Banquette Seating Is On Trend For 2026 - Except In This One Room (It Just Looks Dated)

Unlike the loud decor trends that cycle in and out every season, seating styles have a more subtle way of rising into popularity. They're an element we often approach with longevity in mind, influenced by how we actually live in a space rather than just how we want it to look. While cozy sofas and maximalist accent chairs are always a crowdpleaser, many of these reliable seating trends are often associated with specific rooms. On the other hand, banquette seating is making a big comeback in a variety of spaces throughout home design, from chic kitchens to cozy bedroom nooks. While there are plenty of versatile ways to embrace the banquette seating trend, there is one room where the look can fall flat — the dining room.

Interior designer Ellie Christopher told Homes & Gardens that in formal dining rooms, banquette-style seats are "losing steam," noting that the visual appeal doesn't erase the impracticality they pose "when guests are climbing in and out during a dinner party." With so much of today's decorating focused on both fashion and function, the awkwardness of navigating a banquette can feel less like a modern upgrade and more like a leftover trend that dates the space. If you want to make a statement with your dining room that feels fresh and current, it's best to leave this beloved trend out of the design and save it for a more casual space where it can truly shine.

In recent years, homeowners and designers have begun to embrace the shift towards more intentional interiors that accommodate both style and daily routines. In order to have a lasting appeal, your design needs to serve a practical purpose as well as a stylish one. So, what does this mean for the banquette trend? In a formal dining room, the goal is typically to host guests for special occasions or gatherings, offering a space that feels comfortable and encourages socializing. In this setting, a banquette will limit flexibility for guests while also throwing off the symmetry of the dining table, which is an essential design factor of these spaces. This often fixed-in style makes the overall setup look imbalanced in comparison to adjustable, personal seats on the other side of the table. It doesn't look purposeful but rather outdated, like you're clinging to a trend that just doesn't suit the rest of the ensemble or the room's function.

Outside of the dining room, many spaces in our home serve a more casual, personal purpose that can benefit from the banquette trend. While this style might feel too rigid for multiple guests at a dinner party, it can feel open and comfortable in rooms where you sit to enjoy your morning coffee or cozy up with a good book as part of your daily routine. If you're looking for hidden storage solutions for anywhere in your home, certain banquette designs offer this, elevating the function in rooms where you might need to store clunky kitchen appliances, blankets, or even crafts.

The banquette seating trend is starting to pop up everywhere, but what separates a stylish design from an outdated one is how it contributes to the space. As previously explained, a banquette tends to limit a dining room rather than elevate it, causing it to stick out like a stubborn relic of outdated trends. There are certain cases where it could work here, like if you're in need of some savvy ideas for maximizing your small dining room and you don't have room for a long, formal dining table. That said, in tiny dining spaces or kitchen nooks, it's important to make the design feel as balanced as possible by keeping your banquette close to standard dining chair height and letting the table overhang the bench slightly.

In other spaces, this trend could be incorporated to make a room feel more useful. Instead of constantly walking by the beautiful bay window in your hallway, add a built-in banquette for a chic seating area that lets you enjoy the view. Consider areas of blank space where your design feels underutilized, such as an empty corner in your bedroom that homes frequent piles of cluttered clothes. Adding a banquette with storage drawers can help manage your mess while creating a stylish statement in its place. This approach also works in casual areas like living rooms to create space for activities with a crafting corner or game-night nook. Pair a small table with a storage banquette to tuck away board games or knitting supplies, and you'll have a stylish spot that is always ready for your favorite hobbies.