Tips for Making the Most of a Small Dining Room

When renting a property in a populated metropolitan area, sometimes you have to deal with the hand you’re dealt when it comes to size. One room that tends not to get enough respect in smaller apartments and houses is the dining room. However, just because you have a small dining room doesn’t mean you can’t use it. Here are some ways to make the most out of this tiny space in your home.

Buy a Smaller Table

Usually, the first thing you’ll need to do when figuring out how to use a smaller dining room is to buy a smaller table. If you just moved to this property, there’s a chance that your current table won’t fit in the new space. If that’s the case, buying a new one will likely be your only option. Just make sure you take proper measurements before completing your purchase. The last thing you want is to buy another table that doesn’t fit.

Push the Table Against the Wall

If your current table is close to fitting, but it’s a tight squeeze, there’s still an option for making it work. You’ll need to sacrifice some of your seating options, but pushing your table up against one of the walls will give you enough room to maneuver around your table in this tiny dining room.

Unfortunately, this option doesn’t work well for those with a rounded table, but squared-off ones typically fit nicely when pushed up against the wall. Plus, if that wall has a window, anyone sitting there will have a nice view of the outdoors while enjoying their meal.

Use Benches Where Possible

If you need all of the seating that can fit around your table, you should look into getting a bench for it. There’s a lot to consider when deciding if benches or chairs are best for your dining room, but the key benefit of benches is they can sit right up against the wall if needed. People will need to scootch in and out, but at least you won’t need a walkway behind the seating for them to get out.

Put Up Storage Shelves

One upside to larger dining rooms is people can set up cabinets and shelving units that give them more storage options. This won’t be possible in your small dining room. However, you can buy yourself some hanging shelves that screw into the wall if extra storage is necessary. You can hang these shelves around the edges of the room to keep them out of everyone’s way.

Use Mirrors and Windows

One of the best ways to make the most of your small dining room is to make it feel bigger without tearing down any walls. The best way to do this is to put up a mirror or two. Even though it’s just an illusion, mirrors can make a space feel larger than it actually is.

If you combine this with open windows that let in a lot of light, you’ll be able to make your tiny dining room feel much more spacious. If you can achieve this, most people won’t even notice that your dining room is smaller than average.