As the year draws to a close, we’re reflecting on the projects we’ve worked on throughout the year. We have been fortunate to work on hundreds of custom banquette seating projects, all of which we’ve taken great pride in, although certain built-in banquette designs standout for setting noticeable trends that have contributed to great interior architecture. Here are some of the top design trends that have shaped the year:

Roll back banquette seating style

In an era of mass production, bespoke furniture provides a true sense of craftsmanship to a venue and a seating style that truly demonstrates this is the roll back. Taking the standard plain or fluted style one step further to create a striking design that is highly customisable, the roll back style can incorporate contrasting colours and textures.

A memorable example of a plain and roll back style has been the seating we created for Nipotina Restorante in London. Having opened in November, the Italian restaurant welcomes diners to relax on the contemporary banquette designs that feature contrasting upholstery cover options. The banquette seating design is complete with piping cord, solid oak bespoke legs and aged antique brass metal finishings, creating truly luxury seating.

Flute and roll is a further variation of the roll back style, and a particular project that comes to mind featuring this design is Pasture in Birmingham. Pairing a caramel leather fluted back with a woven black and white fabric head roll forms an inventive yet timeless design that contributes to the stunning interiors of the restaurant.

We worked with Interior Design practice Chrisp + Waterhouse on this project and photography is courtesy of Stevie Campbell.

Colour drenching design styles

Colour drenching is by no means a new interior design trend, however what once applied to simply the colour of the walls and ceilings of a room has extended to include the furniture. Blending the furniture into a space is a bold statement and creates a sensorial design where the textures are heightened.

A project that effortlessly achieved this is SOMA in London. The brief was to create bespoke banquette seating and upholstered wall panels for The Red Room that would drench the entire space to establish a dark and dramatic interior. The darker tone of the fabric certainly makes a memorable impact to the private room.

We worked with Lean Contractors for this project and photography is courtesy of Felix Speller.

Mixing it up

A typical request for us is to create one style of banquette seating for a venue, however this year has seen projects that call for a mix of styles, shapes and colours, requiring a diverse mix of modern banquette seating styles add vibrance to the space.

Popular restaurant chain Wahaca is a perfect example of this. We have had the pleasure of manufacturing a variety of seating for their London restaurants. We love how Wahaca don’t shy away from choosing different colours, textures and even styles to ensure that every visit to one of their restaurants feels unique.

BAM Karaoke Box was another project in collaboration with Lean Contractors and a venue that doesn’t shy away from mixing it up, opting for different colours to help make each room feel individual and exclusive. The design takes it even further by mixing up the banquette seating styles, calling for both plain and fluted back styles, float button style banquette and a rise and fall back in an eye-catching shiny emerald.

Overall, it’s been a pleasure working on these projects and all the others, and we’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone we have collaborated with this year for your continued support. We look forward to collaborating again in the new year and can’t wait to see the trends that take hold of 2025. Get a head start on your next projects by getting in touch with us today.