Bouclé benches are big news, with searches for them up nearly 3000%. And this was the exact trend I was expecting to hit in January 2024, it just makes perfect sense to me for where we are in design right now.
You see, daybeds - and benches - have been bubbling up as interior design trend for the past six months. 'I love them because they're double sided,' says LA-based designer and author Jake Arnold, he of having-done-Chrissy-Tiegen's-house fame. 'You can sit on one and part of you can face the sofa in one direction, the other part can face the dining table - it’s so sociable. They also help to create a more intimate space as their backless nature means they doesn’t cause any sense of separation,' Jake adds. 'The back of a sofa creates too much of a zone in the middle of a space.'
Meanwhile, bouclé continues to be the most covetable material, with the big design houses in Milan still treating it as their go-to for liveable luxe. 'I think bouclé gives us a safe and inviting feeling playing with our subconscious and bringing us back to the times we were children and had our cuddly toys,' says the interior designer Olga Ashby, whose signature minimaluxe spaces often feature it. 'I’m so very happy that on the market today there are multiple different bouclé textures for every taste and budget as well as almost unlimited amount of colors - this has enormously extended the trend which was suppose to die after couple of years.'
So, bouclé benches are where the two most prominent ideas in decor meet - sociable and comforting. I've trawled the best home decor stores to find the ones that will give you this vibe, including a couple of pretty decent January furniture deals, too.
The best white bouclé benches
Price: $798
I had to start at Lulu and Georgia, my go-to for white boucle couches and contemporary shapes. This piece, designed by Sarah Sherman Samuel, manages to pair asymmetry with pared-back minimalism.
Price: $188.25
Was: $198.25
Ok, so $10 isn't the most impressive deal but this bouclé bench was inexpensive to start with. An easy and affordable addition that instantly elevates an entryway or dressing area.
Price: $119.98
The hexagonal shape of this bouclé bench brings a subtle hint of modernity in an era where we're more used to seeing softer, curved edges. This makes is a practical entryway seating option, its indents not taking up quite as much floor space.
The best white bouclé and wood benches
Price: $152.82
Was: $223
Saving: $90.18
Mid-century modern shapes lend themselves to timeless furniture - they endure trends year in, year out. The walnut here is pure 1950s but looks correct for today, ideal for a hit of warmth in a neutral color scheme.
Price: $304.99
Was: $632.10
Saving: 52%
The Wayfair sale can always be relied upon to throw up a few gems, and this is one of them - over half down but still 100% on trend. The rounded seat looks so much more designed and expensive than even the original price tag suggests.
Price: $540.99
Was: $582
Saving: $41.01
Right, so this isn't backless as in the type of bench specified by Jake Arnold for social seating, but I had to include it here because, well, because it's so cute. The designer Jonathan Adler told Livingetc that rattan is his pick for 2024, and this mix of that and bouclé proves why. It allows light to pass through it, creating a sense of airiness and space.
The best colored bouclé benches
Price: $699
Bouclé comes in so much more than just white - look this bench is in black! Olga Ashby points to a rainbow of options in her praise of bouclé at the top of this page but it's white that trends the most. Still, this darker version is compellingly dramatic - the fabric of 2025?!
Price: $479.99
Was: $1100
Saving: 56%
And here we have a dark green bouclé bench option, to show you that they do exist (and at incredible mark downs, too). If the sculptural legs are appealing but the color isn't, don't worry - it comes in white, too.
Price: $135.77
Ending on a burnt umber number, to prove the kaleidsocope of bouclé does exist. The singular bolster pillow is a clever touch, and yes, this does come in other colors: pale blue, emerald and - of course - white.
Are bouclé benches a practical choice?
Yes - bouclé benches are an extremely practical choice, even in white. Most boucle is stain resistant, meaning that if and when marks happen they can easily be smudged off with a damp cloth. But even better than that, boucle is a hardwearing fabric which even pets have a harder time destroying that most. The designer Olga Ashby has just specified a lot of bouclé for a project she is finishing in which the homeowner has three cats, knowing that even that number of claws won't pull it to pieces.
If you're worried about bouclé benches getting dirty than keep them out of entryways - a popular positioning choice - to avoid people taking off their muddy boots on them. But really, as far as fabrics go, bouclé is one of the more practical and most forgiving options you can buy, also being used on many of the best storage ottomans if you want to double up on function.
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