Benches are furniture that will work in many places. People prefer to choose them for garden, bedroom or living room. They are also often found in public buildings. However, the uses for benches don't end there, and they can be an excellent piece of furniture for a hallway. Buying a bench is an excellent solution for the area that is located near the front door.
Methods of use
The bench, if you wish, can have several ways to use it. And besides the beautiful interior detail of the corridor, it can also be:
- A place where it is convenient to place things for an indefinite period of storage;
- If the dimensions and design of the product allow, the bench can be used as an improvised ladder to reach hard-to-reach places in the form of a shelf or recess;
- If there is empty space below, you can store household supplies for shoe care there, or the shoes themselves if a door is made;
- Part of a set of furniture for the hallway, consisting of several groups of items;
- The presence of a backrest will allow the bench to be a place where you can relax and wait for those who are just about to leave with you;
- Well, and most importantly, this is the place that you will use to take off your shoes, as well as vice versa.
In addition, a soft bench in the hallway can act as additional seating if guests come to you and there is no place for them to sit. This is an extremely convenient property when there are a large number of guests.
How to choose the perfect bench for your hallway?
Do you want to buy a bench for the hallway and are wondering which model is best to choose? Hallway benches come in a variety of attractive options, so it's worth making sure your choice is the right one. Consider dimensions first—the hallway seat should not overwhelm the layout or impede movement. For a small area, a small hallway bench is sufficient. Due to the small volume of the corridor, it is worth increasing the functionality of the bench by choosing a model with a shelf or cabinet.
What do you get when choosing a bench for your hallway? First of all, comfort during daily use of the apartment. However, a bench for a hallway means not only convenience, but also an increase in the aesthetic qualities of the interior, which is the hallmark of the house.
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Design options
There are several types of possible options for any furniture, this also applies to the bench. We tried to highlight the main types of structures for you.
Classic
In the old Soviet magazines that our grandfathers subscribed to, there were similar diagrams, due to their easy assembly and simple design. They can be made of wood or with metal and leather. Similar photos of benches in the hallway can most often be found in catalogs of furniture stores.
The design does not have a backrest; a shoe stand is allowed. A classic bench, as a rule, is not built-in and is often sold separately in stores. Also, the simplicity of execution makes it easy to make it to order from any master.
With backrest
This type of design is a kind of continuation of the classic idea of a bench. Something similar is found in parks and hallways of many houses.
The structure is still made of wood and its texture changes depending on the style applied to it. Can be supplemented with a shoe stand, elbow handles and other things.
Modular design
These models have a high back that can be upholstered in leather. It is extremely rare for a hallway bench with a seat of this type to serve only the function of a “resting place.” Most often, the high back is part of a modular design, on which hooks for clothes and even a shelf for a headdress can be located.
Sometimes a bench in small hallways can be made smaller to try to gain some space. In this case, it becomes an object on which you can put bags and other things.
Peculiarities
To make the hallway in the house convenient to use, it should be supplemented with a bench. This item must be chosen carefully. The product must meet a number of requirements:
- compactness;
- capacity;
- ergonomics;
- external attractiveness;
- functionality.
For owners of small vestibules, it is most advisable to take a closer look at models that have a folding top, drawers, and shelves.
Bench and nightstand in one
In fact, such structures primarily serve as a bedside table and only then can be adapted, due to their size, as a place to sit. A similar bench-banquette in the hallway will be in place, since the design allows it to be moved wherever you need it.
The presence of vertical partitions makes it extremely durable and is not susceptible to any deformation over time. From a design point of view, there may be no doors here, and the presence of horizontal drawers is also acceptable.
Advantages and disadvantages of reclining seats
The pros and cons of the product are interconnected and are flip sides of each other.
Flaws:
- The device cannot be moved quickly. To do this, it is necessary to dismantle and then reinstall the chair, but in a different place.
- Complexity of design, which means less reliability compared to traditional furniture.
- A rigid binding does not allow you to “adjust” the seat, that is, move it or turn it to make it more comfortable.
- It is an integral part of the design of the room, is clearly visible, and therefore requires a thoughtful location.
The disadvantages cannot be eliminated, since they are based on the design principle itself.
The main and only advantage lies in the very idea of a folding chair: it takes up space only when it is needed. Then the seat is pressed against the wall (partition, column) and practically disappears.
Additional features
Some benches are equipped with a hinged soft lid, and depending on the volume of the inner drawer, you can store either shoe accessories or the shoes themselves.
Also, the bench can be made either of wood or entirely of steel. It is difficult to say what will be stronger and more durable. Be guided only by what design option is required in your hallway.
When choosing a forged bench for the hallway, pay attention to how the seams were welded or the structural parts were fastened to each other. It is also important to look at how the product was painted, so as not to have problems with it in the future.
Choice depending on the style of the hallway
If the hallway is furnished in Provence style, you should take a closer look at low benches with comfortable pillows or wicker models. Classic style involves the use of exquisitely decorated wooden products with leather upholstery. The wood must be varnished.
Country music welcomes designs made of roughly processed wood or furniture panels with hard seats. For a Japanese interior, it is worth purchasing a low combined bench without a back and armrests.
Lovers of the Art Nouveau style will appreciate the chest bench with a hinged lid and a pull-out shelf. Minimalism will require a compact overshoe bench with plain tiled fronts.
Dimensions
The vast majority of all benches are made uniformly - it is a rectangular shape, which differs only in style. But moving away from the usual proposed options, you can consider placing a corner structure in your hallway.
This way you use space more wisely. Other forms are sometimes found, but their prevalence is extremely low. For example, is it a waveform or something else.
Most often, a bench for shoes in a hallway is narrow, since the design itself suggests seeking a balance between ease of use when resting or taking off shoes, and having a certain number of people nearby. There is no such correlation in length, and depending on the corridor itself, the bench can also be wider or longer.
Soft benches for the hallway - stylish arrangements
A stylish bench for the hallway will become a very practical and useful piece of furniture, thanks to which you will show that you are a real master of arrangement and can take care of a unique decor in any room. Guests who visit you will be pleasantly surprised from the very threshold by the taste and attention to every detail. A soft bench for the hallway is perfect for seating several people at the same time. A hallway bench with a seat will be an excellent solution that both you and your guests will appreciate.
The upholstered bench is a modern synonym for elegance and comfort. This type of furniture is especially suitable for arrangements that inspire a glamorous style. The luxurious seat is not only incredibly comfortable, but also effective as decoration. Upholstered hallway seats are suitable for stylish rooms where you want to create a cozy character.
Production
Furniture made from wood is considered in this case to be the most reliable of all possible. Its design is best able to withstand constant human load, deformation and possible aggressiveness of the environment.
A steel bench in the hallway has one obvious drawback - these are weak welds that do not tolerate oblique loads on them well. Over time, the seams weaken, become deformed and can burst.
The most affordable option for benches are cabinets made of MDF and chipboard. Such furniture will cost you relatively inexpensively, but one of the disadvantages is that over time it quickly becomes unusable.
The use of woodworking products provides a huge selection of possible color solutions, which products made from wood or steel lack. Here you can find almost any option you need.
Rules for choosing and purchasing a suitable seat
When choosing a seat, you are primarily guided by the conditions of the room where it is intended to be used, as well as the mode of operation:
- Public spaces are subject to heavy traffic and careless use. Choose a reliable design, without any frills, without soft lining.
- Rooms with high humidity (showers, bathrooms, baths, saunas) require the use of stainless materials. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the temperature regime.
- For hallways and corridors, it is necessary to choose a design that fits into the design as much as possible or is as inconspicuous as possible.
- Outdoor use (unheated loggias, balconies, open and closed verandas) involves the use of materials that are resistant to temperature changes and precipitation.
Preference should be given to high-quality plastic, processed wood, and stainless steel.
You also need to decide on the location of the folding chair. Sometimes it is worth considering the option of corner placement.
When purchasing a product, pay attention to the completeness, comparing it with the passport. If the design of the device provides for complex hinges or spring mechanisms, it is necessary to ensure that they are in good working order, as well as normal functioning.
There should be no damage on the surface of the products: scratches, chips, signs of corrosion.
It is worth checking (at least approximately) that the anchors included in the kit will provide reliable fastening. In this case, the material and thickness of the walls are taken into account.
If the package does not include anchor fasteners, it must be purchased additionally.
