10 Small Dining Room Ideas to Help You Make the Most of This Space
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Aspirational home images often show generous dining rooms with tables for 12, imposing chairs, and towering china cabinets—but that isn’t the space most homeowners have at their disposal. Instead, many find themselves trying to maximize seating and storage without sacrificing style and space in a room that needs to serve a variety of purposes.
While it’s tempting to imagine that a sprawling dining room might function better than a cozier one, the key to getting major use out of minimal space is choosing the right furniture, storage options, and accessories. “A bigger dining room isn’t better than a smaller dining room,” says Michele Chagnon-Holbrook of Casabella Interiors in East Sandwich, Massachusetts. “You can do a small dining room just as beautifully as a large dining room if you pay attention to the details.”
These expert tips for furnishing, decorating, and maximizing every square inch allow your dining room to shift seamlessly from accommodating casual pizza nights to hosting formal holidays.
Make an Impact
Courtesy of Rebel Walls
Decorating a small space doesn’t mean avoiding large-scale prints, bold colors, or striking shapes. “Whether you chose wallpaper, lighting, or custom furnishings, consider what’s going to spark conversation—especially if the room is on the smaller side,” says Boschetti. “High gloss paint can easily change the look of any aesthetic dramatically. This technique works from contemporary to super traditional; any small dining space can jolt with color.” Chagnon-Holbrook likes anchoring a room with mural-inspired wallpaper, a fireplace, a light-filled window, or a wooden ceiling detail. “It’s not anything in and of itself, but really how everything is layered together,” says Chagnon-Holbook. “And don’t forget the fresh flowers!”
Think Outside the Box (Literally)
Katie Jameson
Boxy, square, or rectangular dining tables may be the most common option, but cutting the corners allows for better circulation throughout the room. “In small spaces, we love doing circular tables,” says Chagnon-Holbrook. A 48-inch round table usually seats four to six, while a 60-inch table seats six to eight.
Christina Boschetti of Philadelphia-based interior design firm Widell and Boschetti encourages her clients to consider their entertaining style when choosing a table shape. “Round tables are great conversation settings, and long rectangle tables provide ample seating,” she says. “If you are going round, opt for a pedestal to allow for more seating.”
Choose Streamlined Seats
Boschetti recommends seating for eight in a dining room but adds that you shouldn’t let the chairs overwhelm your space. “The chairs should be low-profile and airy for small spaces,” she says. “If you have dining chairs with arms, the arms should fit easily under the dining table itself when the chairs are pushed in. This will ensure your guests can rest their arms comfortably and that your dining chairs can be properly stored under the table when not in use.”
Chagnon-Holbrook offers another key seating consideration. “Make sure those chairs are comfortable,” she says. “So many people plan dining rooms, and they look pretty, but they’re not comfortable.”
Choose a Versatile Dining Table
Heidi Lau Photography
Formal dining rooms—which were traditionally used only for holidays and special events—aren’t as common as they used to be, which means many homeowners need an all-purpose table that allows for working from home, kids’ art projects, and an afternoon cup of coffee. “Function and personality are where we start,” says Chagnon-Holbrook. “More and more people are looking for things that are multi-functional.”
She recommends considering the rest of your aesthetic and how you plan to use the table before choosing a material—glass may not be ideal for homes with small kids; a marble table may not blend in with a farmhouse-style home. This gives even a space with a minimal footprint the flexibility to host events of all sizes—after-school snacks with the neighbors, last-minute pizza and game nights, or family-filled holidays—with ease.
Enlist a Bench Player
Katie Charlotte
A custom bench or a built-in banquette offers flexible seating that doesn’t monopolize the room, allowing your guests to settle in for an extra helping of dessert and conversation. Kelly Finley of Joy Street Design recommends installing a banquette or bench against a wall—or even in a corner—instead of centering the entire setup in the room. “A corner or wall banquette would shift everything while giving up a significant amount of space,” she says. “It opens up the room by moving the dining table, so it feels larger.”
Add Statement Lighting…
TESSA NEUSTADT
Dining rooms don’t generally need bright task lighting; instead, you’re looking for a more flattering glow that enhances long, chatty dinner parties. “It doesn’t have to be practical—it can serve as a focal point,” says Chagnon-Holbrook. “We have one rule: Go big and add some shine.” She suggests installing a series of pendants along the length of a rectangular table or a larger, more striking pendant over a round table.
… But at the Right Scale
Sean Litchfield
A dramatic light fixture is a welcome element in a small dining room, says Boschetti. “When it comes to lighting, the bolder the better!” she says. But it’s important to find one that isn’t too large for your space. The typical rule of scale, she says, is that a chandelier shouldn’t be more than half the width of the table. “Statement pieces bring an entire room together, whether it’s an oversized [light] or a cluster,” she says. “Remember, lighting is the jewelry of the home.”
Don’t Overlook Storage
Design: Emily Henderson Design; Photo: Sara Ligorria-Tramp
“Storage is something to think about in creative ways when you’re designing a dining room in a small space,” says Chagnon-Holbrook. A lidded bench offers hidden space for holiday items and serves as a great place to neatly stash extra linens, your great-aunt’s silver, and paper party supplies. Hide other essentials in built-ins finished with doors or sliding panels. “Building in really maximizes your space,” says Chagnon-Holbrook. “A banquette, a wet bar … you could even recess simple cubbies and do beautiful shutters on the front of it, so when it’s closed, it’s a beautiful architectural detail.”
Look Upward
Yvonne Duivenvoorden
Don’t ignore the storage potential presented by your vertical spaces, either. Choose open shelving for displaying your favorite serving platters or bar glassware; add a custom floating console, or install built-in wine racks to upper cabinets. “Use every inch of your walls and ceiling,” says Changnon-Holbrook.
Get Reflective
Heidi Lau
Mirrors—whether a single, large framed version hung next to a window, a collection of smaller shapes over the sideboard, or as an accent on the front of a cabinet—will make your space feel larger as they reflect the light from other surfaces, say the experts. Arched or rounded shapes over a trim sideboard, mixed-media mirrors with textural embellishments, and intricately framed floor mirrors can all add light and personality to a small space.
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