Benches + Stools

Benches and stools are the utility players in the modern home. A living room bench can sit quietly against a wall to serve as a spot to sit and pull on slippers. An entryway bench can act as a waystation for a backpack or stack of new mail, then be pulled out in a flash for use as overflow seating during a party. A minimalist bench will call even less attention to itself and complement a wide range of decorating styles. Stools are another category of versatile living room furniture, with the added quality of being even easier to move around. A short minimalist stool can also serve as a footstool in a pinch.

Types of benches and stools

Benches can be used in nearly any room in the house. A storage bench makes a handy place in the bedroom to keep extra blankets and a place to sit while getting dressed. An entryway bench makes a good seat for pulling on winter boots. A dining room bench provides an ideal seat for kids, who take naturally to the shoulder-to-shoulder proximity a bench provides. Stools, too, because of their great variety, can be used almost anywhere. A swivel stool can be found at a kitchen counter or, in a much shorter version, stationed beside the fireplace in the living room.

At Design Within Reach, we’re here to answer questions and more, with complementary design services to support you at every step of your interior design journey. Our staff of in-store design professionals can give advice and recommendations via chat, photos, and live video. They can also do 3-D renderings of your rooms so you can see how an arrangement might work. Look for the black chat icon at the lower right of webpages.