Benches are often overlooked as a seating option. They are really
quite versatile and can add a lot to any space. Plans for benches can be found in a variety of places, including
books and online. Plans for outdoor benches are often designed only to
provide seating.
Benches are often overlooked as a seating option. They are really
quite versatile and can add a lot to any space. They can be used in a
mud room, in a foyer, or in an outdoor space to create seating and
storage. Although they have a reputation for being uncomfortable, this
can be curtailed with cushions. Cushions also allow for a little more
creativity and decoration. If you have an area that is ideal for a
bench, consider finding plans for benches and building your own.
Plans for benches can be found in a variety of places, including
books and online. Plans for outdoor benches are often designed only to
provide seating. They may be simple or include intricate detail work.
The choice is really personal as to which to use, but the more detail
work, the more skill it may require. Indoor benches may be for seating
only, or they may pull double duty and provide storage. If looking for
plans for a bench that will be used in a foyer or mud room, consider a
design that includes a shelf underneath, or a seat that opens to reveal
storage. This can be used to store anything from muddy boots to dishes
that are only used occasionally.
If the bench is meant to provide seating at a table or piano, ensure
that the plans are for a bench that will be the right size. It is much
easier to start out with plans that provide the correct sizing
requirements and follow them exactly than to try to make the size you
need fit to the plans. To do this, measure the table or piano from the
part that will be above the knees to the floor, and determine from there
what size bench is need. Then restrict your search to only those plans
resulting in that size bench. This can help detour any disappointment
that may be experienced when you find plans for benches that are
perfect, only to discover the plans will not work for a particular
space.
Custom building your own bench can be very rewarding, emotionally as
well as financially. If you already have the tools, or can borrow them,
the only cost is time and materials. Once you find the perfect plans
for benches and have the first one built, it may be that you find you
enjoy the process and want to build more. If this is the case, you can
build for friends, family, and neighbors, or build additional benches
and sell them.
