Who would have thought a half-formed idea about a banquette would spark so much conversation? Over 800 comments in just a few hours — crazy. We’ve loved reading all of your creative suggestions and will keep you updated every step of the way. There are still plenty of details to work out and nothing is finalized, so our plan will probably evolve as we go. But you can count on us to chat about every change as it happens.
While I should be painting office cabinets (yet keep getting pulled back to the blog), I wanted to share a fantastic rendering a kind reader named Amber sent us. She’s clearly skilled with Photoshop, and her illustration really helps bring the idea to life:
Can you start to picture the space now? A lot could still change — the counter color might be different, the table shape or finish could shift, the lighting and flooring will likely evolve, the cabinets won’t be brown with eyeballs on them, and we might add open shelving on the back of the banquette instead of full cabinet doors. In short, nothing in this rendering is set in stone, but it does give us and you a clearer visual to work from. Huge thanks to Amber for sharing her skills.
The trickiest part for many people (us included) before seeing this rendering was understanding that the banquette won’t block more of the room than the previous table did. Folks seated on the banquette will have essentially the same sightlines as they would at a table because the banquette seat height matches standard table seating. The countertops behind the banquette will also sit at a height comparable to the other base cabinets, so the overall openness of the room shouldn’t change much. Everyone will still be able to see over the base cabinets — well, except for Clara and Burger. Here’s John pretending to sit in the new area so you can get a sense of scale:
Seeing it in place has us considering adding two small stools behind the banquette so the countertop closest to the kitchen could double as casual seating. It’s also tempting to keep that space open as prep area, though — it would be handy for serving appetizers when we entertain. For now it’s all hypothetical, but it’s fun to imagine the different possibilities. Thanks again for this morning’s flood of ideas — who knows where we’ll land!
Some readers suggested seating that faced the hallway and fireplace felt less intuitive than seating facing the kitchen work area. We prefer having the counter closer to the work zone, and we think the two best views in the room are the framed wall and the fireplace. Also, I like the idea of relaxing in the nook without staring at a sink full of dishes. Because the fireplace sits in the corner, flipping the L-shaped banquette to face the prep area wouldn’t achieve the same visual balance as the current orientation facing the fireplace. Hopefully this sketch clarifies the layout choices (top: our preferred setup; bottom: the flipped option):
See how the corner fireplace makes the flipped arrangement feel off? Sorry I didn’t include a sketch like this earlier — hope this helps explain our reasoning.
Anyway, I should get back to painting office cabinetry. I picked up Benjamin Moore Advance paint last night and have heard great things about it for cabinets, so I’m excited to try it. I’ll report back with details and photos, probably early next week if I can finish the coats and snap some shots. Anyone else currently painting cabinets or dreaming about banquettes?
Psst — we announced this week’s giveaway winners. Check the original post to see if you’re one of them!