Who doesn’t love a good bench??  There is so much that you can do with one good bench…

• Put a bench outside by the front (or back) door as an inviting welcome for all of your guests and also a great pit stop for your housemates to put on their shoes. 
• Put a bench in the foyer to house essentials – coats, shoes & school work.
• Use a bench behind a sofa and pull it out when you need extra seating for movie night or in the dining room for pizza night.
• I could go on and on!!

I found some magazine tear outs this week of a few great benches – these are some inspiring ideas as you try to get your home back together after all of the Holiday Hoopla… (all of these are from the June 2006 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine - subscribe here to Better Homes & Gardens).

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Love the Mexican look and the distressed paint on this blue bench… and check out the burlap curtains for the bunks – great idea!! 

Gorgeous teak bench used outdoors with Turkish pillows – what a cozy spot to sit and stay a while…

 
Perfect in front of large windows to fill a space & provide extra seating for company.

So where should you look for your own fabulous bench??  Here are a couple of places that might suit your fancy…

Colonial Bench #104

Colonial Bench #102
Both of these Reproduction Mexican Antique Benches can be ordered in any size from MexicanStyle.com (**website and store by the authors of these fabulous books…)

One more idea…  Here is a gorgeous Teak Bench from South Seas Trading Company.  In addition to benches they have a large selection of teak furniture… check it out!!

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