While some homeowners or renters are looking for full dining room sets, most current urban dwellings don’t allow the space to have a formal dining room. As a culture, we’re shifting away from the formal dining room and moving toward eat-in kitchens and breakfast bars or nooks. Some formal dining rooms rarely see use, perhaps once or twice a year, and are being re-purposed for other things like home offices. If you’re looking to move your main dining area into the kitchen, or you simply don’t have a dining room, there are plenty of smaller dining sets to use in a kitchen setting.
Size and layout
Evaluate the layout of your kitchen. Do you have a breakfast bar to utilize? Some smaller apartments offer breakfast bars, perfect for barstools, rather than a formal dining room table. It can be a great way to save on space in an otherwise cramped apartment.
Maybe there’s an area of your kitchen that would be perfect for a breakfast nook. Is there a bench or window seat built in to your apartment? Consider using that as a portion of seating for your dining area, and only investing in two to three chairs. You could try pushing a table up against a wall to save space in your kitchen. If two of you live in a house and only use two chairs, push it up against the wall, to make more space. If you have dinner guests, the table can always be pulled out and more chairs can be used.
Another great space saver for a smaller kitchen is benches for seating. Benches can always be pushed under tables to create more space when the table isn’t being used. Another great space addition is adding a breakfast bar or high top table to your kitchen counter. Use it as a counter extension or an island in your kitchen. If you lack counter space, the addition of this table could help provide more space to prep food and eat.
Table ideas for a small kitchen
An easy solution to an apartment with a smaller kitchen, and no dining room is a bistro table. Bistro tables are small and not heavy. They’re the perfect eat-in kitchen solution, and they come in many sizes.
Dinette sets are also a great idea for a smaller kitchen. Dinettes are smaller dining tables that can seat two to four people. They fit perfectly in a breakfast nook or kitchen.
Take away
A great way to maximize space is utilizing a bistro table or dinette set. It can be a great way to create an eat-in kitchen, or just a good way to maximize space.
