For today’s design story I thought I’d share with you a recent project I’ve been working on that has me very excited – a built-in corner bench for our kitchen! I believe that every home has a heart, a place where the people living there, as well as their guests, tend to gather and hang out. In some houses the heart is the room with the most comfortable sofa. In our house, it’s the room with the refrigerator.
We love to cook and spend a great amount of time in the kitchen, trying out new recipes, so from day one I imagined a comfortable breakfast nook with a built in bench, and a small pedestal table surrounded by old, wooden chairs. It would be charming and cottage-y, and would allow all of us to hang out comfortably while one of us is cooking. I held on to that image for almost five years, until a couple of weeks ago, when the guys that usually do carpentry work for us stopped by and turned my bench idea into reality. We’d just added shiplap paneling to our hallways and parts of the kitchen walls, so it was perfect timing.
When it came to the design, I wanted to recreate the look of antique tavern benches I’d seen on auction sites so I worked on a template using a sharpie and some wrapping paper, which our contractor then transferred onto two sheets of plywood.
The bench is not quite finished – it still needs finessing, some sanding and a paint brush – but I am so happy with how it turned out that I couldn’t resist showing you progress shots. I’ve also found the right pedestal table, but more about that in a different post. Happy weekend!
Eva, your bench looks so perfect for that corner. What a great idea!
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Thank you so much, Anne! I’m glad you think so!
I love this. We have a corner eat in breakfast area, and I’ve been imagining built-ins for our breakfast area as well. I’m excited for you and your family. It’ll be a much loved space.
Author
Thank you so much, Sheena!
Oh, my! How clever of you! The style is so fitting for your home. It surely will be a favorite spot in your home. I love banquets , benches and window seats. Please share pictures again when it is all complete.
Author
Thank you, Lynn! I’m glad you think so! And yes, I will share updates as soon as the bench is painted.
This is SO charming, Eva – I’ve always loved that kitchen nook look – such a sweet feature in a home. Can’t wait to see this one evolve.
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Thank you, Linda!
How fun this is going to be when one sits in your kitchen. Looking forward to seeing it complete with the table!
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Thank you so much, Pamela!
Love that bench, Eva! Looking forward to seeing it finished!
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Thanks, Diana!
Eva,
I love it. I can’t wait to see it finished. What a great design.
Karen B.
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Thank you so much, Karen!