Sep 2, 2010

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.


6 comments:

  1. Putting a banquette in our kitchen was the best thing we ever did. Full of storage and it makes so much better use of a small space.

    Here are a couple of photos of what we did:
    http://theimpatientgardener.blogspot.com/2010/02/re-doing-kitchen-part-1.html

    http://theimpatientgardener.blogspot.com/2010/06/finally-kitchen-reveal.html

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  2. Okay that yellow is such a killer wall color. I want guts to paint that in my house!!

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  3. banquettes are totally cute! i've always wanted one.

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  4. You should put a banquette in every kitchen in every house that you work on. Could you explain sometime how you work on and decorate each house, then live in a rented house? You are my inspiration for renovating my 1967 kitchen. I have been putting it off for almost 10 years, but I am going to use all the ideas from your white and gray kitchens. What do you think about double dishwashers? I think they are needed in anything bigger than a 4 bedroom house. Ann

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  5. Oh my heart went pitter patter when I saw the title of this post. We are planning on putting one in our kitchen and I can't wait!!!

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  6. I love a good banquette......I have one in my kitchen and I can't stop recommending them to clients. Such a great problem solver...and space saver. Long live the banquette!

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