This is a picture of the new banquette which was recently installed in the Breakfast Nook in my own kitchen. When I moved into my new home I decided to keep these antique Georgian chairs (which I have had for years and had previously used in a bedroom and a den) and reincarnate them in the kitchen. I wanted to use white for the upholstery, and deliberated on finding the right fabric that would be user friendly and easy to maintain. I choose a soft washable leather and finished the bottom edge of the chairs with a antiqued nail head trim to keep with the period design. I paired them with a contemporary Saarinen table, which highlights the backs of the chairs and makes them stand out like pieces of sculpture. The custom banquette seat was designed to fit into the alcove and it is covered in the same washable leather. The top corners of the banquette are scalloped to match the back of the chairs. I like mixing different chairs around dining tables and not having them all match. The trick is to find a common element that ties them together. In this case it is the dark wood color that unifies them. I also have Phillipe Stark Ghost chairs that I use when I need more seating around the table. Ghost chairs are like a chameleon and work anywhere. Banquette seats are very comfortable and they encourage lingering. Already this is a place everyone gravitates to and wants to sit and talk long after a meal is finished. It is also one of my favourite spots to sit with a coffee and a good book.
What about you – do you always choose to sit on the banquette when going to a restaurant? And do you tend to linger longer than usual?
banquette (n.) A long upholstered bench placed against or built into a wall
There is nothing more luxurious than banquette seating at your dining room table. It evokes images of dining in a fancy French Restaurant. Lingering at the table, good conversations, the family gathered together, taking the time to dine rather than snatch a quick meal at the counter, comfortable. It also serves as double duty seating in a dining room adjoining a living room. It makes the most of a small space and makes for a cozy seating area. Round tables, square tables, rectangular tables - all work. Seating for 2, 4, 6, or 8. Toss cushions or not. Curved banquettes, straight banquettes, L shaped banquettes, or U shaped - all are possible. There are so many possibilities. A suitable option for almost any room. Have fun and pick you favorite.
This banquette is particularly attractive in a corner bay window. Celerie Kemble House Beautiful Nov 07
Chad Eisner House Beautiful June 07
In a high traffic kitchen area a cleanable, durable outdoor fabric could be used for upholstery. Christopher Maya Inc
This kitchen has my favorite Kartel Ghost Chairs (I have nicknamed them the Cinderella Chair). They are so versatile and also very comfortable. They are particularly good in a small space as they visually don't take up a lot of space. They mix well in a contemporary or traditional setting. Elle Decor Nov 06
Notice the straight wings on the one side of this banquette. Frank Roop Design
image via Absolutely Beautiful Things
I like how Mariette Himes Gomez has used a tufted curved banquette in her NYC dining room. (picture above and below)
I particularly like the thick slab for the top of this table and the trumpet base. Kemble Interiors Inc
Harriett Maxwell Macdonald
House Beautiful
A sofa doubles as a banquette for dining in this room by Michael S Smith from his book Elements of Style.
Posh Design
Robyn Karp Interiors
Vicente Wolf
I have used both of these designs for banquette seating. You can vary the length and the fabrics. You can do a tight seat bed like the one below, or have a down filled seat cushion as above. You can make it with arms or armless.
A video of my art and art installations. I hope you enjoy it. "There is so much beauty everywhere I look. My desire is to capture ...
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An interior design blog by Patricia Gray an award winning interior designer, furniture designer and artist from Vancouver who has created personalized environments for celebrities such as John Travolta and is published in numerous magazines including Architectural Digest. She shares her thoughts and ideas about art and design.
5 Interior Design Blogs We Couldn't Live Without This cleanly designed and beautifully photographed blog is the creation of a generous interior designer. Vancouver based Patricia Gray shares her keen eye for style, takes us on trips around the world and points out the resources and materials that she enjoys using on a job. The later is particularly useful for interior designers. It's great to see a master designer work, to look at her resources as they appear in finished spaces, and get an analysis of why and how they function beautifully. You also get the bonus of a well-trained feng shui expert, layered on top of this interior designer, and you can better understand why Patricia's interiors exude calm, serenity, and strong flow.
Patricia Gray is an interior designer par excellence with a pedigree that would wow anyone. Her innovative design work has been featured all over the world, and in many different publications (including the renowned Architectural Digest). Patricia's warm style and originality have helped skyrocket her to the top of the interior design world, and her blog reflects this. Design 55 UK
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KITCHEN DESIGN IN VANCOUVER - PATRICIA GRAY INC.
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Even though I designed this kitchen 14 years ago it is still getting
published.
Good design is timeless!
Thank you Amara and LuxPad!
Even though I desig...
