Augustine Bench

The Augustine Bench from Four Hands is a long, armless accent bench with vertical channeling running across the whole seat. Underneath the upholstery is a poplar plywood frame with a wooden platform seat, joined with corner blocks and cleats. The padding is polyurethane foam wrapped in polyester fiber batting, which keeps the top firm enough to sit on and flat enough to hold a tray or a stack of books. The leather versions are top-grain and settle into a softer, deeper look with years of use, and the auburn version is a cotton-polyester blend with a velvety hand.

The shape is a rounded rectangle that sits on a recessed base, so it reads as one low, solid mass with open space beneath. Channeling gives the surface a rhythm of ribs that catches light differently from one end to the other, a detail with roots in 1970s lounge furniture. The brown leathers pair well with brass lamps, wool rugs and wood tables, and the auburn leans warmer against plaster, green walls or a patterned runner.

Place it at the foot of a bed, in an entry, along a hallway or under a window. In a living room it works as extra seating for a crowd or as a long surface in front of a sofa. It is a bench to sit on, set shoes beside, or lay a folded throw across.