Benches are the underdogs of the furniture world. Often overlooked in favor of sofas, armchairs, and ottomans, benches deserve more attention than they receive. These versatile pieces of living room furniture can serve the purpose of seating as well as storage, and they can do both while matching the style and beauty you demand. Because benches are able to play so many indoor and outdoor roles in your house, they are produced in a huge amount of shapes and styles. Deciding on a bench that works for your situation can seem like a daunting task, but there's no reason to fear. At Overstock.com, we know the potential benches hold to become your favorite new pieces of dining-room, hallway, yard and patio furniture, so we'll help you figure out what to look for in a good bench. This bench buying guide will help you figure out how to buy benches that will best meet your needs.
Finding a bench that suits your purposes will require you to consider several attributes common to all benches, from statuaries to deck chairs to porch-side gliders and rockers. Whether you're a seasoned furniture shopper or don't know the first thing about how to buy benches, you will be surprised at the number of options you need to juggle in deciding on the perfect bench. If you can find a bench that pulls together all the elements you're looking for, you'll have a piece of furniture that isn't only functional, but a great compliment to your overall home decor.
The four most crucial considerations you need to make when shopping for a new bench are the purposes you would like it to serve, the type, the variety of material you would like it to be constructed from and the style that will work best for your design scheme.
Benches can provide a comfortable seat for several people. They make excellent lounge chairs, window seats, coffee tables and ottomans. They can even include drawers, cubbies, and areas to store books, DVDs, magazines, or other items you would like to keep in your living room. Many benches can take care of all these tasks. It's in your best interest to decide which uses you want to get out of your bench before making a purchase.
Seating
Sitting on a bench doesn't have to be that uncomfortable experience you might associate with marble park benches, wicker picnic tables and wooden church benches. In fact, benches can be just as comfortable and inviting as couches, settees, deck chairs or love seats. When looking for a bench to serve your seating purposes, think about how long you expect to sit on the bench on average. If you'll be using the bench to watch television and movies, you will want a banquette with adequate upholstering and cushioning to ensure your comfort for long stretches. If you're looking for a flat bench that will only see short periods of sitting, sofa-level amounts of padding aren't necessary.You might prefer the woodturning, finishing and veneering of a quality piece of wood furniture.
Storage
Benches are excellent space savers. Because they can double as large storage containers in addition to seating options, these furniture wonders can really help you effectively use floor space. The two main storage bench options available are the chest style and the exposed-face style. Chest style storage benches work as their name implies; this style opens from the top, like a treasure chest. Depending on the height of this sort of storage furniture, you will have a great amount of depth in which to tuck away whatever you choose. A related furniture category is the storage cube, a more compact version of chest style storage benches. These cubic chests are terrific for organization and resting your feet.
Storage benches in the exposed-face style have open sides. Think of these benches like big shelves you can set on the floor and use as a foot rest or seat. The open sides can easily hold books or your movie collection, and because of their exposed nature, they offer easy access to whatever you may decide to store in them.
The modern bench is far more sophisticated than a simple wooden plank with four legs. Benches are produced in a number of types. Depending on what you want for your home, you'll have to pick from accent benches, lounge benches, entryway benches, and vanity benches.
Accent benches
Have a void in your living room, kitchn or garden that could use a tasteful piece of furniture? Accent benches fill empty space wonderfully. Whether against a bare wall or just helping to balance a large couch in your living room, accent benches can make a room shine. Combined with an outdoor stool, umbrella or patio table, they can give your back deck a great bistro feel.
Lounge benches
Lounge benches are an outstanding alternative to bulky couches. This type of bench provides optimal levels of comfort without eating up floor space. Plus, because of their lack of mass, lounge benches are far easier to move than large sofas. That not only means that you will be able to effortlessly rearrange your living space, but that you won't have to worry when it's time to move to a new one!
Entryway benches
Entryway benches are a boon for prospective hosts. These entry benches will provide your guests with a place to rest while you finish preparing to go out or simply offer them a place to remove their shoes when arriving for a party. Entry benches can really give visitors a nice first impression of your home.
Vanity benches
Vanity benches are most often found in bathrooms and bedrooms. This category of benches is usually smaller in size than other benches. Because of this, they make tremendous bench seats for activities such as fixing your hair or getting ready to bathe or sleep.
As if the number of bench types didn't provide enough options already, the materials those types are made from increase your options a hundred times. The four most popular categories of materials in benches are leather, metal, fabric upholstery, and wood.
Leather
Leather benches are the epitome of luxury. Leather is both comfortable and durable, so a leather bench can handle anything, from long sitting sessions to foot resting. If you enjoy the look and feel of leather but don't want to pay its often-higher prices, take a look at faux leather benches. Artificial leather is constructed from a variety of materials to look and feel authentic without leather's very authentic costs.
Metal
Metal benches can quickly give any room a modern twist. Pick from a slew of uniquely shaped all-metal benches, or, if you want the style afforded by metal benches but want the comfort of leather or upholstered benches, look for a mixed-material bench.
Upholstered
Fabric upholstered benches are definitely one of the more popular types of furniture. These comfy pieces can look good just about anywhere, whether you place them in the living room or use them as window benches. The one downfall of fabric upholstery is its tendency to show wear. Just make sure to take care of your upholstered bench and it should provide you with years and years of great sitting.
Wood
The material that first comes to mind when many people hear "benches" is wood. The connotation can be negative with images of splintered park benches coming to mind, but it shouldn't be. A good wood bench can be a truly beautiful piece of furniture. Wooden benches can be found in a variety of wood types and stains, making finding one to match your home a breeze.
Benches can be broken down into two basic styles: classic and contemporary. Which style you select depends on your tastes and the furniture you plan to match your new bench to.
Classic
Benches with classic styling are great for a traditional look. Keep an eye out for seemingly antique benches, designed to evoke a feeling of timeless elegance. Leather benches and fabric upholstered benches are often designed with a classical appearance.
Contemporary
Contemporary benches can help complete a fully modern design, or they can add a fresh touch to a room with otherwise traditional furniture. Expect contemporary benches to be built from metal or stylishly stained woods.
How do I know I'm buying a quality bench when shopping online?
You shouldn't trust any old website for your furniture needs, as many deal in cheap furniture of poor quality. Look for benches at retailers you have been able to trust in the past, and read customer product reviews of items that catch your eye. Further, look for brands that are familiar and reliable. A cheap bench from a brand or retailer you haven't dealt with in the past could end up costing you in the end. Also consider the material a bench is constructed from, as solid wood and metal furniture is more likely to hold up to use than cheaper material such as particle board. Unlike many other online retailers, Overstock.com carries only the highest quality benches and furniture from brands you trust. Peruse our selection of benches and you will realize how serious we are about delivering the best on the market. Overstock.com sells exceptional furniture at cheap prices, not cheap furniture.
Isn't it difficult to match a bench to other furniture if it isn't all part of a set?
Not at all. On Overstock.com, you'll find a great selection of individual furniture pieces of all sorts, including benches, sofas, entertainment centers, tables, and more. Even if you can't find a bench set that works for you, you will certainly be able to find a variety of furniture options that mix and match gorgeously.
Why would I buy a bench online when I could just go to a local furniture store?
Online shopping can save you more trouble than you would expect. Unlike at brick and mortar furniture stores, you won't be hassled by salespeople while shopping online. Buying online can also save you on sales tax, and of course, you will find a far wider selection of benches to choose from. Plus, at Overstock.com, we offer $2.95 shipping on all items every day, so even if you're purchasing something heavy like a bench, shipping costs should be of no concern!
The design one-two punch
A new bench can definitely update the look of a room, but when combined with another new complementary piece of furniture, the results can be breathtaking. On Overstock.com, you'll be able to find a variety of furniture to join forces with your new bench, such as chic bookcases and classy chairs.
Give your bench something to rest its feet on
Nothing complements a bench like a new area rug. Take a look through the colorful, quality selection of rugs on Overstock.com. You're sure to find a variety of rugs on which your new bench will look stunning.
Make sure your bench isn't the only piece of art you own
Using your bench to improve the look of a bare wall? It will definitely do the job, but an eye-catching piece of art hanging above your new bench can only mean good things for your home decor. Take a look through the art section on Overstock.com, where we offer an enormous amount of beautiful, affordable art for all tastes.
