A DIY Upholstered Bench Adds Stylish Storage to a Dated Dining Room

Sarah Everett
·1 min read
Dining room before renovation.
Dining room before renovation.
A breakfast nook surrounds a dining table with three chairs in a white kitchen with decorative wall dressings.
A breakfast nook surrounds a dining table with three chairs in a white kitchen with decorative wall dressings.
A breakfast nook surrounds a dining table with three chairs in a white kitchen with decorative wall dressings.
Framed art above a breakfast nook with a wooden table.

In fall and winter, it seems like dining tables are more crowded than ever — with delicious food and with great company. There are lots of great ways to maximize dining space with style, including with a built-in bench, à la Heath and Samantha Mitchell (@rainbowhomereno).

As part of their whole-home renovation, the couple created a gorgeous dining room from what was once an orange-walled, dark timber-paneled space with a cream ceiling, rainbow-painted flower decals, and “the most hideous, cheap and nasty chandelier that I couldn’t wait to get rid of,” Samantha says.

The Mitchells hired an electrician to take down the chandelier, but after that, they used their DIY skills to brighten up the space and add a bench with storage.