Integrating Technology into a Handmade Kitchen Without It Dating in Five Years
Our handmade kitchens are built to last. Every cabinet, piece of timber, the joinery and the finishes are all designed…
A kitchen is now where families eat together, where friends gather, and where the day starts and ends. We design bespoke seating and dining solutions into our kitchens, from island breakfast bars and curved pedestal tables to bespoke banquette booths and handcrafted dining tables that match the cabinetry.
Designing the Place Where People Actually Sit
Seating is one of the most personal parts of a kitchen design. Some clients want a casual breakfast bar on the island for quick morning coffee. Others want a curved pedestal table that extends from the island, a banquette booth tucked under a window, a generous dining table for ten, or a combination of all three.
Because we hand-build to your exact dimensions, we can solve seating problems that off-the-shelf kitchens cannot: an awkwardly shaped corner becomes a window-seat with storage underneath; a deep island gets an extended overhang for stools; a long wall becomes a banquette with a custom-cut table to match. Every piece is finished in the same hand-painted palette and joinery as the rest of the kitchen.
Seating & dining options we build
- Island breakfast bars: a 300-500mm worktop overhang for two to six stools
- Curved pedestal tables: extending from the island, raised slightly for casual seating
- Banquette seating: built into a corner or under a window, often with lift-up storage underneath
- Window seats: a deep, padded seat with bespoke joinery on a window sill
- Bespoke dining tables: handcrafted from solid timber, designed to match the kitchen’s paint or worktop
- Bench seating: a more casual alternative to dining chairs along one side of the table
Read More on Seating & Dining
Should You Keep Your Kitchen’s Existing Layout or Start Again?
In a kitchen renovation, it is important to get the layout right. Do you keep the existing kitchen layout, working…
Designing a Kitchen for Two Cooks, Not One
When you walk into most kitchens, however beautifully made, you will find they have been designed around a single cook.…
Can You Work With My Architect or Interior Designer?
It’s a question that is always asked, and we want to make sure that we have answered it for our…
The Quiet Kitchen: Designing Out Noise, From Soft-Close Everything to Where the Extractor Lives
Most people choose a kitchen with their eyes, thinking about the cabinetry colour, the veining in the worktop, the warmth…
How Long a Handmade Kitchen Actually Takes – From First Visit to Installation
How long will it take from the first conversation to the finished installation? This is a great question to ask.…
When a Bespoke Window Seat Earns Its Place in the Kitchen
Is that a good place for a window seat? As we sit down with our client at the kitchen design…
Walk-In or Cupboard? Choosing the Pantry Format That Fits the Kitchen Space You Already Have
A pantry is a historic feature of the home; it actually changes how a household cooks. The kitchen isn’t cluttered…
Design Details Explored: Cornices, Pelmets & Plinths
These are the finishing touches that define a bespoke handmade kitchen, and it’s often the finer details that make the…
Fitting in a Seating Area in a Bespoke Kitchen
The kitchen is where families gather, and there are many bespoke kitchen seating options for the modern kitchen design. Whether…
Use Your Kitchen to Promote Health and Wellbeing
The hub of the home is a space where it is likely to become busier than normal, and if not…
Blending Old Layouts with New in Historic Kitchens
Historic homes are full of features that modern properties cannot replicate. The charm comes from thick walls, original beams, fireplaces…
Frequently Asked Questions
How much overhang do I need on an island for breakfast-bar seating?
For comfortable seating, allow at least 300mm of clear overhang for legs, with 350-400mm being more generous. The seating side should also be unbroken by drawers or doors. We will plan the cabinetry on the working side to match the seating overhang.
Can you build a banquette booth into the kitchen?
Yes, and they are increasingly popular. A banquette can tuck into a corner or sit along a window, often with hinged lift-up bench tops that double as additional storage. We design the banquette dimensions, cushion thickness and back-rest height to match the table and the room.
Do you make the dining table to match the kitchen?
We do. A bespoke dining table from us is hand-built from solid timber (oak, walnut or painted in your kitchen’s accent colour), with the proportions, shape and finish designed to fit the room. It can sit alongside or extend from the kitchen island.
Can the seating include hidden storage?
Yes. Banquette seats and window seats almost always include storage underneath: lift-up benches, drawers or pull-out trays. We design the storage around what you want to keep there (table linen, board games, photo albums, occasional crockery).
What stool height suits an island breakfast bar?
Standard counter-height is 65-67cm seat height for a 90cm worktop. Bar-height is 75cm seat for a 105cm raised worktop. We will confirm the right height once your island worktop height is set.
Suppliers
Please note, Handmade Kitchen’s use of manufacturer trademarks and trademark devices on this website is only to directly describe
the appliances we are able to source for our customers and we do not intend to imply any connection, affiliation or trading relationship
with the companies concerned. All trademarks and trademark devices remain the property of their respective owners.