Banquette

Banquettes | The Built-ins

March 8, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Banquette, Beach, Beautiful Habitat, Dining, Dramatic, Entertaining, kitchen, upholstery, walls1 Comments

Last week I wrote about using sofas, loveseats, settees and benches as banquettes. This week I pay homage to the built-in banquettes. Enjoy!

I’ll start with 2 photos from Candice Olson. This dramatic red velvet tufted banquette that goes right up to the ceiling is the banquette that started my obsession. I have a wall that would be PERFECT for such a grand statement. It’s the dining room and the first wall you see when entering our home – the place to make a statement.

Candice Olsen Dining RoomAlas, The wall has multiple light switches and an air-intake that make reconfiguring electrical and HVAC for such a built-in banquette very costly. I’ve repaired my broken heart and now I’m searching for the perfect sofa, loveseat or settee per last week’s banquette post. Still, I enjoy and envy the built-in banquette. I hope you enjoy this collection and find inspiration for your own home!

Custom Built-in Interior DesignCandice Olson

Interior Designer Denver Coloradosource unknown

Interior Decorator Boulder Coloradovia Houzz

Interior Decorator Denver Coloradovia House of Turquoise

Kitchen Design Boulder Coloradovia Luxe & Lillies

Interior Designer Boulder Coloradovia HGTV

Modern Interior Design Denver Coloradovia Absolutely Beautiful Things

Kitchen Designer Denver Coloradovia Tell Your Interior Designer

For more banquette inspiration, check out these posts:

Do you love banquettes? Check out my collection of banquette inspiration on Pinterest. Do you have a banquette? I’m jealous and would love to see it! Please share photos with us on Facebook.

Fresh Bedroom Makeover
Bedroom Accessories
Custom Bedding and Drapery Design
Master Bedroom Design

Banquettes

March 1, 2012  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Banquette, contemporary, creative, Designers, Dining, Dramatic, Entertaining, Favorite Things, furniture, kitchen, Nail Head, pink, seating, tableNo Comments

As I’ve mentioned before – I love banquettes. There is something inherently glamorous about a banquette. Or perhaps it’s because I imagine a dinner party of my friends piling onto a big banquette in my dining room. I can’t quite put my finger on the source of this love, but it’s there. Oh, it’s there.

Banquettes are often thought of as built-in, such as this dramatic gem of a dining room via Toby Fairly. These built-ins can be a  great solution to a tricky area.

Custom Interiors Denver Colorado

However, the look and feel of a banquette can be easily achieved by pulling a sofa, loveseat, settee or bench up to your table, without the expense and construction mess of a custom built-in. Allow me to explain… visually.

Interior Designer Boulder ColoradoA sofa fits perfectly between cabinets in a kitchen nook. via House Beautiful, February 2012 issue.

Interior Decorator Denver ColoradoAnother perfectly sized sofa. This one features a beautifully shaped back and another favorite: nailheads. Source unknown.

Elegant Interior Decor Boulder ColoradoA very simple sofa becomes more interesting as a banquette. Source unknown.

Dining Room Design ColoradoThis dramatic settee makes a big statement in this otherwise understated dining room. source unknown.

Kitchen Design Denver ColoradoA punch of pink pattern brightens up this kitchen with the sofa turned banquette. Source unknown.

Kitchen Design Boulder ColoradoThis clever Kitchen design features an armless sofa as banquette with a table where many others would have used bar stools. I love the originality and out of the box thinking! Source unknown.

Interior Decorating Estes Park ColoradoAn elegant sofa creates a contrast to the more rustic dining table in this interior design. The effect is stunning. via Four Walls and a Roof.

Luxury Interior Decorating Denver ColoradoThe Interior Designer of this hotel went big and bold. This space features a large, curvy hot pink sofa as banquette. Wow. via Ohmygosh! Design.

Glamorous Interior Design Denver ColoradoA beautiful curved sofa in a glamorous dining room, via Elle Decor

I wanted to add a built-in banquette to my dining room. However, the location of light switches and the air-intake vent make that project well beyond my budget. No problem – I now have my eye on a settee that I want to include. Stay tuned for more!

Do you love banquettes? Check out my collection of banquette inspiration on Pinterest. Do you have a banquette? I’m jealous and would love to see it! Please share photos with us on Facebook.

Master Bedroom Design
Fresh Bedroom Makeover
Bedroom Accessories
Custom Bedding and Drapery Design

Happy Colors | Red

July 27, 2011  |  by beautifulhabitat  |  in Accessories, arrangements, art, Banquette, bedroom, color, Designers, Dining, DIY, fabric, Happy Colors, Home Office, kitchen, paint, Wall Covering, walls1 Comments

The next color up on our list of Happy Colors is Red.

Lots of Red

Master Suite Design in Denver Coloradovia Etsy

Red lacquered cabinetry would be a very bold move on it’s own. Add red lacquer to the appliances, walls and ceiling and you’ve got a statement-making space.

Modern Kitchen Design Boulder Coloradovia The Kitchen

Red walls make a great backdrop for lighter colored artwork.

Bold Interior Design in Denver ColoradoSource Unknown

Bold Interior Decorating in Denver Coloradovia Apartment Therapy

This bold bedroom design uses both a vibrant and more muted red tones along with graphic patterns. See more of this room here: Love it or Leave it: Red Patterned Bedroom Bold Interior Decorating in Boulder Colorado

Mary McDonald via Veranda

Black, White and Red

Red is a perfect accent to schemes that are black and white, or to schemes that are gray. Yes, you could place any color in these rooms and it would really stand out as an accent, but there is just something special about red in these rooms…

Urban Interior Design in Denver Coloradovia Decorpad

Interior Decorating in Boulder Coloradovia House to Home

And I couldn’t post without including another banquette, this lovey red banquette adds a great pop to a dining nook and overall gray room. I love banquettes and you can read more about them here: An Ode to Banquettes

Custom Kitchen Design Boulder ColoradoSource Unknown

Chic Home Decor in Boulder Coloradovia House Beautiful

Red Accents

While red is stunning with Black & White, or gray, it is also a great accent with other color schemes, in large and small doses.

Home Office Design in Boulder ColoradoSource Unknown

Bedroom Design in Denver Coloradovia Domino Magazine

Living Space Design in Denver Coloradovia House to Home

Electic Interior Design in Westminster Coloradovia Beautiful Habitat

Kitchen Design in Denver Coloradovia Beautiful Habitat

And what says Red and Happiness as much as a red wagon?

Chic Interior Decor in ColoradoVia U Create

For more on the Happy Color Series:

Fresh Bedroom Makeover
Master Bedroom Design
Custom Bedding and Drapery Design
Bedroom Accessories

Lighting Inspiration

February 3, 2011  |  by Beautiful Habitat  |  in Banquette, creative, Designers, Dining, kitchen, lighting, tableNo Comments

I recently found myself inspired by lighting shown in the Dec 2010/Jan 2011 issue of House Beautiful magazine. It’s wasn’t a lighting issue, but the homes featured had some unique lighting and unique uses of standard fixtures. Here are my favorites from the issue. Enjoy!

From Designer Thomas Hamel and a home in Florida, the kitchen and dining room below have fabulous lighting options. They certainly inspired me to think out-of-the-box.

 The use of different pendants at varying heights over this kitchen island is nothing short of stunning!  The individual pendants become one unified feature and make such a statement in the room. Brilliant!

This globally-inspired dining room is just a beautiful room. Period. My favorite feature is the custom laser-cut screens. However, I am also intrigued by the use of the modern chandeliers in the setting. It’s a perfect eclectic balance.

From a Georgian Utopia, Serenbe Community, this home has used traditional chandeliers in some not-so-traditional locations.

First, the large chandelier over the kitchen island. It’s an unusual place for this fixture, but it works perfectly for the size and style of the room.

Secondly, a crystal chandelier in the hallway. If your ceilings are tall enough for a chandelier – it’s a great way to make a statement.

Oh, and they also have a banquette!! JOY!

If you missed my obsession with banquettes, please read: An Ode the Banquettes.

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Tennille Wood is an interior designer in Denver, CO. For more informaiton on her work, visit beautifulhabitat.com


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An Ode to Banquettes

January 25, 2011  |  by Beautiful Habitat  |  in Banquette, Designers, Dining, Favorite Things, furniture, pillows, seating, table, upholstery5 Comments

ban-quette, noun
ba?-?ket, ban-, 1b is also ?ba?-k?t
a. a long upholstered bench
b. a sofa having one roll-over arm
c. a built-in usually upholstered bench along a wall


I love banquettes. They provide a functional seating area, with more interest than your typical sofa or chairs. While often built-in, they can also be an armless sofa at the dining table or simple window seat. Enjoy this collection of a few of my favorite banquettes.

A New Orleans home, by designer Melissa Rufty, cleverly uses the space under the staircase with a custom built-in banquette. So much more inviting than a sofa! House Beautiful Magazine.


This breakfast nook by Mary McDonald,features a bench/window seat style banquette. As she says, “It brings a nice feeling to any place where you’re going to want to sit and get cozy”  Veranda Magazine.
Not a built-in, but definitely qualifies as a banquette and an interesting seating arrangement. Celerie Kimble, House Beautiful Magazine.
Banquette at Old Charm Bed & Breakfast in PA. Read about it at Michael, the Innkeepers blog, Inspired by Charm.


Above and below: this tiny apartment has brilliantly adapted the banquette to maximize use and space. It serves as a sofa (above) and a dining area (below). Read more about this little purple gem at House Beautiful.
Above and below – the Colorado Home of the Year 2010, by Andrea Schumacher at O Interior Design, features 2 banquettes in the dining room (above) and nook (below).  Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine.



Above and below: the Banquette that inspired this whole blog post. Designer Tobi Fairly added this very dramatic tufted banquette as comfortable alternative seating in this dining room. I’d say that is as interesting as any art piece, and more functional. House Beautiful Magazine.



Do you notice anything else wonderful about these banquettes? How about those mixed up pillows?


Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Tennille Wood is an interior designer in Denver, CO. For more informaiton on her work, visit beautifulhabitat.com


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