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Smart hallway and shoe storage benches to buy now
A hallway presents a unique set of decorating challenges. It is often both narrow and long, meaning larger furniture items, such as sofas or armchairs, cannot be easily used. At the same time, its life as a highway of the home means people are passing in and out, up and down, constantly, meaning you don’t want it to be left completely empty.
Yet, just because we don’t spend much leisure time in our entryway, doesn't mean you can’t add a place to sit to take off your shoes, hang up your jacket or do a final check of your appearance in that handy hallway mirror.
A hallway bench works whether you're looking to decorate an entrance hallway or simply a corridor in your house and is often a good alternative to endless chairs. The beauty of it is that a bench is so transferable. So, if you decide to move it out of your hallway, you can swap out your dining chairs for one of these benches, or use it as an ottoman at the foot of the bed.
The best hallway benches to buy, at a glance:
If you want a brief summary of our favourite hallway benches, selected for their different purposes or design features, take a look at our top few below.
- Best hallway bench with storage: Umage Audacious Oak TV Bench, £1,099 from Fenwick
- Best vintage hallway bench: 19th Century Traditional Hand Painted Bench, £2,915 from Vinterior
- Best hallway bench for traditional design: Eugenia Bench - Wild Oats Herringbone, £895 from Oka
- Best rattan hallway bench: Bistro Black & White Rattan Bench, £165 from Oliver Bonas
- Best padded seat hallway bench: Matera Bench, £2,019 from Heal's
- Best multi-use hallway bench: Lynton Storage Unit & Seat, £229 from Dunelm
We picked the Umage Audacious Oak TV Bench for best hallway bench with storage because of its slim and stylish design, while having plenty of storage to keep shoes, books or other belongings. It doesn't have obvious handles or shelves, so the storage aspect is discreetly hidden, another plus for us. It can also be used as an under-TV cable and AV storage unit in the living room.
The beautiful 19th Century Traditional Hand Painted Bench from Vinterior would be the star of any hallway in which it was placed. It is an Eastern European design from around 1890, and the seats lift up to reveal ample storage beneath the seats.
We also love the winged Eugenia Bench for a classic style of hallway bench. Its neutral colour palette makes it easy to fit into existing traditional schemes, and it could be dressed with a couple of small cushions. A very elegant piece.
Oliver Bonas' Bistro Black & White Rattan Bench is our pick for best rattan bench. It is styled after vintage French bistro furniture, but is much more affordable than many similar styles of seating, including original vintage pieces. Handmade from Indonesian rattan, the seat has a striking black and white woven chevron design.
The Matera Bench from Heal's would be a top quality pick for a hallway bench with a comfortable cushioned seat. Crafted in Italy, it has a pared back profile, with slim metal legs and memory foam-enhanced padding in the seat. It is customisable, with many different fabric options, including cotton, bouclé, velvet and leather.
For a multi-purpose hallway bench, you can't go wrong with the Lynton Storage Unit & Seat. At £229, it's great value for money, and has separate shoe rack space, a storage compartment beneath the seat, which has a padded seat for comfort, as well as surface space where a lamp or ornament could be placed. We also like how this design is a little different to most hall benches; the piece acts as a hybrid between a bench, a shoe rack and a cupboard.
Can a hallway bench double as a shoe storage cabinet?
Many hallway benches from the very best furniture stores have shoe storage racks or storage solutions that are ready to declutter your entry hall. If you’re wanting to look for a bench/organiser hybrid, we recommend looking for the following features:
- A padded seat - Cushioned seats will provide somewhere comfortable to sit when putting your shoes on or taking them off.
- A range of cubby holes - Cubby holes will provide a neat way to store multiple pairs of shoes.
- Open shelves - If you’re not excited by the prospect of cubby holes, tiers of shelves are another space saving hack.
- Cupboards or drawers - If you want storage but don't like your shoes or belongings on show, go for a hallway bench with drawers or cupboard doors built into the design.
There's no need to overcomplicate hallway decoration, a hallway mirror set above a bench can be a neat vignette. For inspiration, head to our hallway ideas guide.
Best hallway benches to buy now
More of the best hallway benches to buy now
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