How to Maximize Your Small Dining Room?

Sources SVG
Answer
To maximize your small dining room, consider the following strategies:
  1. Choose space-saving furniture:
    • Opt for a compact dining table that fits the room's proportions2.
    • Use foldable chairs or benches for flexible seating options2.
    • Consider expandable tables or desks for versatility2.
  2. Utilize vertical space:
    • Install wall-mounted shelves for additional storage2.
    • Use tall, narrow furniture pieces to draw the eye upward and create a sense of height.
  3. Embrace multifunctionality:
    • Select furniture that serves multiple purposes, such as a table that can double as a work desk2.
    • Use rolling carts or sideboards for added storage and flexibility2.
  4. Maximize light and visual space:
    • Incorporate a large mirror to reflect light and create the illusion of more space4.
    • Use light colors on walls and furniture to make the room feel airier and larger4.
  5. Optimize seating arrangements:
    • Consider built-in banquette seating along one wall to save space4.
    • Use a combination of chairs and benches for versatile seating options.
  6. Embrace minimalism:
    • Declutter regularly and keep only essential items2.
    • Choose simple, streamlined decor to avoid visual clutter2.
  7. Create a focal point:
    • Add an eye-catching element, such as a statement light fixture or artwork, to draw attention away from the room's size4.
  8. Consider low seating:
    • A low dining table with floor seating can create an open, airy feel in a small space4.
  9. Use color strategically:
    • Light colors like white, taupe, or blush pink can make the room feel larger and brighter4.
  10. Add a simple centerpiece:
    • Use a small, elegant centerpiece to add style without cluttering the table2.
By implementing these ideas, you can create a functional and visually appealing dining space that feels larger than its actual dimensions.




Author: Julie Khuu



Key insights

  • 🪑 Finding the best location for a dining table in a small space is crucial for maximizing seating options.
  • 🪑 Source a small table or even custom make an l-shaped bench to fit squarely in the space if you only have a tiny corner with a passageway.
  • 🪑 Glass table tops and surfaces are great for dining tables since they reflect a lot of light.
  • 🪑 The biggest issue in a small dining room is the lack of clearance for passageways, making it difficult for dining chairs to pull out from the table.
  • 🪑 If your small space doesn't have a separate dining room and you have an eat-in kitchen, try a single leaf table top with a simple leg for support.
  • ️ Round tables can make a small dining room feel more spacious and allow for more flexible chair placement.
  • ️ The function of the dining room is paramount to its success, so consider the table size, shape, and seating capacity.

Timestamped Summary

  • 00:00 Maximize your small dining room by finding an empty wall to seat at least four people.
  • 01:44 Maximize your small dining room by strategically placing furniture to create more space and make the room appear larger.
  • 03:16 Measure the room, choose a table shape that fits, use glass surfaces for light reflection, and source identical chairs for a cohesive look.
  • 06:27 Maximize your small dining room by using a built-in bench banquet or slim bench to save space for passageways and a table.
  • 06:55 Built-in banquettes are perfect for small dining rooms with limited clearance, and slim benches or settees can also be used in eat-in kitchens with empty walls.
  • 09:58 Maximize your small dining room with a round table, custom bench, and 36 inch minimum clearance around the perimeter.
  • 11:36 Round tables are easier to maneuver in small dining spaces, and customizing the layout to fit your lifestyle and needs is key to maximizing the functionality of the room.
  • 12:21 Consider converting your dining area into a work from home space and check out the top design mistakes to avoid.

Video Full Text

  • 00:00 Hello everyone welcome back to the channel. I'm julie and we are in the middle of the small space series. We are counting down and today we're talking about issues that you may have with your small dining space. You may be living in an apartment or a studio with a teeny tiny dining area. You might also have a really small square space to work with and what about those long and narrow dining rooms the one thing that they all have in common. They're a challenge for you to design if you're still scratching your head and trying to figure out the best way to maximize your small dining room space. This video is for you let's talk about the five most common challenging conditions. I see in small dining areas and share ways on how to effectively resolve them if you have a tiny apartment or studio space that you're dealing with most likely you're looking to seat at least one to two people minimum if you live alone. You'll need that additional seat for guests best location for a dining table is to find an empty wall and flank one end of the table up against it. You'll have three edges left to play with which means you can seat at least three more people against the small table.
    Read More
  • 01:44 If you have a window with a nice view flank the square or rectangular table against the window you can enjoy the view hide the radiator and free up more clearance for passageways. It's a win-win all around if you only have a tiny corner with a passageway. Next to it source a small table or even custom make an l-shaped bench to fit squarely in the space. If the corner is teeny tiny with two adjacent walls you can source a white table so it disappears into your white walls and clear chairs that look almost invisible in the space. What if you have a small square room to work with for your dining area.
    Read More
  • 03:16 The first step is to measure the room the length the width times the height then subtract the clearances. A 36 inch aisle for a walkway or passage is pretty typical. I share that information in the top dining room design mistakes however if you have a smaller space a small home a small apartment 30 inch clearance can work source a dining table shape that is best supported by the shape of the room. If the shape of the room is square a square or round table works best if the shape of the room is a rectangle source a rectangle or oval table. The best round tables for small dining areas are leggy or a pedestal type with one single table base. Glass table tops and surfaces are great for dining tables since they reflect a lot of light either from synthetic light or natural daylight that streams through your space. If you have a smaller dining table always look to source identical chairs. The repetition of styles and shapes will make the dining chairs appear as if they're one unit if you have six or more chairs then clearly your. Dining area isn't all that small source armless side chairs to fit more people around the table if you have room for a console or a buffet why not create a fabulous focal point for your dining room if you have a narrow dining room.
    Read More
  • 06:27 The biggest issue is that you don't have that clearance for passageways after you subtract the 36 inches on both sides so that the dining chairs can easily pull out from the table and still have ample room to walk. Around you might not even have enough space left for a table. You might even only have 18 inches or 24 inches left. The best solution for a narrow dining room is to source a built-in bench banquet or slim bench when would you specify this type of built-in.
    Read More
  • 06:55 A built-in banquet is perfect when you don't have the clearance for walkways. When the back of the banquette is pushed up against a wall. You just saved yourself 36 inches of clearance space source of banquette when you have a tiny corner with a passage to a hallway or a door next to it. You would also source a banquette when you have a long and narrow room. I love built-in banquettes if you have bay windows with a niche or a beautiful window view that you want to take full advantage of if you don't want to go the custom route. You can also source a slim bench. A settee or even a smaller sofa anchored against a wall or a corner. If your small space doesn't have a separate dining room and you have an eat-in kitchen. Instead. Here are some solutions if you have an empty wall try. A single leaf table top with a simple leg for support.
    Read More
  • 09:58 If you can fit in a four-top table make it feel more spacious with a round table instead of a square or a rectangle. No sharp edges allow you to walk freely around the kitchen if you have a small corner take advantage of the space with a custom bench. I love this idea to incorporate the dining table into a cantilevered ledge or even above a waterfall island. The best designs are those that feel well thought out and fully integrated into the design of the kitchen what if you have an open plan dining room that is in between the kitchen and the living area you always want to measure the space you have allotted and check for the 36 inch minimum clearance you need around the perimeter. 30 inches will do now that you understand the 36 inch minimum rule make sure you optimize the views source round tables so chairs can be placed in any direction. If you have a square table.
    Read More
  • 11:36 You're really forced to place a chair right in front of each edge. Round tables are simply easier to maneuver and walk around if your open plan dining space is a part of an eat-in kitchen. One edge of the table could be flanked against the wall. You can still seat at least five people and it opens up the walkway behind the fifth chair for passage into the adjacent living room get inspired by these small dining spaces and create something custom to fit your lifestyle. Aesthetic and needs remember that the function of the dining room is paramount to its success. So the table size the table shape and the amount of people that can fit around.
    Read More
  • 12:21 It is something that you should think about from the get go. If your dining area works as a mixture of work from home office definitely check out my top design mistakes for the dining room. I share a lot of tips on how you can convert your dining area into a work from home situation. If you like this type of content and you're enjoying the small space series so far please give this video a thumbs up comment below and let me know if you have any questions about your small dining area that I did not cover in this video. I would love to help you out and find some solutions that will work for you don't forget to subscribe to my channel if you haven't already and hit that little notification bell to get notified of new videos that we roll out every tuesday thank you so much for watching. I'll see you in the next one you.
    Read More