Spark

Dining Nook Pillows from Martha Stewart

For those who have small dining and kitchen areas, I often suggest built-in banquette seating to maximize the space. A banquette allows you to carve out little dining nooks in oddly shaped rooms or to double the width of free space in rectangular rooms. The long bench seat is perfect for piling up the kids or squeezing in an extra dinner guest.

There are many design options in banquettes, including whether or not to have a wood or upholstered back . . . or whether to have a back at all. For benches with either a wood seat back or just the original wall as a back, cushions come in handy. This ingenious idea (pictured above) from Martha Stewart calls for hanging pillows. They are a snap to make and the pillows stay just where you need them!

This same concept of hanging pillows could be used with a bench seat in a foyer or even in a play area for kids sitting on the floor. Find many more ideas for handmade pillows on MarthaStewart.com.

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Even though my sitting room isn’t entirely complete, I wanted to share this sweet space which has become a favorite for our family. In an effort to embrace the concept of  “a little bit is better than nada”, I’m checking my perfectionism at the door and enjoying the progress that I have made so far.   [...]