I love the idea of pulling a small cocktail table or tray table up to an entry settee. If you're lounging with a book or chatting with a friend, you have an instant spot to set a cup of coffee or another drink, and the table also can serve as a perch for a handbag, gloves or a parcel as you prepare to head out the door.
I'm not sure I could live with flashy decor like this for long, but the round settee — which reminds me of a Victorian kissing bench — does have a certain grandeur. Its shape is well suited for the rotunda-style space; a more angular style might have felt at odds with the curves.
Updated with subtle fabrics, this 18th-century Italian settee brings a dash of freshness and grace to its serene setting.
Curved-back benches such as this one emit a wonderful, embracing welcome. The caning helps to lighten its look so that it doesn't appear too weighty for this bright space.
I couldn't resist including this: a settee made from three mismatched chairs, attached and unified with paint. What fun! Doesn't it make you want to get to know the people who live here?