Finalizing the Banquette Design (and Hoping You’ll Give Me Your Input!)
Well, my day is off to a rocky start. After staying up until 1:00am trying to work out the details of my banquette design, and tracking my FedEx package from Lamps Plus (my new kitchen light…yay!), I then woke up at 4:00am with a stuffy nose, and a very dry and scratchy sore throat.
Yuck.
After staring at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity (and hearing Matt sleeping so peacefully…grrrrr!), I finally got up, used my netti pot, gargled with salt water, took some colloidal silver (are you proud of me, Mom?!), and poked around on the internet a bit. At 8:00am, I couldn’t hold my eyes open anymore, so I went back to bed.
Now it’s almost 10:30am, and I’m just now getting my day started. Definitely NOT a good start…especially when I need to finish up work so I can get to the fun stuff–finishing my banquette this weekend!!
So what I showed y’all yesterday was just the very initial idea. I literally grabbed the first white upholstered headboard that I could find on the internet, and stuck it on my photo. After some thinking, some tweaking, some modifying, some sending photos back and forth to my mom, I’ve realized that my initial idea (diamond tufting and an arched back) simply won’t work in that space.
The final design will look more like this:
[photo courtesy of my uber talented mom]
Ahhh…much better, don’t you think? As much as I wanted an arched back and deep diamond tufting, it just would have looked forced in this space.
I’m still going to do button tufting, but it’ll be simpler, with more of a contemporary look…
And that’s where I need your opinion!
I’ve found two that I really like. The first one is a square tufting:
And the second one is a diamond tufting:
So please, give me your input!!
I’ll be starting on this first thing tomorrow morning, so vote fast!! 🙂
Edit:
The diamond tufting is certainly winning out, and I’ve had several people say that I should stick with the blue buttons. I did two quick photo edits to show how each would look.
Diamond tufting with white buttons:
Diamond tufting with turquoise buttons:
If you have an opinion, please feel free to share!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
OK. You don't know me…. BUT, we have mutual friends and I so love this blog. I saw your girls room in the s. house and loved it. I share your decor addiction and I too have taken on many of the major changes we have made in our house on a small budget. Just add 3 kids, a puppy and a very overworked husband to the mix and we are a lot alike. 🙂 We also both love Candice Olsen and banquettes! Been trying to put one in my house and can't find the right place. So…. I was looking at this and in my mind I thought you were using yellow or a paisley print on this banquette? Was I imagining that or did you recently change to the white? I feel so weird even asking this since you do not know me! 🙂
I chose the diamond tufting. I think the square tufting is a little more modern and simple, but I like the contrast of the rectangle tiles and the diamond tufting.
Hi SG, I'm so glad you found my blog! No need to feel weird! I wouldn't post this stuff online if I didn't want people looking and interacting. 😀
I had initially wanted a very light yellow on the banquette, but then my mom pointed out that with it being that close to the stove, it would be better to use a vinyl rather than fabric. Finding a light yellow vinyl was more difficult that I had imagined, so I settled for white.
And the paisley pattern you saw is going to be a valance for the window just to the right of the banquette, and it will also be a valance and drapery panels for my living room. Those things are still on the "to do" list. 🙂 Who knows when I'll get to them!
Kristi,
My vote is for the diamond tufting. It creates a bit of movement in the piece. When you’re done why don't you drop by my home and help me layout a harlequin ceiling I'm working on for my butler’s pantry. I also agree your mom is uber!
Cathy
I like the blue buttons for the contract w/diamond tufting. Looks great.
My vote is for diamond tufting with blue buttons! Love it!
I love the diamond tufting, but I like white buttons. Either would be pretty though. This is going to turn out so pretty. Can't wait to see what kind of table you decide on.
I agree with Adrian, either would be pretty but you might get tired of blue after awhile..so I would use the white on white on the dimond turfing.. so cute
Love your project and it's been fun to follow along via your blog. Just a thought, wouldn't it be easy to hit your head on the wall lights? A person can't lean back with those in the way except if sitting in the middle. Just a thought. I'm tall though so I think of those things. I voted for square tufting only because of all the square theme already going on, with the tile, the cubbies, etc.
I think the diamond tufting will look very good. As for the buttons, my vote is for the white.
I really like the diamond tufting with the turquoise buttons – it keeps it from looking like you snagged a booth from an old diner. And it breaks up the squares in the tiles.
You're doing such a GREAT job with this space – I know that whatever you decide, it's gonna look great!
Oh, definitely the blue buttons and the diamond tufting. I think they break up the rectangle geometry of the tile, cabinetry and baskets that surround it. It's all about layering the design flavors. ooooOOO, it's lookin' go good!
I voted for the diamond pattern because you already have a lot of horizontal and vertical lines. It needed to be broken up a bit with such a large piece.
Oh and as for the blue buttons. Again, you've got a large piece there and it is my humble opinion that it might be too visually demanding, especially for your smaller kitchen.
Anyhow, thanks for letting us have some input. I enjoy reading your blog (one of many I read every day) and am having fun watching the transformation.
love the diamond tufting and I prefer the white buttons a lot more than the blue. Looks great!!
I too think the white on white with the buttons looks the best with the diamond tufting. And, not that you'd want to after working so hard on your kitchen, but if you ever re-decorated, you wouldn't have to change the color of the buttons.
I would use white buttons and add the color with decorative pillows. I agree (with orhter comments) that you may one day get tired of the color and white is more neutral.
Kathie
Like the green cabinets a lot. Very cool! When you get a chance check out some of the cabinet refinishing video training at http://www.fauxagoodtime.com.
Like the green cabinets a lot. Very cool! When you get a chance check out some of the cabinet refinishing video training at http://www.fauxagoodtime.com.
I think the diamond tufting will look very good. As for the buttons, my vote is for the white.
OK. You don't know me…. BUT, we have mutual friends and I so love this blog. I saw your girls room in the s. house and loved it. I share your decor addiction and I too have taken on many of the major changes we have made in our house on a small budget. Just add 3 kids, a puppy and a very overworked husband to the mix and we are a lot alike. 🙂 We also both love Candice Olsen and banquettes! Been trying to put one in my house and can't find the right place. So…. I was looking at this and in my mind I thought you were using yellow or a paisley print on this banquette? Was I imagining that or did you recently change to the white? I feel so weird even asking this since you do not know me! 🙂