Ever Heard of a Gossip Bench? This Revived Vintage Trend Might Be What Your Entryway Is Missing

A pink floral wallpapered hallway with a vintage upholstered bench alone one wall. .

Once a home necessity, now a beacon of a bygone era, the telephone bench (also fondly known as the gossip bench) was designed for the sole act of sitting back, putting your feet up, and enjoying nothing more than a good old chit chat.

Like a sofa whose purpose is to cradle you after a long day, the telephone bench was created to fulfil one (important) need: gossip. Whether it was a sleek midcentury bench fitted with a handy shelf for a directory, or an upholstered armchair with a mahogany side table attached, past makers knew a thing or two about furniture with style and purpose.

From the now extinct IKEA SPARTA telephone table from the 1950s, 'ideal for people who liked a long chat on the phone', to Emma Chamberlain and West Elm's brand new gossip-aiding creation, here at Homes & Gardens, we're pining for a vessel for catching up with friends. While the gossip bench fell out of favor in recent decades (along with wired-in phones, which gave these benches their purpose) like all good things, this charming vintage furniture trend has officially come back around.

A 1950s home features a midcentury telephone bench with a leather seat and a shelf for phone directories. (Image credit: Getty Images)

West Elm

Emma Chamberlain Upholstered Telephone Bench (42")

1st Dibs

Mid Century Modern Telephone Bench with Danish Paper Cord Seat, Yugoslavia 1960s

Lulu and Georgia

Rowe Bench (Buff Velvet)

Wayfair

Hartnett Linen Upholstered Storage Bench (Yellow)

1st Dibs

Unique Wrought Iron and Wicker Gossip Bench in the Style of Arthur Umanoff 1950s

Wayfair

Michalak 48'' W Industrial Bench with Pillow and Solid Wood Frame

Target

Modern Natural Entryway Shoe Storage Bench

Crate & Barrel

Pali Light Brown Wood Dining Bench

Wayfair

Anisten Polyester Blend Upholstered Storage Bench

Serena & Lily

Shore Bench

Lulu & Georgia

Fae Bench

eBay

Vintage Art Deco Rustic Mahogany Wood Telephone Table Gossip Bench Chair

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While we may not have a use for a gossip bench in quite the same way they did in decades past, adding a bench to perch on, with a bit of extra storage, is always a good idea in an entryway.

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