BH | Studio Hambledon 46-Inch Panel-Leg Bench

Before chairs were common, most of a household sat on forms, long backless benches made of boards, pulled up to the table in Tudor halls and farm kitchens alike. Their ends were often cut from a single broad plank, and the idea has never gone away: a bench seats whoever turns up, then slides out of the way when the meal is over.

The shortest of the three, it is a compact board top on two broad panel legs, each with a slim vertical gap down its centre. It takes two adults comfortably, or three children at a squeeze. In Chestnut or Almond, the wood gives a small piece a bit of warmth in the room. Beneath each leg, adjustable feet with soft pads protect the floor and can be turned to steady it where the boards are uneven. It is assembled at home.

Its shorter length suits a small dining table or the end of a kitchen island, and it fits neatly in a narrow front hall where someone needs to sit and tie a shoe. It also works at the end of a bed in a guest room. Style it with a folded wool blanket and a basket for scarves, a brass hook above for the dog's leash, and the warm wood will tie it to old floors and painted doors. This listing is for one bench.