Banquette Bench DIY: Easy Custom Breakfast Nook

This custom banquette bench is a game changer! When we purchased our house a few years ago, it didn’t have a dining space. I don’t mean that it was just missing a formal dining room, I mean there was nowhere in our house to put a reasonably sized table for four.

Watch the step-by-step video or continue below for written instructions.

Here is the space we were dealing with before the change

The challenge was the framed entryway that divided the kitchen and the living room.  The placement of the entryway left wasted space on both sides, and barely enough room for a narrow desk that we used in place of a table.  The first step was to remove the framed entryway and extend the flooring. By knocking out the entryway and surrounding wall, we freed up space for both a longer table and a wider dining setup.  Opening up the space gave us exactly 7 1/2 feet (or 90 inches) wall-to-wall width for the table and seating, while still allowing space for foot traffic to and from the kitchen. My plan was to build a bench with a seat depth of 24 inches and add a 30-inch wide table, which left exactly enough space (36 inches) for chairs on one side with room to walk behind.  I needed absolutely every inch available for the end result to be functional.    

The Plan:

I wanted my bench to be about 7 feet long, spaced between two windows on a wall that was not very flat.  I wanted the upholstered seat to have an overhang and the back support to be angled for comfort.  The bench would cover the internet cable port, so I decided this was the perfect opportunity to add a drawer to hide our unsightly router and cords.  Simple enough!  

Step 1:

First, I built four frame pieces out of 2x4s to attach directly to the wall. Because I knew I would attach my frames to the studs, the stud placement in my wall ended up being the determining factor for the length of my bench. You may have precise dimensions in mind and that’s fine. If your wall is flat, you can mount a 2×4 and then attach the frame to that instead of the studs.

I put a drawer between two of the frames, which honestly was the hardest part of the project and is completely optional.

Step 2:

I connected the frame pieces across the front with a 2×2; essentially creating more stability and extending the overhang of the seat.  I cut 3/4-inch cabinet grade plywood with a table saw and attached it to the front of the bench, just below the overhang.  I used a countersink bit for any screws that would be visible after adding the trim.  

Step 3: 

For the back support, I attached a 2×4 to the top of the frame pieces along the wall and a 1×2 to the wall where the top of the back piece would rest, creating an angle and giving me a place to screw in the 3/4-inch plywood back rest.  There was some gapping with the 1×2 because of the curve in my wall, but I was able to add a trim piece at the end so it isn’t noticeable. 

Step 4:

To trim the seat portion of the bench, I ripped long strips of 1/2-inch thick plywood 4 inches wide, then cut them to the length of the front and the sides.  Even though the trim only needed to cover about 1.5 inches of the frame, I made it four inches wide so that I could have a 1 inch lip above the frame pieces to hold the upholstered seat securely in place without needing to attach it to with screws. By leaving a few inches of trim to hang below, I hid the fact that the underside of the bench overhang is open, allowing me to push the bench up from underneath and store things inside the sections without the drawer.  In fact, that’s where we keep the camping gear that we rarely use. 

Next, I trimmed the sides with more 1/2-inch plywood, using a jigsaw for any angled cuts and a circular saw for the straight pieces.  I had a lot of seams and holes after this step, but everything was eventually covered up with wood filler. This part takes patience and good measurements, but mistakes can be corrected. I definitely had to recut a few pieces.

I covered any exposed plywood edges with edge banding for a finished look.  Edge banding is an easy install with an iron and this tool.  Check out the video of this project and see how nicely the edge banding finishes off the plywood with very little effort.

After everything was trimmed, banded and even, I filled seams and screw holes with wood filler.  Then I gave everything a good sanding and applied white primer and a few coats of paint.

Step 5:

For the seat, I cut plywood to fit inside the frame, leaving 1/4 of an inch on each side to account for the upholstery fabric and batting.

I bought a long piece of 3-inch thick foam and a roll of batting from a fabric store.  I found water resistant (or ketchup resistant in our case) fabric to cover the bench.  Using a serrated hacksaw (I hear a bread knife or turkey carver work well too), I cut the foam to the size of the plywood and secured it with Elmer’s spray glue.  Then I attached the batting the way I would wrap a gift, but without covering the underside and using staples instead of tape.  This took a bit of cutting and didn’t look perfect, but once the fabric was on, I couldn’t even tell.

After I finished the seat, I dropped it into the bench frame for a snug fit, added quarter round to the bottom and a handle to the drawer.

And there you have it! What was once a useless transition space is now a functional dining/breakfast nook with the addition of a DIY banquette bench.