April 26, 2020, 3:02 am | Read time: 4 minutes
In the dining room, you want to sit for hours and enjoy a cozy meal together. However, this wish can only be partially fulfilled if the space is too small, as discomfort quickly sets in. With a few tricks, anyone can make more room in their tiny dining area.
Essentially, a dining room doesn’t need much more than a table and chairs to dine and converse with friends or family. However, if the space is too small, even these few pieces of furniture can be difficult to fit—and the coziness factor suffers as well. myHOMEBOOK editor and interior designer Odett Schumann offers four tips to make small dining rooms appear larger.
1. Furniture that is delicate and functional
In small dining rooms, it’s important to opt for delicately built furniture instead of a massive table with wide legs. A table that can be easily extended and retracted addresses the issue of limited space. Folding tables are also a good choice. Besides the well-known wall-mounted models often used in small kitchens, there are also tables that can be unfolded on both sides, quickly creating a table for multiple guests when needed.
If the chairs are also narrow in design, several can be placed around the table. A large, opulent sideboard can be replaced with a simple console.
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2. Furniture with storage space
In a small dining room that should appear larger, a narrow sideboard or a delicate console is ideal for storing dishes and other utensils. Wall shelves can also decoratively store cups, saucers, and small plates. Special glasses and bottles look good on and in a serving cart, which also has the advantage of being mobile and can be moved freely around the room as needed.
A real storage miracle is a bench. Although it may be bulky and rigid in design, it can store several blankets, placemats, napkins, towels, and cushions. Similarly, a stool can prove to be a versatile piece—serving as a seat, storage space, or a kind of step ladder, and it is also portable.
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3. Light, airy materials
A brightly designed ambiance noticeably opens up small spaces. Ideally, these are light, almost transparent textiles like curtains at the windows and accessories made from natural materials that match the wall color and visually blend together. This way, the existing ambiance is not disrupted by a visually disturbing barrier, and the room doesn’t appear smaller than it already is. The resulting lightness flatters even the smallest dining room.
It’s also helpful if the furniture in the room is of a more delicate, narrow construction, exposing more light wall space. The small dining room automatically appears larger.
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4. Light brings size
Brightness makes a room appear significantly larger. So, let the light in! It’s helpful to place a pendant light, ideally adjustable in height, above the dining table. Depending on the need, it always illuminates the room optimally. Lamps like a ceiling spotlight or wall lights that also bathe the upper wall in bright light visually expand the room as well. Now, only a few lights are needed to illuminate individual niches in the small dining room appropriately, making it appear larger.