The interior design trend Canberrans are loving: church pews

If you’ve always dreamed of owning a converted church but don’t have the funds – or the flexibility for a potential move to the country – why not add a touch of the sacred to your home through its decor?

From a flurry of listings that went live on our site this week, it looks many Canberrans are doing just that. The humble wooden church pew has become a design trend in homes as far south as Lyons and as far north as Harrison.

According to Louise Kichenside, director at Fyshwick-based interior design studio Dept. of Design, pews make a great entry or mudroom seating option, or are perfect in a dining room if you need something compact but also the ability to squeeze in extra guests.

“We’re seeing a real trend in upcycling and mixing pieces that have history with more contemporary items,” Louise says.

“Pews really vary in design; some of them show such beautiful craftsmanship which makes them a great option for a lot of styles of interiors.

“For our team, It's important that the homes we are designing and the furniture we are curating, reflect our client's story. It's a pleasure to source unique pieces or integrate pieces that might have sentimental value so we get really excited when we come across something like a church pew.”

They might look good but aren’t church pews designed to be seriously uncomfortable?

“They can be quite upright so we’d generally apply an upholstered seat pad,” Louise says.

“Find a fabric that has a more contemporary pattern and get in touch with your local upholsterer.”

Check out the pews in these current listings:

43 Cedar Street, Harrison

The sellers of this four-bedroom home have cleverly used a pew to separate the dining area from the lounge area in a big open plan space. I’d definitely be asking for the pew to be included with the home in this sale.

8 Brid Place, Lyons

You’ve never seen a view from a church pew quite like this one. In this case, the sacred seating is located outside and offers an incredible vista over the treetops to Woden Town Centre.

79 Turallo Terrace, Bungendore

This stunning country home on 1892sqm has wooden details throughout, so it’s little wonder they’ve decided to use a pew in the master bedroom as a place to sit to get dressed, or as a home for your current reading stack.

(If you actually are in the market for a church, check out this historic mission hall in Junee, NSW, or this former convent near Goulburn.)