While it's hard to compare the joy of enjoying each other's company around an intimate dining room table, we understand that dining and socializing in such a formal setting isn't always practical. For a middle ground, we look to Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, who bring the best elements of the dining room into their kitchens with a clever banquette arrangement. It's easy to see why this feature will be a top kitchen trend next year.
She is a model and singer, H&G Jake Arnold designed this kitchen that we've been swooning over and over since it was unveiled in 2021. We've already taken note of the marble slab backsplash and quietly lavish mixed metals, but the banquette seating combines style and functionality in a way that's hard to beat.
“We take our kitchens seriously, and functionality is the primary consideration in all our projects,” comments Jake Arnold. “Here, we really considered the entertaining aspect of the kitchen and how guests can cook, eat, and relax in the same place. We designed this banquette to face the backyard and the beautiful views beyond.”
As Arnold explains, Teigen's seating faces the backyard instead of the food prep area, allowing family and guests to feel like they're in the heart of the cooking action but away from the kitchen. This means hosts can stay busy and still enjoy catching up with family and friends, and diners can have a more casual, yet fun, dining experience.
While this space may not arrive until before 2024, it will still set a precedent for this year's kitchen trends. Paul Jenkinson, founder and managing director of LochAnna Kitchens, explains that the growing interest is not surprising, given the benefits of banquet seating.
“With the fast pace of modern life and separate dining rooms becoming much more uncommon, having space to spend quality time together as a family is becoming even more important. For this reason, communal seating or banquettes within the kitchen are becoming more popular,” he points out.
(Image courtesy of Gunter & Co)
“The practicality of sociable seating transforms the kitchen into a space where the whole family can eat together, fostering a sense of family time, with the added benefit of creating additional storage space,” adds Jenkinson.
“For example, a kitchen island with a banquette can maximise functionality with a lift-up seat and hidden storage, such as built-in drawers, providing both comfort and a hidden place to store kitchen essentials.”
Shop Teigen's cookware collection
You don't need to renovate your kitchen to bring Teigen's style into your home: these pieces from her new collection will look great on any countertop.
Better Baker Sheet Pan Set
While Teigen's space is by no means compact, as Tom Howley's designer Sophie Hartley adds, this style can be adapted for spaces of any size.
“The secret to making banquette seating appear larger in a small space is to make it curvilinear rather than running along the width of the wall,” she says. “This increases the amount of available seating, creates a more 'conversational' shape, and gets people facing each other around the table.” If there was ever a time to follow suit, it's now.
