The 10 Best Wooden Benches

At the ideal height for placement around a standard dining room table, the Ashley Furniture Sommerford (about $171) is a practical seating solution and a classy piece of decor all rolled into one. Matching pieces are also available from the manufacturer.

Available in three fashionable designs, the Plow & Hearth Lutyens (about $200) arrives prefinished, making it aesthetically pleasing and low maintenance at the same time. It’s lightweight for a full-sized model, which comes in handy on moving day.

Living room, entryway, bedroom or bathroom — the Alaterre Sonoma (about $198) is a handsome, functional piece of furniture that will enhance the atmosphere of any space. The boards, which are made from thick birch, don’t wear down easily.

For its quality craftsmanship, the GDF Studio Colonial (about $122) is an impressive value. It comes with a sandblasted surface to which you can easily apply your own stain or finish, and its versatile style will work well in urban homes, rural environments and everywhere in between.

A utilitarian option that’s easy on the eyes as well as your tushy, the Achla Designs Backless (around $90) is an elegant hardwood model with a flat surface that can hold several planters if you choose to use it that way. At four feet in length, it can seat two adults without an issue.

A rustic-themed screened-in porch would make a great home for the Furniture of America Maynard (about $178), but it should fit in well just about anywhere with its solid amount of natural wood. It’s smooth and sturdy, capable of supporting plenty of weight.

You can go with a handsome dark grey, a brilliant white or a standard wood shade of the Christopher Knight Laguna (appx. $131), all of which look perfectly natural out on the patio or situated near the garden. Assembly is quick and painless, too.

Whether you’re growing tired of shoes, hats and gloves cluttering up your entryway or you covet some extra space to store snacks and pet food, the Safavieh Isaac (appx. $256) will be a huge help, and it’ll provide a place to sit when you need to take a load off.

Can’t decide between an outdoor bench or a swing? Pick up the NKV Furniture Garden (appx. $209) so you have both. The seat and armrests are curved to put you at ease while you rock, but you’ll want to apply some stain or sealant to protect it from the weather.

Straightforward and stable, the Ashley Furniture Whitesburg (about $62) is a traditional dining room model available in two colors, though you can easily paint over its surface so that it matches the existing color scheme in the room. It comes with simple instructions.