Indoor benches are some of the most functional pieces of furniture in a home, they can be used behind couches that “float” in rooms, to add a bit of pizzazz to what is usually a not meant to be seen portion of the sofa. A bench is great in an entryway to sit on or place bags on. They’re gorgeous in front of a fireplace or at the foot of a bed and they are a fun alternative to chairs at a dining table. Indoor benches come in all shapes and sizes but the most unique designs are usually wooden, plus the wooden benches have the added benefit of working with almost every style of decor. Read on for 25 unusual designs.
The DNA bench by True Design is a combination of fine craftsmanship and abstract science. Why science you ask? The bench represents a molecular bio-genetic formation which just happens to be the base of DNA hence the name.
Made from a single sheet of plywood that has been steam bent into a continuous helix formation of variable lengths. Source
Canadian Master Craftsman and designer Kino Guerin loves a good twist when it comes to unique wooden designs and his Knot Bench is twisted, curled and otherwise doing the impossible out of a piece of furniture that has no legs or cross bracing. Source
Designed by Matthias Pliesnig, this unusual bench is a whopping 23ft in length. A one of a kind curvacious design called “Amanda”.
Another totally unusual bench design, this one created by dEEP Architects for a commercial building, with layers of slats cut into ever larger or smaller units that are so natural the piece appears to be moving – like a snake.
The Ripples bench by HORM.IT is a three-piece plywood design of seat and sides with CNC detailing that form the concave portions that take on the look of ripples as each layer of plywood is exposed.
The Razorfish Bench seat is made from a single slab of elm wood that has been carved into a series of interlocking hollows inspired by the hidden life on a sandy ocean beach. Chaircreative then attached the visceral seat to bleached ash legs that are reminiscent of bleached bones, something that can also be found on wild beaches.
A CNC machine was used to create the tufting on the walnut Tufted Bench. Designed by Joy Charbonneau and Derek McLeod, the seat is a combination of technology and hand finishing, its also cute. Source
Completely contemporary but sporting vintage spindle chair backs, the unique Stuhlhockerbank Bench is a huge length of seating with a couple of offshoots, as though it is in the process of cell splitting. Source
Chapter House Bench is an unusual design by Fehing & Peiz that was created specifically to be a modern reinterpretation of Stuhlhockerbank. Aside from the now mid-century aesthetic of the chair backs, the single seat cells are now a crisp geometric in design.
This version of the Chapter House Bench appears to be a cluster of chairs rather than a singular bench. Source
The Double View Bench also sports chair backs, only this time the two backs are deliberately placed for ease of conversation between two people. Designed by Chloe de la Chaise, the chair backs can be rearranged for a side-by-side seating arrangement if you so choose.
No, this is not an accidental addition of a clothes peg but rather a solid cedar bench created to the exact specs of a wooden clothes peg called Molletta. Architects Paola and Michela Baldessari are the masterminds behind this fun cedar design – all it needs is a laundry basket perched on it and the story would be complete.
Bench Clip by Mariana Quinelato uses no screws in its final design. Instead the recycled rafter wood is clipped together with upcycled copper water pipes.
The Grow Up bench by Kwon Jae Min is growing a lamp sampling with an itty bitty branch for hanging a hat, dog leash or any number of items on it making this design perfect for a foyer. Source
This pixelated bench is from the Waste Waste 40×40 series by Piet Hein Eek. The name comes from the fact that it’s made from waste wood cut into 40mm cubed units that are then used as the outer skin of his furniture designs which in this case is the Waste no.3 bench. Source
The Belt Bench by T. Colzani has the appearance of wood that has been woven together, but since it is made from solid canaletta walnut, that just doesn’t seem possible, unless you consider the wood was steamed first. Source
Speaking of impossible design, how about this Spaghetti Bench? Designed by Pablo Reinoso, his muse for this unusual creation was wooden furniture that is reverting back to a tree.
The idea of a bench reverting to the tree it came from is really clever. Source
Fallen Tree Bench by Benjamin Graindorge tells the opposite story, one of a fallen tree whose trunk has morphed into a seat but whose branches remain free to express themselves naturally. This is one of my favorite tree inspired furniture designs.
Alder Bench is like a stack of kindling turned on its side which is probably a good visual as Brent Comber designed the Alder stick and twigs seat as a way of bringing a bit of the outdoors inside.
The Infinity Bench by Carl Fredrik Svenstedt is made with a series of concentric hoops in a variety of diameters but a consistently flat seat. Source
Shaped out of a single cedar log this back to back bench seat by Jake Phipps is a great design for floating within a room making it a perfect division piece for an open floor plan, from Riva1920.
Sometimes a unique design comes about just for the fun of it and this pooch perfect Dog Bench by Poalo Salvade is one of those times. Inspired by a Basset Hound, the addition of the wooden water bowl is paw-fect. See more furniture inspired by animals.
Karim Rashid designed the Forkola Bench after studying the shapes and language of gondolas and eventually on shape morphed into a backrest while another was stretched into a tabletop. This piece is so abstractly out of the box that it truly is a unique design. Riva1920
Using Kinetic design to create an ergonomic bench, Sitskie Furniture created Block from FSC certified solid domestic hardwood.
Body weight compresses each wooden unit to conform to the shape of the person sitting or lying on it, check out this video to see how it works.
Orbit is a multi-functional bench that can be used as a seat, a tabletop or as a modular storage cabinet, but best of all Nersi Nasseri of Sentient Furniture designed it’s void in a contrasting colorful banding of laminate.
Made from ambrosia maple for its distinct grain, Orbit is super fun and super modern. Source
No collection of indoor benches would be complete without featuring one that hangs from the ceiling because who doesn’t love indoor hanging seats and not only does this Wood Pallet Swing hangs from the ceiling, it’s also a DIY design that you can make yourself – time to get out the ole hammer and nails! Source
If you love and appreciate the unique nuances within wooden furniture you will really like the Wooden Sphere series by Lee Jae-Hyo.
