Hallway Benches

Discover hallway benches at Heal's, ideal for both contemporary and traditional homes. The collection features modern designs from ercol, Heal's and Porada, crafted in solid oak, walnut and ash. Shop hallway benches to add practical seating and style to your entryway.
  • Molletta Bench Cedarwood Molletta Bench Cedarwood
  • Natura Bench Oak

    Measure your hallway width and choose a bench around two-thirds of the wall length for visual balance. Slim profile benches (30cm deep) suit narrow hallways, while deeper storage benches (40–50cm deep) work in wider entryways. Leave 60cm of clear walking space alongside the bench.

    Many hallway benches include under-seat shoe storage, either as open shelving, baskets or lift-up compartments. Open shelving is easiest for daily use, while lift-up storage hides shoes for a cleaner look. Baskets add texture and are simple to remove for cleaning.

    A standard hallway bench sits around 45–48cm from the floor, the same height as a dining chair, which suits putting shoes on and off. Taller benches (50–55cm) suit kitchen pass-through seating. Check the seat height on the product page and compare with your existing seating.

    Solid oak, walnut and ash are the most common timbers for hallway benches, all chosen for their durability under daily knocks and wear. Upholstered benches add softness but require more care in a hallway environment. Metal-framed benches suit modern or industrial interiors particularly well.

    • Top 11 Modern Hallway Ideas
      In People’s Homes
      Top 11 Modern Hallway Ideas
      As the entrance to your home, having the right modern hallway ideas to hand when redesigning your home is essential. We have compiled some of our favourite inspiration to help you design the right hallway for you. Think space-enhancing mirrors, statement coat racks and storage that thinks outside of the box. The ultimate modern hallway Truly cutting-edge hallways need a centrepiece and a mirror could be just the ticket. We’re so inspired by this modern hallway idea. The clever positioning of the mirror means the concrete steps are showcased from multiple angles. The Hook Hanging Mirror from Porada is a great choice because its clean aesthetic fits seamlessly with the contemporary interior. If you’d like to make a similar statement, look for mirrors with clean lines, architectural detailing and size. Contemporary coat stands A coat stand may not be the first thing on your mind when looking for modern hallway ideas. But, in recent years coat stands have stepped away from traditional design and now have a place in contemporary hallways. We love this Passe-Passe Coat Stand from Ligne Roset. Made up of two wooden laddered racks attached together, the stand has a natural, relaxed aesthetic. The horizontal rungs also provide space to display scarves and bags. You could also recreate this designer look in your own home by leaning a modern ladder against the wall. Colourful coat hooks One way to bring personality to your modern hallway is to bring in playful elements. Charles and Ray Eames’ Hang-It-All Coat Rack for Vitra is our go to for this. It’s available in various colourful finishes as well as in black and walnut. Aside from being a design classic that will never go out of style, it’s also incredibly functional with lots of hooks. If you aren’t won over by the Hang-It-All, there are plenty of other coat racks or hooks you can use to personalise your hallway. Statement hallway runners Upon removing your shoes at the door, stepping directly onto a cold floor isn’t pleasant – especially during winter. To solve this, we recommend adding a hallway runner. Not only does a runner pull together all aspects of a hallway, it also provides welcoming comfort underfoot. Don’t forget to use it alongside an anti-slip mat so it doesn’t slide all over the place. If you have statement tiles that you’d like to take centre stage, then consider a more muted rug. Natural materials like jute could be a good choice in this case. Statement mirror Whether you’re rushing out the house or taking a final glance at your evening outfit, a hallway mirror never goes amiss. If you have the space, we suggest going bold. We love this walnut Giolo Mirror from Porada. With its oversized design and organic shape, it lends something extra to traditional mirror designs. Even in smaller spaces, a large mirror will make the room feel bigger. Plus, when it comes to modern hallway ideas, adding a statement mirror is an easily achievable change. Get organised Storage affixed to the wall is great for saving space without sacrificing the perfect place to leave your keys. This Uten.Silo from Vitra has space for all your odds and ends, loose change and spare keys. Requiring just four screws to affix it to the wall, this slimline wall storage is one of our favourite modern hallway ideas. The beauty of this hallway wall storage is that it can be easily moved to different rooms if you fancy a change. It works equally well in bathrooms, kitchens and office spaces. Modern hallway mirrors A trick that works especially well in small spaces is adding a mirror or two. This is because they reflect light to make the space seem even wider and brighter. Our clean-lined Fine Edge Mirrors are perfect for thin corridors. Their slim frames don’t extrude too far out of the wall, so your modern hallway design flows uninterrupted. Mirrors also have a place in larger hallways where you may have space to go a little bigger and bolder. Modern hallway lighting When it comes to creating the perfect space, modern hallway lighting is essential. Luckily, you have lots of options. You could suspend pendant lights along the length of a corridor or opt for one large chandelier in the centre of the hallway. Whilst ceiling lights might be the popular choice, wall lights create an atmospheric and warm entrance. Greta M. Grossman’s Cobra Wall Light for Gubi will bring refined design to any hallway without overwhelming its aesthetic. We love how they’ve been positioned over a hallway table here. Traditional with a twist Modern hallway furniture takes all shapes and sizes, but we particularly love it when it’s functional. This blanket box offers the perfect place to put your shoes on as well as extra storage. Plus, it’s ideal in a medium-sized hallway as it doesn’t take up too much space. A blanket box is sometimes seen as a traditional design. But, with the addition of tapered legs and modern upholstery, it is perfectly at home in contemporary spaces. Space for seating If you’re lucky enough to have a large hallway, one problem that may arise is filling under-stair space. Many people choose to add additional storage or bookshelves, but we love the idea of creating a small seating area. Depending on your home, it could be the perfect spot to escape with a cup of tea and a book. Similarly, hallway seating is the perfect spot to wait for loved ones who are still putting their shoes on. Or, position the landline next to it and use it as a phone call spot. Modern hallway benches If you haven’t got space for an accent chair or armchair in your hallway, a bench is a great alternative. It creates the perfect space to put your shoes on or to organise school bags and coats. For extra storage, opt for a modern hallway bench with seating underneath. You can keep your shoes, winter knits or slippers there without the space feeling cluttered.
    • How To Choose Investment Furniture Pieces
      Buying Guides
      How To Choose Investment Furniture Pieces
      Furnishing your first apartment, new home or redesigned space is an exciting time. With so much choice, it’s tempting to go out and splurge on an array of furniture and home accessories at your nearest chain store. But before you exhaust your budget, consider the following key factors for every piece you want to buy: Is it necessary? Is it adaptable? Is it high quality? Is it well-designed? Is it a fake? Is it a trend item? Will it still have the same appeal in five years’ time? Answering these questions helps to decide when to invest in a piece of furniture and when you can get away with something inexpensive. Lot of elements can make a piece of furniture a good investment. It could be a classic that will never go out of style and can be passed down to future generations. It could be a great quality item that you rely on every day. It could be a piece that serves multiple functions in your home. Ultimately, investment furniture pieces are the ones that will give you top value for your money. Let’s look at investment pieces that are worth spending a bit more on. Invest in classics – both past and future What makes a piece of furniture classic? It’s a design that’s stood the test of time and looks just as good now as it did decades ago. Interior design trends are great, but they come and go. You don’t want to be stuck with a whole flat full of dated furniture in a decade’s time. Save your biggest splurges for pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond. The Mistral Sofa & The Wallis Sofa These days, people are spending more time than ever on their sofas. More people work from home, eat meals on their sofa rather than at the dining table, or binge-watch box sets in their free time. With all the hours spent on it, it’s important to select a quality sofa that’s well-designed and constructed to last. The Mistral Sofa in Midnight Blue velvet Our sophisticated Mistral Sofa brings 1950s style with a contemporary approach, offering timeless interior design for your space. Inspired by a mid-century modern aesthetic, this sofa adds a touch of vintage glamour to the home, remaining one of our most popular pieces for over a decade. Choosing a sofa with a sturdy birch wood frame, like the Mistral, provides a lifetime guarantee – making it a great investment furniture piece. The Mistral sofa’s available in a range of sizes and fabrics to suit your home. If you’re looking for a statement furniture piece that’s also a great investment, explore our skillfully upholstered Wallis Sofa. An exclusive collaboration with acclaimed designer Russell Pinch, it brings a modern take to the classic wingback sofa. The Wallis sofa in Emerald Varese Velvet A compact yet spacious design, the Wallis sofa is available as a generous three or four-seater style. Echoing a classic shape, it will no doubt add an elegant touch to your home's interior. The Eames Lounge Chair & The Egg Chair Ensuring comfort and longevity, the Eames Lounge Chair from Vitra is crafted with soft leather and plywood, allowing it to age beautifully. Regarded as one of the most iconic designs of its time, this piece personifies mid-century cool, making it the perfect investment piece for years to come. The Eames Lounge Chair While our elegant Egg Chair ensures the same, it offers a design that’s still as futuristic as it was in 1958, when Arne Jacobsen designed it. This cutting-edge style brings modernist luxury to any room. Use these leather chairs as a corner piece or an addition to your sofa arrangement. The Egg Chair The Cross-extending Dining Table If you’re looking for the perfect dining table that your family can gather around for years to come – look no further! Our cross-extending dining table is the best furniture piece to enhance both your dining experience and dining space. It’s practical and adaptable; simple lines make this design one with a lasting impression. The Cross Extending Dining Table The extending table is adjustable, designed with a contemporary shaped base and two panelled leaves cleverly concealed within the frame. It quickly reconfigures for extra dining space, or for moving to a smaller or larger room. Our extending dining table complements any living space. Invest in quality – where it really counts All furniture is important, but some pieces can really affect your quality of life. You might not notice the lack of quality in a cheap side table, but you definitely will in a cheap mattress. Invest more money in the pieces that will impact you the most. A great mattress Investing in a quality mattress is essential. It ensures that you get a good night’s sleep, reduces the risk of back pain and allergies, and helps keep you healthy. We spend a third of our lives sleeping, so it’s important to get the most out of our slumber. When buying a mattress, be sure to select a type that best suits your needs: A pocket-sprung mattress with hand nested springs perfectly supports your movements while you sleep. Latex foam mattresses also offer hypoallergenic temperature regulation. To combine the best of both, choose a hybrid mattress. Luxury Mattresses It’s also important to choose the right mattress feel: A soft mattress is best for those who sleep on their side, while medium mattresses are great if you tend to change positions during sleep. Firm mattresses suit those who tend to sleep on their backs and need extra back and neck support. Generally, it’s safe to say that the more you pay for a mattress, the better quality you’ll get. Investing in a quality mattress means investing in quality sleep. All our mattresses come with a 10-year guarantee or lifetime guarantee. Sturdy outdoor furniture When considering outdoor furniture, it’s important to go for pieces that are highly adaptable, durable and built to withstand extreme weather conditions. Be prepared to pay more for garden furniture made from high-quality materials and built to last. The Tanso Range Our robust Tanso garden furniture collection is made from weather resistant Grade A Teak. The range is perfectly suitable for outdoor use, yet its well-designed and detailed aesthetic means it looks just as good indoors as well. Invest in adaptability – to get more from each piece What’s better than one great piece of furniture? A great piece of furniture that can double as different pieces. It’s worth spending more on an item if you’ll get multiple uses out of it – think of it as saving the money you’d spend on buying two pieces. A versatile sofa bed A sofa bed is a great option when space is at a premium. Our adaptable sofa beds effortlessly turn any space into a bedroom or spare room. It’s one of the most versatile and hard-working pieces of furniture you could own. Providing the perfect sit or sleep day and night, a great sofa bed is as comfortable as a regular bed. Perfect for overnight guests, a sleeper sofa provides great style and a contemporary touch to your home. The Snooze sofa bed A reversible rug Not all investment pieces have to be expensive. Decorate your space with rugs to transform your room without having to pay a fortune. When picking a rug to splurge on, go for neutral tones to not risk growing tired of brighter colours. Our reversible rugs give two equally stunning patterns in subtle light tones, allowing you to refresh your seasonal décor. Making a great investment item, rugs tend to get better with time and are easy to take with you when you move as well. The Menda Reversible Rug When selecting investment furniture pieces for your home, keep in mind that there’s more to consider than the piece’s initial appeal. Ensure that each piece is highly functional, well-designed and well-constructed, so that your furniture will last a lifetime, be integral to your home and can be handed down to the next generation.
    • How To Stop Cats Scratching Furniture
      Care Guides
      How To Stop Cats Scratching Furniture
      So, you’ve invested in a new piece of furniture that you absolutely love, but unfortunately your cat does too. From sofas and armchairs to the dining table, scratching furniture is perfectly natural behaviour in cats. Typically, cats with access to a garden will scratch on outdoor objects like fences or trees. However, plenty of indoor cats and even some outdoor cats will still scratch the sofa or your carpet. Luckily, it can be stopped. We have a bunch of tips and tricks to help stop your cat scratching the furniture. Interested? Then read on… Why your cat is scratching furniture Before we begin trying to fix the behaviour, it’s important to understand why cats scratch furniture. There are four popular reasons: Claw maintenance: A cat’s claw has an outer part called the husk that can sometimes be painful. Scratching a carpet, post or table leg helps to loosen the husk and remove it. Once it’s been removed, the sharper surface of the nail underneath will be revealed, a bit like a snake shedding its skin. The pros call this process stripping. Muscle building: If your cat’s scratching a lot then it might be to build muscle in their upper body. No, that doesn’t mean they’re a gym bunny, it’s a natural instinct. Cats need strong pectoral muscles and limbs so that they can be the best hunters and stay fit. Attention seeking: If your cat suddenly starts scratching the carpet, they may be trying to get your attention. They may also be scratching to mark their territory. Believe it or not, scratching leaves a scent to warn other cats to stay off their territory. Anxiety: One often-forgotten reason for cats scratching is anxiety. This can happen for many reasons. Perhaps you’ve just moved house, had extensive building work done or live in an area with lots of cats. If you suspect your cat is anxious, get in touch with your vet for help finding a behaviour specialist. How to stop your cat scratching furniture It’s important to remember that scratching is a natural instinct and necessary for all cats. Punishing your cat for scratching furniture won’t help because it’s a very normal behaviour for them. Unfortunately, they just don’t know what surface is acceptable or unacceptable to scratch. So, it’s important to offer them a different surface to scratch that ticks all of their boxes. The perfect scratching surface will be a much better place to scratch than your sofa or chairs. Scratching posts are a great alternative, and you can find them in most pet stores and online. Cat posts have a reputation for being a bit of an eyesore, but not anymore. Have a hunt around and you’ll find plenty of cat scratching posts that look stylish. Most tend to be made using sisal, cardboard or wood but the designs vary across the board. There are also many with multiple levels for your cat to play, sleep and scratch. These are normally called cat trees. If you’re short on space, then a scratching board could be the answer to your prayers. You can attach these space-saving boards to the wall or floor for your cat to scratch. Plus, since they’re often made using sisal or seagrass, then they won’t look horrible in your home. It’s important to invest in a scratching board or post as soon as possible. Not only will it prevent further damage to your furniture, but the sooner the cat uses it, the more pheromones they’ll leave on it. Together with their scratching marks, these pheromones will encourage your cat to use it more and more. So, time really is of the essence. How to pick the right scratching board for your cat Keep these points in mind when looking for a scratching post or board: Tall or long: Cats like to stretch their bodies as tall and as long as possible when they’re scratching. This means they get the full health benefits of scratching. When choosing a scratching post or mat, make sure it’s long enough for your cat to stretch out on. Secure: If you have a scratching post that falls over or moves when your cat scratches, that’s where you’re going wrong. A scratching post needs to be rigid and resist the pull of a cat’s sharp claws. To make sure there’s enough tension on your scratching post you may need to affix it to the wall. For scratching boards or mats, try to find a way to secure it to the floor or wall. If that’s not possible, then choose a board that’s long enough for your cat to stand on whilst scratching. Their body weight should keep the mat in place. Multiple cats: If you have more than one cat then it’s highly recommended that each cat has their own scratching area. That’s partly because of the pheromones cats release when scratching to mark their territory. They should be placed in different parts of the house, so they have their own dedicated scratching space. Position: Place your scratching board or post strategically. For example, you could place it in the room the cat has been scratching in most. Or, if they like to scratch after a long sleep, position it near their favourite feline slumber spot. You could also place it somewhere they walk through lots, like a hall, doorway or by the staircase. Board or post: To decide, consider where and what your cat tends to scratch. If they love to scratch horizontally on the carpet, then opt for a scratching board on the floor. If they prefer to scratch vertically on the sofa, doorway or table leg, then invest in a scratching post. How to get your cat to use their scratching post Getting your cat to use their new scratching post isn’t always as easy as it may seem. They already have a spot to scratch and they’re perfectly happy there, so you may need to do some convincing. Here are a few ideas: Don’t force it: Leave your cat to explore their new toy in their own time and circumstances. Since cats are naturally curious, they’ll be more likely to accept it if they find it at their own pace. Play a game: If your cat isn’t taking to their new scratching post, then try incorporating it into a game. Play with it near the post to encourage their claws to touch the surface. That way they’ll realise it’s the perfect spot to scratch and return when the time is right. Catnip: Catnip is a sure-fire way to get your cat scratching their post. Simply sprinkle some onto the post or attach bags of it to the top. Deter them from their old spot: Cleaning their old scratching spots will remove the scent of any pheromones. There are plenty of sprays out there designed to remove these pheromones. However, they can smell pretty bad to humans too, so we tend to avoid them and clean as normal. As an added deterrent, you could place some double-sided tape over the spot. This should feel unpleasant when your cat tries to scratch it and deter it. Remember, it’s important to make sure it isn’t so sticky that it damages your furniture or their claws. Good luck!