Thursday, November 13, 2008

My Beautiful Banquette

Suzanne Kasler

Home & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens


Brian Van Den Brink

Better Homes & Gardens

Culligan Abraham Architecture













Friends in Brisbane have a wonderful banquette in the kitchen of their house in Chelmer. From the first moment I set eyes on it I wanted one too! I love the thought of tucking myself behind the table, with the Saturday papers spread all over, large pot of coffee & happily staying there for the morning.

Although they have extensively renovated their lovely house, they left the banquette as is (but recovered all the seating & cushions). When they were negotiating the house sale, the owner/builder of their house (who'd owned it since the mid-1950's) became very emotional when telling them how much he loved the banquette. He recalled all the many happy memories of his children sitting there & doing their homework, family meals & fun Monopoly nights all around the banquette. After hearing that, our friends couldn't possibly have done away with it in their renovations & now love it to bits.

Sadly, no matter how much we've tried, the floor plan of our current house just won't accommodate one, due to all the big windows & few runs of long uninterrupted walls. In the next house it's a must - oh dear, MOTH has just dropped to the ground unconscious at that last statement!
I can't play favourites here, but I'd love to know which setting you'd love at your place.

22 comments:

  1. Wow Millie, what a beautiful and comprehensive post! I must say the Domino one would be my favourite! Tracey x

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  2. I was just thinking that - "don't tell MOTH....'in the next house' - he'll die"!!! he he.
    Love them!!! my kitchen is the size of some of those banquettes..... maybe one day.

    Oh - and Family "O" are now officially hill dwellers - i'll send you a mug shot of Ruby so you can be on "ruby watch" - and I'll let her parents know that if an unknown woman comes towards them with Ruby in her sights not to worry, its just Millie welcoming them to the hills!!! x

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  3. I lean towards the Rill Decker one or the Home and Gardens (photo number 2). I have always thought banquettes would be very practical in my house. I could cram the kids on with the most responsible on the oustide and no one would be able to get down!
    Clare

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  4. Hi Millie - i really want one too. Have a very small dining room which i think could actually do with something like that but oh its so hard to get anything like that made or done if you dont have super handy hubby at hand! Maybe one day. Mel xxx

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  5. Love the H&G or Rill Decker & the Domino one...too hard to decide between these...

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  6. The most memorable rooms in homes I have eaten in involve a breakfast nook... they make the meal special because it is such a cozy atmosphere...

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  7. I will have the H&G one and the last BH&G one with the drawers underneath...and the fish prints from the first photo, ta :))
    Ness xx

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  8. Beautiful examples, reminds me of the cute little banquette in my Great Aunts home! Love the 2nd pic with the long bench and the Rill Decker! Love your Blog!!
    :-) Cathleen

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  9. Millie,
    Looking back on your previous posts I just realized "my house" from last post is the same one you did couple days ago - Runnymede House. Sooo, that one is for a sale, hmmmm. Suzanne mentioned they moved 30 times, so here we go again.

    ..and your collection of "dinings" is great. Hard to decide. 4th picture-idea of gloves stuck on the wall. So cute!. Like "Art dedicated to my hard working housewife".
    My favorite would be Rill Decker and Frank Roop for more contemporary look- great wall colour, lighting and furniture is perfect!!

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  10. I want to marry a pair of Louis ghost cnairs on a black and white check floor and I would love them forever - is that polygamy?

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  11. No worries at all Viera - it's a wonderful home, so its great to get your take on it too. Yes, I love the mittens/gloves on the wall art-work in the Van Den Brink pic too - very cool!
    Millie ^_^

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  12. I think I'll take the third one down Millie...so summery and fresh and just NOW ... Dzintra

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  13. Millie--such a wonderful post! There are elements I love in each one.

    The second one (Home & Garden) is very nice--I have a similar farm table with an old red base.

    The one by Rill Decker is wonderful and cozy with the antique trestle table in the middle.

    My favorite is by Brian VanDen Brink with the gloves and mittens on the wall. Such a great idea!

    Who doesn't love sitting in a booth at a diner or family restaurant? Why not have one in your home too. ♥Rosemary

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  14. Great post! I would have to have the storage underneath. Difficult choice, but I think I like #3 :)
    Poor Moth!

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  15. What a wonderful collection - I like Rill Decker, but it was hard to choose! This is a great comprehensive post!

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  16. Millie,
    You had me at the first one! Just beautiful. I have always loved banquettes. They really add such a sense of coziness to a room. Is Moth awake yet?
    Lisa & Alfie

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  17. Hasn't this been an interesting exercise - thanks everyone for your comments, I've so enjoyed reading them! I'd sort of decided who'd like what - but boy was I wrong again! Message to self - stop assuming anything you silly Millie!!

    Looks like the Rill Decker was a winner, it's simple elegance is just stunning & that antique table - too, too gorgeous.

    Hey Lisa - yes poor MOTH's still curled up in the foetal position on the floor, the shock of maybe another project involving wood & building to Millie's specifications was all too much!!

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  18. I love banquettes too. We added two bookshelves on either side of our kitchen window and are planning to build a banquette in between. Thanks for the beautiful inspiring photos :-)

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  19. I can die for the 5th photo, Ms. Millie!

    So sober & calm. Fits to my like or is it a sign of my age? *wink Hubby reckon...

    My kitchen is cute & tiny and some of those photos.

    Hope MOTH won't say something & jst say, "YES DEAR" *winky

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  20. LOL Miss Millie you do crack me up!

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!!!! I would dearly dearly love a banquette at my place but sadly will prolly never happen lol.

    I truly can't decide which I love more.

    Anna :)

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  21. Hello,nice post thanks for sharing?. I just joined and I am going to catch up by reading for a while. I hope I can join in soon.

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  22. Kim in Croydon, VicJuly 20, 2010 at 10:34 PM

    Just came across this post. Both my darling hubby & I love banquettes and when choosing a house plan to build (in the process of) one of the key criteria was a floorplan that would lend itself to a banquette. Just trying to explain it to the builders was interesting but hopefully they've got it now! Will know in about a year when they've finished it all.
    Kim

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And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

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