take a seat: 8 of the best hallway benches

Leaving your shoes at the door when you come home is a good habit to get into – cleaner floors and rested feet anyone? In fact in some cultures, it’s considered rude to leave them on if you’re visiting someone’s home. But we love it as it’s a habit that also cries out for some stylish furniture.

A smart hallway bench will provide the practical benefits of having somewhere to sit while you, your family or your guests, switch footwear – or rest your bags while hanging up your coat when you get in, but it can also make a chic focal point in an otherwise bare entrance hall.

Our edit of the best hallway benches spans a range of styles that would suit most modern homes whether a bijou apartment or grand family abode. Read on and you’ll find simple Scandinavian looks and pale blonde timber at both Pib and Ikea. There’s luxurious Hollywood glamour at Houseology, boho luxe at Graham and Green or a Shaker influence at Staffan Tollgård.

We’ve discovered dark and dramatic geometric shapes at Bo Concept and Nest, while the bench by David Rockwell for Stellar Works has a valet pouch for storing things you might need when you leave the next morning.

Whichever bench you decide on, the advantages are more than purely aesthetic.