Decorating & Design
From The Archives: 15+ Breakfast Banquettes You’ll Love
Published on January 14, 2025

A breakfast banquette is a great way to save space, enhance comfort and bring a chic restaurant feel to your kitchen. For some designers — it’s even become a signature move. Get inspired by the cozy breakfast nook in Jenna Botrie’s home, or the curved breakfast banquette in Michaela Burns’s kitchen. Scroll down for some of our favorite looks from the H&H archives!

“This is where everyone ends up gathering,” says Jenna Botrie of Dart Studio. “It’s close to the food and right in the middle of the action,” adds her sister Olivia who designed the home. “It’s what makes this the perfect house for entertaining friends — and family!”

For this condo kitchen, designer Jacquelyn Clark pushed out the island and built a channelled banquette on the face to create an entertaining hub.

In a luxe Toronto Victorian, Designer Kim Lambert created a more open floor plan by taking down a partition between the kitchen and dining area, where a banquette now sits.

This cozy breakfast nook in this stately Connecticut country house has a window seat with built-in storage. A fresh palette of classic white and putty tones, an array of antique furniture, and simpatico light fixtures round out the look.

The curved banquette in designer Michaela Burns’ kitchen is upholstered in caramel-colored leather with a channelled back and has integrated shelves on one side. “The curve has a softness and gives a welcoming feeling,” says Michaela of the curves and arches used throughout the interiors of her home.

Aly Velji brought warmth to a newly built kitchen in Edmonton by layering in texture, pattern and hits of brass. “We spend so much time here on the banquette,” says the homeowner. “We wanted a space to be able to gather and sit down with the kids.”

This dining area has a luxe feel with a glass-walled wine cellar and a navy tufted banquette. “I love the idea of delving into the art deco era,” says designer Eva Heavy of Avenue Design. “The goal was to add layers of richness, softness and luxury to the space.”

A custom wood banquette off this kitchen is highlighted by a brass sconce and framed art by Tara Hogan. “Our clients wanted an informal place for their kids to eat breakfast and do their homework in the future,” says Alana Firestone of Collective Studio. “Because it’s located behind the sofa we wanted to make sure it didn’t feel too kitchen-like.”

In another family home designed by Collective Studio, a banquette off of the island allowed them to make room for a kitchen table. “If you look closely, we added a mitered lip on the counter which is a clever way to avoid spills on the banquette,” says designer Jordy Fagan.

In this sophisticated townhouse designed by Mariam Aboutaam, a banquette area creates a moody, cozy corner. Fluted wood clads the banquette, which doubles as an extra workstation. “It’s also a modular piece of furniture, which allows the homeowners to remove it easily or use it as an extra corner sofa,” says Mariam. “It’s my favorite spot!”

This generous banquette area designed by Hessa seats seven comfortably and features shades of off-white and ecru. “I designed it around the pendant. It’s 34 inches across, has a Scandinavian look and a bit of gold that ties in to the kitchen hardware,” says Ariane Gordon

According to Olivia Botrie of Dart Studio, a banquette is like having a sofa in your kitchen. “We were looking for a fun pattern for the banquette and, rather than use vinyl, I found a durable indoor-outdoor fabric in an ocean blue shade,” she says. A modern take on a schoolhouse pendant over the banquette area ups the cozy factor.

In this Kitchen Of The Month, Collective Studio designed a curvy, vinyl-upholstered banquette off the kitchen. “Texture can provide so much contrast without having to use big pops of color,” says Alana Firestone.

The dining area in this cottage cabin designed by Blanc Marine Intérieurs juxtaposes form and casual style. A glass chandelier is a striking counterpoint to the linen-slipcovered banquette and rustic dining table. “This is my favorite spot to sit” says the homeowner.

An original stained glass window complements the cozy breakfast nook in this Victorian home. The banquette seat cushion is covered in performance leather in case of spills.

A thread of blue runs throughout this Parisian-inspired apartment designed by Dee Dee Taylor Hannah, creating a sense of continuity. The breakfast room’s blue leather banquette is the perfect spot for casual meals.