8 Ways to Rethink Your Small Dining Room
The best room in the house.
Whether your dining room is a makeshift home office, a space to invite friends over for dinner or the spot where you spend a quick five minutes drinking your morning coffee, dining rooms serve many purposes. If you live in an apartment or small house, chances are your dining room merges into the kitchen or living room as well. Looking for small dining room ideas and inspiration? Check out these 8 small dining room ideas below for maximising your space.
1. Begin with the Basics
Choose a dining table in an aesthetic you love that will also fit into your space. Slender silhouettes and narrow, open frames make the space feel larger and less cluttered. Most small-sized dining tables can seat up to four people. Round and oval tables are great in high-traffic spaces because they give you more space to walk around. It can be tricky to fit extra chairs around a table without corners however, so opt for a square or rectangular table if you want to add extra seating easily. If you host a lot of dinners, consider an extendable dining table. This type of table features a leaf or two, letting you turn a four-person table into a six-person table.
Tip: If you're really limited on space, consider a kitchen bench instead of chairs. You can tuck them under the table whenever they aren't in use, creating extra floor space.
Place a sideboard along an empty wall to really maximise your dining room's vertical space. You can tuck away extra table linens, spare dinnerware and cutlery. Clear off the top of your sideboard and use it to serve food buffet-style, that way you can save space on the table for eating, elbows and a decorative seasonal centrepiece.
You can also set a table lamp on the sideboard or hang a pendant light above it. This will create a nice glow if your sideboard is in a corner. If your dining room doubles as your living room, a pendant light can create an established 'zone' above your sideboard, marking it as its own little area.
Tip: Don't have the space for a sideboard? Try out a bar cart instead. They're great for stocking up on the essentials and can easily be wheeled out of the way when needed.
If a sideboard and a bar cart are both sadly out of the question, don't fret. Opt for floating shelves instead. Wall-mounted shelves won't take up any floor space and you can display serveware, glassware and cookbooks.
A mid-century modern Sputnik chandelier or a dramatic globe pendant are ideal for defining your small dining area. Hang the chandelier or pendant light over the table to act as the room's primary lighting. Then mount a pair of wall lights over the sideboard to brighten up dark corners and nooks. The abundance of light will make a small dining room feel wider and roomier. Beware of anything that's overly moody like a shaded chandelier or a spotlight, as this can cast too many shadows and make the room feel smaller.
Tip: Love natural lighting but also love your privacy? Opt for lightweight curtains in linen or cotton so you can create a private space while still letting in as much natural light as possible. Hang the curtains from the ceiling right down to the floor instead of letting them float a few inches off the floor – it will make the room appear bigger.
If your dining area and living room are one joint room, position the table and chairs on a rug to define the space. Choose a rug that is big enough for all the chair legs to fit on it, even when pushed back. Shy away from any super-sized rugs as these can actually make the room feel smaller and more cramped.. A low-pile or flatweave rug are the easiest to clean. These types of rugs are usually made from natural fibres like cotton or wool.
Tip: Outdoor rugs can be used in the dining room, too, and they're so easy to wipe clean.
Hang a mirror in your dining room to reflect sunlight and bounce the rays around the room. A mirror will display the opposite side of the room, making it appear larger. You can also opt for glossy or metallic furniture (think the bar cart or dining table) to reflect even more light.
A little decor goes a long way in a small dining room. Hang one statement piece of art or create a gallery with a few photos. Set out a pretty vase with dried flowers to give the dining table a little lift. Keep the decor minimal and uncluttered to make the room feel bigger and more airy. Stick to a clean, simple palette and work in a dark colour or two via the wall art or a decorative object to create an illusion of depth.
Tip: Want to make a bold statement? Try applying peel-and-stick wallpaper. Choose a pattern you adore and set aside an afternoon for this project. This upgrade will instantly make your dining room feel bigger.
For a super small dining room, consider opting for a pub-style table and bar stools. Pub-style tables are tall and slender, meaning they'll take up more vertical space than floor space. A little nook by a window is ideal for enjoying a morning latte or settling down to call friends.
Tip: Enjoyed this article? Then you might also like:
- Quick & Easy Small Kitchen Ideas
- How to Make the Most of a Small Bathroom
- How to Make the Most of a Small Living Room
