A dining room bench or banquette seat is a great way to add something different to your space while still keeping it functional.  This is actually a trend that has been quietly sneaking up for a while.  It works for both modern and traditional spaces and I personally love this idea because it is also a great excuse to introduce new print fabrics and textures into the space as well.  A tip is that if you are going to do your bench or banquette in a print fabric, choose something that is more subtle or something that has a large scale print to it so that it complements your room and doesn’t overwhelm it.

Here are some pictures I came across of dining rooms with benches or banquettes!

Image from http://www.kellyhoppen.com

Image from http://www.sarahrichardsondesign.com

Image from http://www.hgtv.com

Image from http://www.housebeautiful.com

Image from http://www.contemporist.com