If you’re looking for kitchen dining design ideas, there’s a high chance built in seating is on your radar. Opting for built in seating over regular dining chairs is a hugely popular kitchen trend for 2023, and one that the Roundhouse Design team does so well. ‘Beautifully appointed built in seating can really enhance the overall kitchen design, while also boosting storage levels and saving space,’ enthuses senior design consultant, Sam Hart. ‘It can also result in a more sociable, and relaxing kitchen diner, where family and friends love to hang out.’

Work with the architecture

Low slung windows, steel support joists and awkward niches can all make it difficult to accommodate freestanding furniture when planning a dining with kitchen design. A dining table with chairs requires at least 90cm between the table and adjacent furniture or walls. This allows chairs to be pulled back sufficiently to get in and comfortably sit down. Built in seating can cut that figure down to just 30cm as it is attached directly to the wall.

Made-to-measure in our Malvern workshops, this built in bench fits snugly under the window and into the reveal, without obstructing the view. The wipe-clean painted finish is perfect for families and will allow several children to line up without wasting precious floor space.

Boost storage

Built in seating offers excellent opportunities to relieve storage pressures in a busy modern luxury kitchen design. Carefully consider what you want to store inside; this is the place for items that are required less frequently, like festive serve-ware and bulk buys.

In the same way you might consider drawers or cupboards in kitchen design, built in seating with drawers will often be the best option in terms of easy access, as you won’t need to remove any cushions first. Lift-up-lid style storage is another option, which can work well if there is a heavy table preventing drawers from opening easily.

Integrated island seating

More comfortable than bar stools, choosing an island with built in seating and a separate table instead of a breakfast bar is increasingly popular, especially in homes without separate dining rooms. In a luxury big kitchen design, you can go ahead and have both!

A modern kitchen island with seating built in can be combined with dining chairs, like this stylish curved design, to provide a sociable eating area that’s perfect for family breakfasts and low-key dining. It’s important to ensure there is plenty of room to walk around this style of island; they tend to work best in a luxury big kitchen design that can accommodate a large marble top kitchen island with seating without obstructing the flow of traffic through the room.

Make a design statement

The most sophisticated bespoke kitchen schemes feature a curated mix of fabrics, colours, and textures. A variety of materials gives a layered, luxurious feel and encourages a relaxed atmosphere in high quality kitchens.

A built in dining area like this one sporting rich, emerald leather with textural walnut wall panelling and chairs upholstered in Lost and Found fabric by Christopher Farr Cloth, can bring in that much-needed character that serves to soften the hard surfaces found in bespoke kitchens. Choose materials with low maintenance in mind; upholstery needs to be robust (fabrics graded for contract use are especially durable). Wipe-clean leather is ideal for those seeking family kitchen ideas.

Don’t overlook the joy of a nook

Banquette-style eating areas may be a top kitchen trend, but not all built in seating is focused on kitchen dining designs. This simple corner nook is the perfect spot to stop for a morning coffee or curl up with a magazine. A seating nook can also help break up large expanse of built in storage cupboards and is a great opportunity to introduce contemporary kitchen lighting.

What is built in seating called?

In recent years, ‘banquette’ has become the generic, on-trend term for any seating that’s firmly affixed to a wall or island unit and can’t be picked up and moved around. Originally synonymous with booth-style dining more typically found in restaurants, it’s a sociable seating arrangement that saves space and looks stylish.

Banquette seating comes in many formats, including contemporary bench style designs, which have the relaxed look of freestanding furniture, and more ‘fitted’ arrangements that are fully upholstered with storage built all around.

Our expert kitchen designers can help you make the best choices for your Roundhouse bespoke kitchen, furniture or wardrobes. Visit any of our seven Roundhouse showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham and get planning!