banquettes

if you have been reading my blog for a while, then

you will know that i am a little obsessed with several things.

banquettes are one of those things.

i just *adore them, for some reason.

here are a few from my stash that 

i scanned recently...

isn't this one cute? 
it's like having your 

own little diner in your kitchen.

 the second place allen and i lived in (rented)

was a tiny little cottage in "the avenues", 

an eclectic neighborhood 

just above downtown salt lake city.

it had a tiny little breakfast area just like this...

and it ONLY fit our tiny little 30" diameter table 

and two tiny little chairs.

and us, on occasion.

did i mention it was tiny?

anyway, i  think that this banquette is very

 clever use of a very small space.

oh, and notice that the vent 

(most likely it was originally in the floor)

is being rerouted and is now located on the 

bottom of the left bench?

we did something similar in house #5--

there was a vent on the floor where

we put the built in desk, and so we rerouted 

the vent to exit under the file drawers)

if you look closely, you can see the cutout 

for the vent under the large file drawer.

sorry--wish i had a better picture!)

i LOVE this banquette.

it's loaded with storage.

and we all know you can never have enough storage!

the trim is gorgeous, and just think of all the 

*stuff you can cram under that seat...

and the bookcase on the back is perfection.

isn't this one yummy?

i love the high wainscoting, the built-in bench

and the sunny feel of this space.

 the hardwood floors, fun lantern,high ceilings,

and windows that go on forever

certainly don't hurt either.