Indoor bench seats are on the up and up. I mean, think about it; 10 years ago there were nowhere near as many dominating homes. You may have seen a bench seat used at the end of the bed or in a dining room, but that’s about it.
Now, you can use them just about anywhere in the home, and the entryway is one of my fave spots to pop one. It makes for a great little shoes-on station, and you can easily decorate around them. If you’re after other entryway decorating ideas, this post is for you.
If you’re as hungry for a bench in your home as I am, today’s post has you covered. I’m lifting the lid on a tonne of fabulous indoor bench seats from some of your fave brands. And I’m also throwing in some designer options from makers you may not have heard of yet. Because, truly, there’s nothing better than discovering a local designer whose products make your heart skip a beat.
The hero image in this post features the amazing Erika Bench Seat from Interior Secrets.
Indoor Bench Seats for the Bedroom
My, my, my. Indoor bench seats for the bedroom have come a long way. Sure, there are loads of options that feature a clean, slimline design. But I love the idea of a bench seat with built-in storage.
As you well know, wardrobes never have enough room to hold all your shoes (click here for my post on combatting that issue), so a bench seat like the Petite Fleur Ottoman above, from Brosa, is the answer. I love the cushions stacked in this one – a great solution for those of us obsessed with soft furnishings!
And as you can see, it also holds all your fave magazines, so flipping through a mag on the weekend – from bed – is going to become a whole lot easier (and stylish). It also has built-in wine bottle storage as well, so don’t think this is a bench seat strictly for the bedroom. It could go behind a sofa (like in the image below) or you could use it as a coffee table.
Indoor Bench Seats for the Living Room
So many living rooms, like mine, force you to have a layout where the sofa back is exposed to the room. Often the space can feel a little unresolved. The sofa might not be high enough to push a hall table up against it, but an indoor bench seat is a whole other story.
I love the concept of putting a bench along the back of your sofa. It covers what might be a sofa back that’s less than sexy, and it instantly gives you additional seating. If you choose a lightweight option, you can easily move it around. And decorating it with cushions and throws is a winning strategy that’ll add more warmth to the room.
The option above is the divine Atlanta Fabric Bench from Life Interiors and ticks so many boxes when it comes to comfort and storage. This would work at the back of a sofa, but also pushed against a wall or window to resolve a zone that might have too much negative space.
Bench seats for living rooms also work really well if the space is small and an armchair will dominate the area too much.
Indoor Bench Seats for an Entryway
Above is the stunning Dalton Bench Seat from Interior Secrets which would look great in an entryway with books, cushions and some greenery styled on top. This is quite a minimal approach in terms of the bench seat profile, but then you get to adorn it with whatever accents you like.
Entryway bench seats don’t have to be as slimline as the one above. You might need to store shoes in yours, for example, so you’ll need something a little bigger and bulkier for your space. Bench seats with lids on top are the perfect idea here, and I’ve included some of my fave options below.
A lot of the ones below are super affordable too, for those of you on a tight budget.
Indoor Bench Seats with Storage
These six fabulous indoor bench seats with storage allow you to pop away things like blankets, magazines, shoes, or anything else you want to hide on-the-daily. Links to shop are below for you.
- Imogen Bench Seat in Light Grey
- Samford Bench Seat in Light Blue
- Oak Look Storage Bench with Fabric Lid
- Sara Storage Ottoman in Classic Cream
- Georgia Fabric Storage Bench with Black Legs
- Charlotte Velvet Storage Bench in Pink
Many of the bench seats with storage above come in different colour fabrics, so if you like the look of the profile do give the link a click to see what other options are available.
Light Timber Indoor Bench Seats
Light timber indoor bench seats are a great way to add some warm soothing tones to your interior. The ones I’ve sourced above have some really interesting profiles too, so they’ll add some depth and dimension to your space.
- Benjamin Ripple Beach Seat in Natural Ash
- Sono Solid Wattle Timber Bench Seat
- Erika Oak Bench Seat
- Titan Reclaimed Elm Bench Seat
- Marlon Bench Seat in Wash Acacia
- Clay Bench in Solid Ash
The above benches are great options for an entryway, and you can decide how much decor you want to put on top. A few cushions to add softness would be my recommendation at the very least. But have a play and make it your own!
Dark Timber Indoor Bench Seats
Looking to move over to the dark side? These dark timber benches will add instant mood to you interior. A few of them also include fabric padding so they not only look chic, but they’ll be comfortable to sit on as well.
- Caledonia Rattan Bench Seat
- Oak Bok Bench Seat in Black
- Bruno Bench Seat in Black Ink
- Dalton Reclaimed Wood Bench Seat
- Tolv Neuf Bench Seat
- Scout Upholstered Black Ash Bench Seat
If you need some more cushioning in your bench seats, then I have some stunning upholstered versions for you below. Scroll on!
Upholstered Fabric Indoor Bench Seats
I’ll pop all the links to these glorious six upholstered indoor bench seats below for you, so you can shop for the one that’s taking your fancy the most!
- Hugo Angled Bench in Boucle Fabric
- Arno Ottoman in Taupe and Brass
- Odette Bench in Ebony Black
- Capri Double X Bench
- Carson Bench in Cuba Bone
- Munich Ottoman in Azure Teal
Hopefully you’d founded an upholstered option you love from the list above! I’ve also included a bonus one below for you: the Sevilla Moderna Bench Seat from Living By Design.
Have I Missed a Brand?
I’d love to know if you’ve bought an indoor bench seat for your home recently. Did it come from a designer or retailer I’ve missed in this post? Drop me a comment below and let me know; I’d love to check them out!
15 Responses
want a bench seat with which can double up as a shoe box
Hi Chris,
I love this article – did you know that the studio bench seat from Fantastic Furniture does not seem to be available any more. Pity, because it is a great semi-industrial look at a very good price.
Thanks Lynne. I need to update this post. Thanks for letting me know.
We were lucky enough to get a Coco Republic ex display home bench and cushion for $200 which was originally retailing over $800. It was in a Porter Davis display.
What a bargain!!
Hi Chris, great post (again).
It’s sort of within the same realm but am currently trying to source a simple daybed to sit beneath a master bedroom window to look out onto park views.
Any recommendations at all? TIA xx
Thanks Amanda.
Not sure of your exact style and colour palette but Would this suit? Day beds aren’t as popular as they once were so the options out there aren’t huge.
I am a little obsessed with finding the right bench seat for my foyer. It will be sitting on a timber floor and up against the stair railing which is also timber so probably not a timber bench. I am thinking black legs and maybe a neutral coloured seat as I want to jazz it up with a bright cushion or two.
Hey Diane, hope one of the ones in my post put you on track to finding what you’re after.
I’ve got my eye on a gorgeous bench from Few and Far
oooer really? Tell me more. I am obsessed with bench seats at the moment. I like me an upholstered one but with a slim profile and modern feel.
Great article. Timing is impeccable.
I have a serious search on now for a bench seat.
The only issue I am having is the size I am after, but the quest continues.
Oh thank you Carol. I hope you find the right one. Nothing worse than being restricted by size right – sometimes everything else about the bench seat is amazing, except the size!
Great article. But … I’d really appreciate some more price conscious options for benches if you happen to come across any your could recommend. The Kmart and Freedom ones aren’t quite what I’m looking for, but I also don’t want to pay $1,500 for something to sit on when putting my shoes on each morning!
Hey there. What sort of price point are you looking for? There were five options under $400. Sadly there seems to be a bit of a jump between benches at the lower end and the higher end. Hope you find the bench of your dreams. I’m obsessed with all of them 🙂