Every Nook and Cranny: Five Cosy Dining Nooks in Small Apartments
Some of our fondest memories are made around the dining table, sharing meals with friends and family. In small-footprint homes, however, there is often not enough room for a dedicated dining room or even a stand-alone dining table. This is where dining nooks come in handy. Dining nooks offer an efficient – and not to mention stylish – solution for dining in small spaces by strategically tucking the table against a wall or into a corner with built-in seating. (Basically, you don’t lose any space required for chairs to be pulled out). These cosy nooks not only provide a dedicated space to eat that’s always ready to go but also present a valuable storage opportunity within the benches. Here are five of our favourite dining nooks from across Never Too Small episodes.
13m2, an apartment in North London designed by Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama of Studiomama, is a perfect example. Originally a minicab office, the 13-square-meter space was transformed into a liveable home through the creation of five defined zones, each with a dedicated use: relaxing, eating, cooking, working, sleeping, and personal hygiene. Tolstrup and Mama worked within “the fabric of the existing space” to position the zones according to their needs and fixed the furniture in place to keep it orderly and as spacious as possible. The dining table was thus placed under one of two large windows. The table and cushioned bench are extendable to accommodate more guests, while the bench also doubles as storage.
In The Project Jordaan in Amsterdam, architect Marijn Kruikemeier of MI Studio similarly positioned his dining table directly in front of the window by the entrance, making the most of natural light and people-watching potential of the lively city street outside their door. The custom oak table with cast-iron legs is intentionally large so that it can easily accommodate guests or double as a desk for Kruikemeier and his partner to work at. It features a space-saving corner bench made of oak plywood with velvet upholstery, which includes built-in storage for shoes. The large mirror hanging above the seat enhances the feeling of space, making the small home feel more open and cohesive.
At Slow Down Apartment in Brisbane, Brad Swartz of Brad Swartz Architects was focused on creating a calming environment with minimal loose furniture, ensuring that the dining area remains a tranquil, clutter-free zone. Swartz integrated a dining nook into the flow of the kitchen layout by creating a seamless connection between the kitchen cabinetry and built-in bench seating, which, you guessed it, has room for storage within. The storage beneath the seat helps to keep the space tidy while adding to the minimalist aesthetic.
The Furniture House by architects Javier Salvador and Yago García of Studio HEIMAT is unified by its floor-to-ceiling birch plywood unit spanning an entire wall of the apartment. With a desk and Murphy bed to one end and the dining nook at the other, the unit creates a great sense of cohesion. The nook itself is a central feature of the shared kitchen, dining, and living area, and it featured a dining table by a Spanish company called LUFE as well as a simple yellow hanging lamp from IKEA was added for a bit of colour. In addition to bench storage, they added open shelving above the seating to leave a place for their clients to display knick knacks and personal items.
In LC21 in Hong Kong, self-taught interior designer Daphney Ho of F.A.L WORKS Studio took a creative approach with a circular table and booth seating that wraps around the corner, “A circular dining table is a must for me because in Feng shui, it is a symbol of uniting the family”, she explained. The dining nook, a step sunken below the living room platform beside it, maximises seating capacity while keeping the space intimate. The booth also incorporates storage underneath, making it a practical addition to the small apartment. Ho wanted to “maximise the dining seating space to allow me to invite my family and friends over”, so she got two foldable rattan chairs to serve more guests if needed. The custom pendant lamp above the dining table, which she got from Bali, is the statement piece completing the look and tying the whole zone together.
Crafting the Ideal Dining Nook in a Small Apartment
Dining nooks in small homes can do much more than just provide a place to eat. They maximise the footprint by integrating seating, storage, and functionality, while also creating visual cohesion with the rest of the home. Whether through custom-built furniture or clever design choices, a dining nook is an essential feature that can transform a small space into a comfortable, organised, and inviting home.
