15 banquette seating ideas: from old-world charm to cosy comforts

The Sunshine State’s breezy way of life attracted New Zealanders Jeffrey and Melanie when they considered moving abroad with their son William, 19, and daughter Jessica, 18. But what really sealed the deal was a charming heritage home in a classic Queenslander style. The only downside? It was a serious fixer-upper. But with Darren James of Darren James Interiors at the helm, the 13-month renovation and extension resulted in the family’s dream home. And one of their favourite spaces in the home is tied together with a banquette.

“We spend the most time together in our dining nook, which is the best place to share our day,” says Melanie of the built-in banquette. The seat is upholstered in ‘Omni’ fabric in Swamp by James Dunlop Textiles, while the bespoke table was created with Christopher Blank. Just as the home blends heritage charm with modern sophistication, this bespoke table pairs dark and light toned timbers. The theme of colourful artworks carries on to this space, with paintings by Harold David (in the hallway) and Joanne Napangardi Wheeler (above the banquette) adding personality.

Creating a home from the ground up is what most interior designers dream of – to see their ideas translated from sketch to site. For Tracey Leeson, co-founder of Porch Light Interiors, the opportunity struck when she and her husband Darren bought a block of land in Brisbane. The new build clean slate also allowed her to embrace any architectural style she wanted. In this case, Spanish Mission-style was just the ticket.

Long dinner parties unfold in this dining area. That’s why Tracey opted for a cosy and comfortable banquette at one side of her dining table. It’s upholstered in a Westbury Textiles linen, which perfectly complements the wallpaper above it. Opposite, vintage dining chairs enjoy the addition of custom seat cushions in a Tejido Textiles fabric. Joinery, which includes glass panels to show off beloved tableware, frames the pretty tableau. The result is a space that’s an entertainer’s dream – perfect for luxuriously long meals and deep conversations.

Wherever a challenging renovation arises, you can be sure that married duo, Kyal and Kara, will be close behind. Even before they rose to fame on The Block: Fans vs Faves in 2014, the pair loved the process of taking something dilapidated and breathing new life into it.

Their brief for this knock down and new build called for a moodier palette of darker tones with a coastal Spanish resort feel. This is especially evident in the open plan living, kitchen and dining area. Here, ‘Mila’ pendants from Uniqwa feature hand-woven palm leaves for texture, contrasted against the dark Walnut tones of the Globe West ‘Tolv’ dining chairs. “I love the dining area. The big rustic table with more refined chairs and sunlight helped to create that resort vibe,” says Kara.

The curved microcement banquette, which wraps around the dining table in a L-shape, is a standout feature. It’s at once sleek and contemporary while still providing comfort with ample cushions.

The years had not been kind to this 1913 Federation home in Sydney’s Inner West when Lauren Mahoney and Steven Zahra of Studio Trio inspected the property for sale. Upon stepping into the dark hallway in 2018, the home showed every one of its 105 years; the original charm had been stripped out and, adding insult to injury, a jaunty 1980s extension had been plonked on the back.

A charming and colourful interior palette was just the ticket, expertly layered to create a decorative feel that suited the architectural bones without feeling like a pastiche of days gone by. One such example is the stylish and functional dining nook. “I didn’t want a formal dining room because we just wouldn’t use it. Some people do, but we’re not that traditional; we had to have a banquette,” says Lauren. She upholstered the banquette with ‘Colorado Chintz’ leather from Pelle Leathers and nestled a custom table among Cantina ‘Barcelona’ chairs from Lincoln Brooks. Above, Thibaut ‘Chatelain’ fabric in Pink comprises Roman blinds, trimmed with VV Rouleaux braiding.

Television presenter Shelley Craft has graced Australian screens for more than 30 years. In that time, she’s worked on countless home improvement themed shows, including The Block, gaining a wealth of knowledge to fuel the projects she completes with her real estate agent husband, Christian. 

The style of her new home takes inspiration from Christian’s Italian heritage. “It’s Tuscan hillside villa meets beachside Byron Bay,” Shelley describes. “Very grounded, very earthy, with a soft palette of creams and pinks.” Natural materials, especially stone, envelop guests in every area of the home. In the open plan living and dining area, a feature wall made of Gather Co ‘Tangelo’ quartz, adds a tactile touch.

One of Shelley’s favourite spots in the home is the dining area, complete with built-in banquette seating which was custom made by Belcon Constructions. While banquettes are often constructed along a single wall, or curving in a L-shaped, this one is a luxurious U-shape that follows the curve of the dining table around three sides. This provides even more seating and creates a lovely sense of togetherness. Painting ‘Seed 22’ by Berny Bacic complements the neutral hues of the Laguna leather seating, in colour Sesame and upholstered by The Dusty Road.

Homeowner Annabel was a first-time renovator when she began the knock down and rebuild project that transformed her 1950s cottage into a spectacular two-storey Hamptons-style family home. But she had a little experience up her sleeve. “I’ve been reading all the interior design magazines for about 30 years, so I’ve always collected ideas, filing things away in scrapbooks and folders, hoping one day I might actually be able to do it myself,” she says. The result, if we do say so ourselves, is a credit to this research.

The generous open-plan kitchen is now one of Annabel’s favourite spaces, thanks in large part to the breakfast nook, complete with banquette seating around the French antique dining table, sourced from Moonee Ponds Antiques in Melbourne. Stritt Design & Construction made the custom banquette seating, complete with cushions from The Classic Outfitter and dining chairs from Alfresco Emporium. “Every morning, I get up and make myself a coffee, then I sit in that nook in the kitchen and just look out of the window,” shares Annabel. “I do that before everyone else in the house wakes up. It’s my little moment to myself before the day starts.”

This 1920s cottage in Toowoomba is brimming with charm and classic Queenslander-style character. For homeowner Sarah, a respiratory and sleep physician, the interior had to be colourful and eclectic. In short, it had to be a world away from the cold and clinical hospital she works in. This corner of her living room is one such example. Banquette seating is upholstered in ‘Bloomsbury’ in Midnight from Westbury Textiles. White VJ panelled walls are decorated with artworks, clockwise from top left: Figs and Stripes by Vanessa Encarnacao, Water Glimpses by Marie Mansfield, Unruly Daisies by Jesse Dayan, and Wollumbin 1 by Sally Stokes. One of Sarah’s favourite aspects of this nook is the storage it provides in the small cottage. That’s why Elizabeth from Ivy + Piper included another gorgeous area with beautiful banquette seating elsewhere in the house.

This terrace house in Sydney is home to a galley kitchen with fabulous French features. The couple who own and live in the home with their young child wanted bespoke and artistic touches within a palette that’s at once contemporary and timeless. French doors open up to the garden beyond at one end of the kitchen, while at the other a breakfast nook maximises space. A casual dining area had been at the top of the brief for the homeowners and this one delivers in spades, while giving purpose to the otherwise empty corner. The built-in banquette seating, reminiscent of French bistro style, was upholstered in Thomas Maxwell ‘Langham Leather’ in Spruce, supplied by Warwick. The dark fabric complements the dark tones of the ‘Crescent’ wall lamp from Allied Maker, with a Black Walnut bracket.

A soaring cathedral ceiling unites the kitchen, dining and living areas in this American Craftsman style home in country Queensland. The kitchen, designed by Weston Kitchens + Bathrooms, has a classic palette of crisp Dulux Terrace White on the walls, Dulux Lexicon Quarter on the trims, and serene coastal blues on the splashback. These ‘Crayon’ tiles in Ceruleo Gloss from National Tiles pair beautifully with blue upholstery on the banquette seating. Unlike a lot of dining spaces, which make use of a mixture of banquette seating and classic dining chairs, this table is surrounded on both sides by banquette seating, creating a cute and nostalgic booth. The home was designed by Sydney architect John Simpson during his semi-retirement, and as such is filled with these kinds of personal touches connected to design features from his own childhood.

This family home is just 13km from Brisbane’s CBD but, set on a one-hectare block of land, it feels like an idyllic country abode. This is in part due to the Queenslanders, Australian farmhouses, cottages and American architecture that homeowner Kristy took inspiration from during the knock down and rebuild process. Just off from the kitchen, custom upholstered banquette seating creates a casual dining nook, complete with a vintage timber table and ‘Lawson’ stools from Provincial Home Living. A wall of VJ panels delineates this area from the rest of the kitchen, with Caselio ‘Hawaii’ wallpaper in Colour 6109 from Natty & Polly adding visual interest. The relaxed coastal appeal of the VJ panels, Adairs cushions and custom banquette seating also features in the living room of this home, in a gorgeous window seat situated beside a grand stone fireplace.

The homeowners of this apartment, which functions as a weekender, took aesthetic inspiration from a favourite hotel chain they stay in when in London, Firmdale Hotels. A dining nook with banquette seating maximises space in the apartment while also delivering plenty of colour and luxe finishes. A Kelly Wearstler ‘Utopia Linear’ pendant adds a swathe of brass overhead, anchored on both sides by the Aerin ‘Iva’ wrapped sconces (both from The Montauk Lighting Co). A bronze-toned hammered resin comprises the Hamtilon Conte ‘Ines’ dining table. This warm base is elevated by the colourful upholstery on the banquette seating, which comes in the form of Jerry Pair orange leather and pinstriped velvet ‘Stella’ fabric from Pierre Frey. The result is a stunning tableau, rivalled only by the beauty of the misty mountain views available throughout the apartment.

A U-shaped kitchen was transformed into an open galley layout in this home on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. While this opened the layout up, it did leave an awkward, unused space opposite the kitchen island. Owners Bob and Chris opted to include banquette seating underneath the windows, creating a casual breakfast nook. Rockcote ‘Earthen’ render was mixed with straw to create an organic base on the walls while the seats pads were upholstered in suede by The Sewist By Donna Hill. Cushions from CLO Studios and Camilla introduce pattern to the nook, while an asymmetrical timber coffee table adds to the sense of natural beauty that the entire home is both filled with and surrounded by.

Timeless style mixed with hardy and durable materials was the aim in this family home in Sydney’s Mosman. Renovating the 19th-century Victorian build was a masterclass in sensitivity, which saw DBT Architects update the interiors with modern sensibility while still keeping the 1890s charm. “When we have friends over, I want it to be ‘grown up’ but still casual so the kids can use this space without me worrying if someone is going to spill something!” says Fleur.

An example of this no-fuss yet luxe style is the banquette seating in the dining nook. The banquette seating was upholstered in ‘Ascona’ leather in Tobacco from Pelle Leathers. This deep brown grounds the space, complemented by Thonet ‘No. B9’ chairs. A Douglas & Bec ‘Line’ pendant and CTO Lighting ‘Array’ sconce from Spence & Lyda provide lighting with sculptural appeal. The French oak dining table is from an antique store in New Zealand and is a nod to the house’s heritage.

Red, white and blue is a classic colour palette. This home in inner-city Brisbane proves why it’s a timeless addition to any home. The classic Queenslander build is filled with quintessential Australian details, such as VJ panelling on the walls. Even so, it’s the all-American hues that really bring this interior to life. Crisp white joinery, painted Dulux Vivid White, creates a gorgeous neutral base in the breakfast nook. Banquette seating is ideal for casual meals, complete with white vinyl back cushions and cherry red leather straps from Pelle Leathers. This banquette seating surrounds a table designed by Studio Trio, with legs finished in a deep and rich Dulux Prestige Blue.

This Gold Coast apartment is the perfect holiday home for retired couple Leigh and Gary. “Being here is all about relaxing and being close to the water,” shares Leigh. That intention is clear throughout the interior, where crisp white mixes with warming timber and tactile rattan for a calm coastal appeal. This cosy dining nook is perfect for slow mornings spent enjoying the ocean views. A rattan pendant from Donna Guyler Design has curves that evoke waves above the white dining table. The pillow on the chair from Pillow Talk adds a subtle touch of green and grey. Meanwhile the banquette seating carries the theme of brown hues seen elsewhere in the home. Banquette seating also makes an appearance in the stunning entryway of the home, topped with a seat pad in Warwick Eastwood fabric.