Space Planning for a Small Space

Our dining room is pretty small. 

I’ve mentioned that before, and I’ve mentioned how our dining table has to be relatively small as well, to avoid overpowering the room.

Well, I’ve been thinking more and more about that room – seating, having people over for holidays (my husband does have four siblings after all), future rugrats….and I think I need a good plan. 

I say “plan” because we don’t have a pressing need right now, since the hubs and I are still eating dinner on the couch most nights…but we will soon. 

And I say “plan” because I like things to match and look nice and not be a hodge podge of hand-me-downs if I can help it.  If I don’t plan, and if I don’t feel like spending a bunch of money to buy new things when the time comes, a hodge-podge it will be.

First case in point:  the bar. 

 

Ok, I’m really not sure what to call this.  It’s kind of a bar.  But it’s narrow, so maybe it’s not intended to be a place for people to sit?  No matter!  In MY world, I think it’s a great place for some barstools one of these days, and now and then I get a hankering to do some barstool window shopping. 

Well, a search for barstools turns up quite a few links, the top one being www.allbarstools.com with the additional bonus words “Free S/H” right there in the title before I even clicked!  Hello!

Criteria include….

I need a cushioned seat.  Because my bum doesn’t care for hard chairs.  And because I like to slide into chairs with one foot tucked under, and that is really uncomfortable on a hard chair.  The ankle bone really starts to yell!

And because this site gives me tons of options for filtering through their selection (which I LOVE – I often wish I could do this when I’m in a brick-and-mortar store, kind of like the car commercials where you wave your hands and say “ONLY WHITE ONES!” “FOUR DOOR SEDANS!” yeah….)  I can also specify that they need to be “bar-height” since my counter is 43”. 

Next, I really like the concept of a swiveling bar stool.  Easier to get in and out of.  Fun to twist around on.

And just because I have the option – I’m going to specify “armless” stools as well.  I’ve never really liked chairs with arms (the old foot-under-me thing again).

Here are my favorites:

 

 

Kind of a pub feel dontcha think?  Sort of European…not to frou-frou, nice dark leather.

Alright, now moving to the table part of my space planning…there’s really only one on my mind these days.

I think this table is too big for my space….but I think about it a lot….and I haven’t actually measured yet….but it’s sort of expensive considering we don’t need a new table right now….but I really like it….and I think about it a lot….and I keep seeing it in the Pottery Barn catalogue….but it’s so expensive….but I LOVE it…..

Let me tell you about this bad boy.  Under that rustic charm exterior, it hides support for not one but TWO 18” leaves, providing a possible extension of the table to a whopping 10 feet long to seat 10 people!  Now for those of us who want our houses to look just a little castle-y and who are married to someone with a huge family, is this not totally PERFECT? 

But…

Oh my.

I think my entire dining room is 10 feet long…

I better go measure!