How to pick the right entryway bench for your home: 8 tips

To make it easier to shop for a new entryway bench, we've come up with eight points to consider. Once you've measured up and noted down the space you have available, sit down with a drink and go through each of them in turn.

1. Decide on the main purpose of your entryway bench

An entryway bench is one of those rare pieces of furniture that can have both a practical and an aesthetic use. If your entryway is fairly small, you might benefit from a petite, no frills bench for people to sit on as they remove their shoes and coats. This will be particularly appreciated by older or less mobile people who may feel uncomfortable struggling in the doorway.

On the other hand, if you have plentiful room, you might decide to use your entryway bench as a showpiece. With the right choice of flowers, ornaments or cushions, you can create a powerful accent piece or a subtle flavour of your overall home decor.

2. Choose a quality material

Even the most skilled craftspeople will struggle to make decent furniture with inferior materials, so we recommend checking the product descriptions carefully and researching what the benches are made from. Few materials can beat solid wood for quality, and woods such as oak are particularly renowned for their strength and character.

3. Buy for the long-term

When we buy a new item of furniture, we rarely think about what we will do when it wears out because we expect it to last for a few years if not decades. But buying a poorly made bench could have you shopping around for a replacement sooner than you thought.

Durability comes from a combination of the quality materials mentioned before and skilled joinery (or welding) and finishing. As well as saving you money and hassle, buying durable furniture helps the planet because you won't need to source a replacement in a few years time. When you no longer need your bench, you can pass it on to family and friends, donate it to charity or sell it.

4. Value craftsmanship

We recommend buying handmade furniture where possible. There is a gulf in quality between the work carried out by a passionate, skilled artisan, or a team of craftspeople, and a worker in a mass-produced furniture factory. Solid joinery takes time and care as does applying weatherproof finishes. Some factories even use toxic chemicals in their bid to find fast and convenient adhesives and finishes. These can lead to health issues, especially with children and vulnerable adults.

5. Look out customisation options

Another benefit of handmade furniture is customisation. While mass-produced furniture may come in a variety of styles and sizes there is rarely any flexibility. Would you rather 'make do' with an entryway bench that almost fits your space, or would you prefer to provide your exact dimensions and have your bench built to fit?

If you are buying a bench as a gift, or for a special occasion, you could even get it engraved with a meaningful message.

6. Prioritise value over price

The old adage, 'buy cheap, buy twice' is particularly apt for furniture where low costs often mean poor quality materials and shoddy construction. If you are on a budget, it is better to look for discounts and special offers on decent furniture rather than compromise on quality.

7. Consider practical issues

How are you going to use your entryway bench? Its design should reflect that purpose. A simple, light bench is ideal for sitting on, especially if you will need to move it occasionally. You might need something more substantial, perhaps with steel box frame legs, if you intend to put a lot of weight on it. Take care with plush upholstery, which can be damaged by pets, or in high traffic areas.

8. Find the right style

Hopefully, by this stage, you have narrowed your options down to a few retailers and pieces of interest. Now it's time for the fun part: fine-tuning your choice to fit your personal style.

Even with solid wood benches, there is a lot of variation. From the smooth lines of Scandi-style furniture to the rustic charm of farmhouse oak to the unique character of reclaimed scaffolding board, there is a style to fit most aesthetics.

Don't forget the legs. A contemporary wooden bench with tapered oak legs can become a stunning retro piece with a set of hairpin legs. Choose clear-coated trapezium steel legs and that same bench is now a fascinating contrast between modern and industrial.

Can we build your next entryway bench?

We hope we have made your short list of entryway bench retailers. Visit our dedicated Entryway Benches page and browse our range of quality, handmade, stylish pieces.