The Story of the Alade Bench
The Story of the Alade Bench
Now that I think about it, every African home seemed to have that bench. Not the beautiful chair that nobody was allowed to sit on. Not the sofa covered with fine leather, I’m talking about “The bench”.
It usually lived somewhere near the sitting room wall, quiet and unnoticed until visitors arrived. Then suddenly it became the most important piece of furniture in the house. Someone would pull it forward and say, “Shift small, another person can still enter.” And somehow, another person always entered.
As children, we never thought much about it. We sat on it while eating groundnuts, listened to adults talk over our heads, watched cousins squeeze together during family gatherings, and learned very early that in our homes, space was rarely only for one person.
Years later, that memory returned while thinking about the Alade Bench. The goal was not to make a fancy bench. It was to keep the generosity of the old one and leave behind everything that made it feel heavy. The open slats, the clean lines, and the quiet shape were all chosen for a simple reason: to make room for people without making the room feel crowded.
The first time the Alade Bench was made for a client, it was placed in an art gallery. At first, that felt unexpected. A piece inspired by family homes sitting among paintings and sculptures? But it worked immediately. Visitors rested on it between exhibitions, sat beside strangers, started conversations, and stayed longer than they planned to. That was the moment it became clear that the bench had carried its original purpose with it. Whether in a home or a gallery, it still did the same thing: it welcomed people in.
I think that is what makes the Alade Bench special, It doesn’t demand attention or try to be dramatic. It simply waits for people. Against a white wall it feels calm. In a busy room it feels steady. Beside art, books, plants, or everyday life, it settles in easily, as though it has always belonged there.
Maybe that is because it was born from a memory so many of us share.The older I get, the more I realize that the best furniture is not always the furniture that impresses us. Sometimes it is the furniture that quietly gathers people together.The Alade Bench is our way of keeping that familiar African gesture alive,the instinct to move over, make space, and welcome one more person.
Available for Pre-Order
Available for Pre-Order
Discover the Alade Bench. A sculptural statement piece featuring a bold, slatted solid wood design with an ergonomic organic curve for modern spaces.
Image Material
- Akoriko/ Walnut Wood, Matte Lacquer Finish
NGN740,000.00
Wood
1+
Finish