Ever had that “this might be too wild, but I gotta have it” feeling about something for your home? That was me with my new pink velvet banquette for our freshly renovated kitchen.
I really wanted a cozy breakfast nook for this otherwise awkward kitchen corner that wasn’t suited for cabinets or extra countertop space.
Once the idea of a banquette came to mind, I knew it had to channel the same vibe as the iconic (and super Pinterest-worthy) Sketch restaurant in London. Think pink velvet and some fancy channel tufting for that extra something special.
Luckily, I remembered Mandi’s Channel Tufted Storage Banquette from a few years back, which served as the perfect inspiration to kick off my project.
Now, an L-shaped banquette with exposed ends (unlike Mandi’s straight wall version) threw in some unique challenges. But after some trial and error, I made it work. Feel free to adjust these steps based on your own space.
Supplies
- Velvet upholstery fabric (around 6-7 yards, I used Bowie pink)
- Batting to go between velvet and foam
- 6″ pine boards for the backing of each half round bolster
- Half round bolsters (6″ wide, you can ask to have them cut in half)
- Metal strap ties (I used 8, with 4 on each section)
- Upholstery foam (I used 3” thick)
- Plywood for the seat base
- Sewing machine (optional)
- Jig saw or circular saw for cutting the plywood seat base
- Miter saw (if you have a corner banquette)
- Staple gun (electric recommended)
- Construction adhesive (optional)
- L-shaped corner braces (I used 1 1/2″ brace packs)
- 3″ or 4” trim boards for finishing (optional)
Make the Seat Base
First, I got a large plywood board and cut it to match the L-shaped seat area. With the base cabinets already installed, I built right on top of those. I wanted the seat to have a 1” overhang, so I made sure to account for that and then cut the shape with a jig saw.
Using a large cardboard piece to create a template first is super helpful—highly recommend this step to avoid mistakes before cutting the wood. Once the wood was cut, I placed two pieces of seat foam next to each other to form the L shape, marking and trimming them to fit.
Pro tip: Use an electric or standard bread knife to slice through upholstery foam.
Cover the Seat
With the base cut, it was time to cover it in velvet. If you have a straight bench, just flip the seat upside down and place it foam side down on the underside of the velvet fabric, with a layer of batting in between.
For a no-sew option, simply pull and wrap the fabric over the foam, stapling it in place on the plywood every few inches. Check out Kara’s DIY Color Blocked Velvet Bench tutorial for a visual on wrapping corners.
For my L-shaped cushion, I had to pin and sew the fabric together at a 45° seam where the sides meet before wrapping it around the seat base. It’s tricky, but manageable by either smoothing out and stapling the excess fabric or sewing a seam to remove bulk.
I finished the exposed corner with a more polished look by sewing a box corner and stapling the extra fabric underneath. Keep the grain direction of velvet in mind to make sure it flows uniformly.
Cut the Wood/Foam Sections
With the seat done, I moved on to the channel tufted back. I cut 3/4” thick boards to match the lengths of my foam bolsters, including mitered 45° edges for the corner. Then, I taped the bolsters to the boards temporarily and trimmed them to fit, using a knife to eyeball the angles.
Wrap the Sections
With the foam cut, I laid out velvet strips (long and wide enough to cover the bolsters and wrap around) on the floor. I added batting, then the foam-covered boards, foam side down. For mitered edges, fold and staple the fabric on the underside.
For visible edges, I sewed half-circle fabric pieces to make a tidy fit over the ends of bolsters, then folded and stapled the extra fabric underneath.
Attach the Back Sections Together
Once covered, I used metal strap ties to join three sections together, letting the strap hang over the bottom so it could be screwed into the wall.
Prepare the Wall
I used painter’s tape to determine the top height of the banquette, aiming to align with a marble windowsill on one side. I added L-shaped brackets to hold the top in place and provide a base for the final wood trim.
Attach Back Sections to Wall
Ideally, you’d attach the back sections first and then slide in the seat cushion. However, I had to place the seat cushion before the back right section due to the counter’s positioning.
Add Wood Trim (optional)
My back section needed trim due to gaps from curved walls. I placed a 4” board on the banquette, and using a compass fixed to the gap dimensions, I scribed a line to cut with a jig saw for a perfect fit.
A quick note: if your walls aren’t wavy like mine, you might skip this step and use construction adhesive to attach the panels directly to the wall.
After scribing, I used a miter saw to cut additional pieces, glued them with wood glue, painted them, and installed them on top of the banquette brackets.
Finishing Touches
Finally, I added those painted trim pieces to avoid any visible gaps and make everything look seamless.
This project was a marathon for sure, loaded with problem-solving due to our specific space constraints. It took almost a year to complete between other kitchen projects, but seeing my daughter coloring on the banquette this morning made it all worth it.
Hope this inspires you to create your own banquette or tackle a DIY project that adds a pop of joy to your home!