Small Dining Rooms

If you live in an apartment without a real dedicated dining space, don't worry, I have some solutions for you. For years I've lived in the typical apartment/condo that is basically one large room (minus the bedrooms/bathrooms) that you're supposed to configure into a dining room and living room together. The room is never really big enough so what ends up happening is the living room furniture takes up most of the space and the you're left with the awkward and ever so small "dining" space. This space is never big enough for a full size dining set so you either end up shoving the table against one of the walls (which makes it look more awkward) or you throw in a computer desk, make it a office, and then eat in your living room!!! So, here are some ideas on how to configure/decorate a small dining space.

One of the best pieces you can buy for a small dining room is a round table. Round tables don't take up as much space and quite often you can center them below the light fixture creating a more harmonious space. The typical rectangular shaped dining tables take up a lot of space and can overpower an already small dining room. We have a really neat dining table that was given to us as a gift. It's an original Gustav Stickley oak table from the early 1900's. If you're not familiar with Gustav Stickley, check out this site: The Stickley Museum.

With a small dining room table I find that different chairs, usually a light modern make, can create a unique and open look in the small room. Mixing up different colors looks great with an antique table. I have 3 modern brown chairs with thin brushed metal legs and one leather chair. They all are fairly small and can fit under the table. Another great way to open up the space is with artwork. If your walls are a neutral color, almost everything looks great. I have two large pieces on the wall and a few smaller pictures. All of the frames I have up in the dining room are black which again creates a more cohesive space.

Another great thing you can add to your dining space, especially when it's small, is a big mirror. Mirrors create the feeling of a larger space and can really brighten things up. A great place to find an inexpensive mirror is at Home Goods.