Guide
Hidden potential: how to spruce up your alcoves
by Pia Seidel
Multifunctional furniture – just how versatile can a bench be?
19.10.2023
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
A bench may be a small piece of furniture, but it’s a real all-rounder. Here are 5 examples showing how versatile it is.
Benches make life easier in small and large spaces. They serve as a seat, a pouf to put your feet up or a shelf for decoration. Depending on the size, they can seat just one person, a pair, or more. And yet they hardly take up any space, look light and fit well into niches thanks to their narrow shape. The best part? You can stick a bench in any room and have it look good. There’s (almost) nothing that speaks against them!
1. In the entrance
The entrance is the calling card of a home. It needs a beautiful, smart seat for putting on and taking off shoes. You can choose a model with built-in storage, or place storage boxes and baskets underneath the bench. The bench keeps you organised, providing a space for storing caps, shoeboxes and your shoehorn.
2. In the dining room
In the dining room, a bench can promote visual tranquillity. Unlike chairs, it has fewer legs and takes up less space. In fact, if you have a model without a backrest or armrests, you can slide it under the table when not in use. Placed against a wall, it takes up little space – with or without a backrest and armrests. Another advantage is that it can seat more people when things get tight.
3. By the window
Benches look great placed by a window. If you don’t have a window ledge with space for plants and decorations, you can opt for a bench instead. It also allows you to turn any window into a window seat – also known as a cold-weather balcony. And all this without any renovations.
4. Next to furniture
Benches can complement, frame and extend furniture. They look particularly good next to a sofa or at the foot of a bed. To set an accent, dare to opt for an edgy design. In less dramatic terms, a bench can also simply save your bed from turning into a clothes dump or daytime seat.
5. As a shelf replacement
Be it in your living room or home office, benches contribute to the aesthetic design of your home. They provide an ideal place to put houseplants or decorative items such as vases, candles or sculptures and showcase your personal style.
Header image: Oyoy
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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