I've never had a banquette, but I love the idea of them. The only thing that holds me back is that in my kitchen, there would be a wide open space in the center that I wouldn't know what to do with. I think in general they work better in older homes with smaller kitchens (since they really are a space saver), or homes built with a banquette in mind. Here are some that I love:
I wish the resolution was better here. Can you see how the bench flows so seamlessly from the cabinets around the side wall? This is one of my favorites:
I adore this kitchen! Love the pop of pink in the throw pillow:
I love the ceiling, the arch, and the curve of this bench:
One reason I wouldn't use a banquette is if it leaves a useless space in the middle of the kitchen. In this case, I love it because it leaves a nice pathway to the gorgeous doors and invites you outside:
If I ever do a banquette, it will be like this. I love that it looks so cozy and inviting, and leaves the rest of the kitchen open. You lose the room for barstools, but with two kitchen islands this could really work:
Other than the image at the very top of the page, this is my next favorite. I love the brick walls adding to the coziness, and the beams, lighting, and floors are just perfect:
