Sled Bench

A long, low upholstered bench from Four Hands, set on a polished brass-finished stainless steel sled base. The cream seat is cut with bullnose edges, softly rounded where a squared cushion would look severe. The cover is a performance blend of polyester, acrylic and linen with a flax-linen texture, over foam and fiber batting on a webbed seat. It is armless and seats up to three.

The sled base comes from the tubular-steel furniture of the mid-century, and here it is reworked in warm brass against a nubby, light-toned cover. The metal gives the bench some sparkle without shouting, and the cream fabric lets it sit comfortably beside darker woods, saturated walls or patterned rugs. It reads as a little glam and a little modern, and it keeps company well with lacquer, velvet and glass.

Use it at the foot of a bed, along a window in the living room, or in an entry where people sit to pull on boots. Because it has no arms or back, it slides under a console or lines up along a wall. The performance fabric is made to handle everyday wear, so it can serve as extra seating at a party as readily as a place to drop a bag.