If you’re looking to clean up your act this year, there’s only once place to start: Get a storage bench for every room.
Like compound exercises working multiple muscle groups to save time at the gym, storage benches are the ultimate way to accomplish two important things at once: sitting and tidiness. The best part? They belong in virtually every room in your home (or, let’s be honest, cramped apartment).
Entryway
This is a biggie: You’re both storing the majority of your shoes in this room and sitting down to tie them. It’s best to invest in a multipurpose bench since it gets so much traffic. The Salinas Hall Tree includes three hooks for your coats (which might also serve as comfy back support while you’re tying your shoes), and easy-access storage for your shoes when not in use.
The Easmor Upholstered Storage Bench from Wayfair is worth the purchase for its unique design alone. A pair of shelves sits right beside the upholstered linen cushion like an armrest, and it’s so genius I’m angry I didn’t think of it first.
Bedroom
The fanciest beds include a bench at its foot. I always thought of it as a way to prove you have more empty space than you know what to do with so why not just fill it with random furniture, but it serves a purpose. Since our body temperatures constantly shift throughout the night, it’s important to have a variety of easy-to-grab blankets without having to rummage through the top of your closet. Overstock’s A.R.T Furniture Morrisey Rhodes Furniture Bench truly is a piece of A.R.T. with its antique golden bezels, creamy upholstery and a cedar interior compartment sure to keep your blankets as cozy as they keep you.
So I bet you didn’t see this one coming, but Perigold’s Eclectica Taburè Upholstered Bench comes complete with a pull out bed (!), which is useful in so many situations, i.e.: your sleeping partner is tossing and turning, you’re hosting an impromptu sleepover, and you want to take a nap without ruining your made bed. It’s made of natural wood grain coupled with the velvet upholstery of your choice (I personally recommend the Matisse 0027, a deep shade of jewel-toned Prince purple).
Living Room
Here’s your opportunity to get super fancy—and I mean, like, so fancy you probably shouldn’t sit on it. The Pier 1 Harvey Blue Velvet Storage Bench feels luxurious to the touch with the give and comfort of an actual sofa. Maintaining the velvet will take a little extra effort, but nothing worth having came easy.
For something a little more utilitarian, the Jet DecMode Wood and Corrugated Iron Cushioned Storage Benches come in a set of three. Place them at opposite ends of the room to give it a sense of cohesion—and tidiness.
Who said storage meant putting all your stunning collectibles in hiding? For something that works on four different levels, the Pottery Barn Caden Petite Leather Ottoman makes for a great coffee table, foot rest, bench, and of course, a storage unit to show off all those gargantuan coffee table books.
Kitchen
Benches? In your kitchen? Oh, heck yes. The most welcoming kitchen tables include diner-style booths. If you can’t bring yourself to hire a contractor to embed them into your wall, you can easily DIY with a storage bench, where you can stow seating pillows or tableware you don’t use too often like patio cutlery. The Ballard Designs Breton 3 Piece Banquette of poplar wood and birch veneer will come in handy when you need it most.
Wayfair’s Crest Storage Bench is a bit of a different concept in that it contains armrests and three easily accessible drawers, so you can use the bench as an extension of your pantry. With a wood cabin feel, it’s the perfect way to add a laidback vibe to your kitchen.
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