Avani Bench
bench (noun)
- a long seat for two or more people, usually made of wood
Reminiscent of this are the tales my grandmother would tell me. Times where a bench was a staple on the veranda of houses in East Africa. The culture that was inviting of neighbourly discussions, whether whispering local gossip or deep longings of travelling spouses. Which leads me to discuss the place of the humble bench in the modern home.
As a piece of furniture, its easy to overlook how practical and hardworking a bench really is. Used in the entrance of your home it presents itself as a solace for visitors to take a moment, sit and remove shoes before they indulge in your company. For you however, it’s a space to ground your heavy shopping bags and to hide away your homeless umbrella or pet accessory underneath in a basket or two. Paired with the Avani Coat Hanger, the chicest welcome is created in your home.
While with the winter months arriving sooner than expected, I find myself lingering by the fire place more often than usual. Perching on the bench with a chunky blanket and warm drink provides the perfect landscape to read, journal, ponder. The simplest set up brings a space free from pretence, a focus on being at one with myself, to take a moment to breath and reflect. Adding the Native Decor Mirror Side Table brings a fitting addition, structure and completeness.
We have all found that as the functions of the rooms in our homes have evolved with the ever changing circumstances in our lives, a bench can be a way of generating more space at the table for connection that can easily be tucked away when the dining room becomes a play room. A bench in place of bulky dinning room chairs creates a relaxed communal dining atmosphere, an experience that post pandemic we are all craving, togetherness and community.
The addition of a bench can bring function to any space. Whether used at the foot of a bed or if it finds a home inside a walk in wardrobe, the versatility of a contemporary bench is endless.
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by: Avani Popat
