do you have bench seating? pros/cons?

[fdrinca]

I'm determined to build a giant farmhouse-style table for school/dining uses. To save space, I'm thinking of ditching our chairs and building benches, too. 

 

I'm curious about other's experiences with bench seating, **especially** with small children who squirm, bounce, rock, and otherwise propel their bodies through space :)

 

Are backs necessary? Helpful? Comfortable? 

 

Thanks!

[AK_Mom4]

We have bench seating down the outside wall of the dining room - underneath the Windows. So one side of the table uses on the bench and the other side has chairs. It has always worked great with kids - you can squish more small kids closer together than you can fit in chairs.

 

The wall forms the back for our bench - I think having the back to lean on makes the bench seat more comfortable.

[Arcadia]

When my boys were younger, we purposely made them sit on stools or benches so they are less likely to slouch. They do like to dance on the bench :lol:

The advantage was that we could squeeze more kids to a long bench when we had guests. The disadvantage was that sometimes kids get into each other personal space when a kid is having a bad day.

 

I thought from the thread title you were asking about cars with bench seating.

[Miss Peregrine]

2 of my kids have required stitches from falling onto the edge of the bench. Some of us constantly bump our knees into it and have perpetual bruises.

 

I wish for the day when I can get another table.

[Miss Peregrine]

Dp.

Edited December 25, 2015 by Miss Peregrine

[nd293]

We have bench seating down the outside wall of the dining room - underneath the Windows. So one side of the table uses on the bench and the other side has chairs. It has always worked great with kids - you can squish more small kids closer together than you can fit in chairs.

 

We have the same set up in our small dining area. Benches are awkward to get onto and off, particularly if you have larger people. They're great for extra seating for smaller people and don't take up as much space as chairs (we would have minimal space to pull a chair out before hitting the wall but enough space for a child to climb onto the bench). Dh complains bitterly when I push the bench in too far as he wacks his knees when sitting at the chair at the head of the table.

 

For me a massive advantage of the bench is that I built a storage bench so art supplies go in baskets on the bottom shelf and paper in the flip-top seat.

 

http://www.ana-white.com/2012/10/plans/flip-top-storage-bench-new-plans

[MEmama]

We have a bench on one side of our dining room table--the side that is open to the living room--and chairs on the other. We all like the set up. It's easy and casual and opens up sight lines. There are no cons for us.

[kewb]

I hate bench seating.

Pros:

you can squish a lot of little children onto the bench.

Takes up less space.

 

Cons:

Unless the bench has a back I find them uncomfortable.

I don't like sharing how far or close my seat is from the table.

It is awkward for taller people.

It is difficult when the person in the middle wants to get up and the ones on the outside are not ready.

No one wants the middle.

Nothing more annoying then sharing the bench with a leg jiggler.

[bettyandbob]

I have benches. My friend was moving and giving away two really nice dining sets. I wanted the one with chairs, but I got the one with benches. I'm so glad I got the benches. Everyone who sees the set compliments it. MIL was complimenting it yesterday.

 

Table would fit three chairs on a side. Three chairs takes more space than a bench that could seat four if we needed. Bench is great for three.

 

My dining room is small. Having benches keeps the visual line uncluttered. The area would just look crowded with chairs.

 

Our benches are very heavy (heavy enough that it takes two people to move a bench to the neighbors when they borrow it for thanksgiving. An adult can slide it in and out of the table for regular use without struggle, but carrying it is an issue). One person being squirmy, bouncy or shaky a leg does not affect another person on the bench. I know because dd is a leg shaker. I think heavy benches are best for this reason.

 

Benches can be pushed right up to the table when not in use and take up a lot let space.

[JFSinIL]

Benches look great - but I hate sitting on them. My in-laws always made hubby and I sit on the bench for family dinners, and after half an hour or so my back would be killing me.

 

I vote you try sitting for an hour at a bench for a meal and see if it is comfy.

Edited December 25, 2015 by JFSinIL

[DawnM]

I hate bench seating.

Pros:

you can squish a lot of little children onto the bench.

Takes up less space.

 

Cons:

Unless the bench has a back I find them uncomfortable.

I don't like sharing how far or close my seat is from the table.

It is awkward for taller people.

It is difficult when the person in the middle wants to get up and the ones on the outside are not ready.

No one wants the middle.

Nothing more annoying then sharing the bench with a leg jiggler.

 

This is why I wouldn't get bench seating.

 

It looks nice, takes up less room, but overall, not what I would want.

[Rachel]

I ate dinner sitting on a bench last night with my much taller brother. I would have preferred to sit closer to the table. I also seem to have put a crick in my neck from sitting at the table to close to 2 hours.

 

I do agree with younger kids you can fit more kids in less space, but the space is also not defined so someone is always crowding someone else.

[fdrinca]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm interested in benches or this phase of our life (lots of small children), but wouldn't want it long-term. I'm thinking a good compromise would be to try out one bench and one row of seats. Right now, we don't even have enough chairs for all of our family (baby doesn't need a seat yet, but will in a few months!), so having guests is tricky without having a kid's table.

 

2 of my kids have required stitches from falling onto the edge of the bench. Some of us constantly bump our knees into it and have perpetual bruises.

I wish for the day when I can get another table.

 

Yep, this is my fear. I have a bedframe on which I bump my knee almost every day, and I've had it for 10 years! Plus, I can't imagine the kids NOT turning the benches into some sort of acro or gymnastics equipment!

 

We have the same set up in our small dining area. Benches are awkward to get onto and off, particularly if you have larger people. They're great for extra seating for smaller people and don't take up as much space as chairs (we would have minimal space to pull a chair out before hitting the wall but enough space for a child to climb onto the bench). Dh complains bitterly when I push the bench in too far as he wacks his knees when sitting at the chair at the head of the table.

For me a massive advantage of the bench is that I built a storage bench so art supplies go in baskets on the bottom shelf and paper in the flip-top seat.

http://www.ana-white.com/2012/10/plans/flip-top-storage-bench-new-plans

 

This would be amazing for our needs. Putting their school books under their seats, like a piano bench? (Although I can see a lot of uncharitable debate about getting up to get books out...) The Ana White plans are the ones I'm looking at building. Have you made any? 

 

Benches look great - but I hate sitting on them. My in-laws always made hubby and I sit on the bench for family dinners, and after half an hour or so my back would be killing me.

I vote you try sitting for an hour at a bench for a meal and see if it is comfy.

 

It's so sweet you'd think that I sit for an hour at any time :) 

[RootAnn]

We have an Amish-built bench that is adjustable-length. There are leaves you can put in or take out depending on your needs. It has worked great for the littles and starts getting troublesome as the kids get older. We're moving them to chairs as they get older. At some point, possibly when eldest is off to college, we'll switch over to all chairs.

 

Been great for us. It is back-less and that works fine for the kids.

[bettyandbob]

 

It's so sweet you'd think that I sit for an hour at any time :)

Even for special dinners/ holidays no one is at the table in our house more than an hour for eating. At holidays we eat, then get up go for a walk or play pool (at my parents). We eat but don't continuously stay at the table.

 

People were seated on my benches for three hours tonight's ago. We were playing card games. I didn't have any problems. Maybe we lean on the table when it's just games, so we don't have as much core and posture work when eating is not involved.

[gardenmom5]

I grew up with nook seating.  my mother had it, my grandmother had it, my great-aunt in whose home I spent much time had it.

 

the biggest disadvantage is everyone has to move if a person in the middle wants to get up/out.   as small chilren,  I admit we'd just slither under the table and get out that way.

Edited December 25, 2015 by gardenmom5

[nd293]

This would be amazing for our needs. Putting their school books under their seats, like a piano bench? (Although I can see a lot of uncharitable debate about getting up to get books out...) The Ana White plans are the ones I'm looking at building. Have you made any?

Yes, it works just like a piano bench. I made the Ana White one I linked to. I love her plans, they're beautiful and practical and easy to follow. I've made the bench, a bunk bed, a low bookshelf on wheels and a hall table.

 

You could perhaps add partitions to the seat storage and divide the bench top so each 'seat' opens separately - no arguments about getting up so a sibling can access their books then! Assuming of course that they have assigned seating...

[Davysmom]

We have a bench in one side to save space. We have a chair on each end for adults. And our oldests and youngest have chairs.

 

When the little ones move from a high chair, they sit in this tall wooden chair with a back and sides. It is sort of a transition chair.

 

It works well for us.

Edited December 26, 2015 by Davysmom

[Suzanne in ABQ]

When I was growing up, we had a tiny kitchen and five kids.  Three of us sibs sat on a bench on one side.  The bench wasn't built in, but it was against a wall.  It worked great for us for us.