Entrances usually struggle with two things: nowhere to sit while putting on shoes, and nowhere to hide the random bits that gather there – scarves, bags, sports gear, dog leashes. A storage bench tackles both at once.
The top gives you a comfortable place to sit when you’re tying laces...
Most balconies and patios stay underused not because they’re ugly, but because they’re inconvenient. You go out for two minutes, then come straight back...