Storage has been a long-standing challenge for modern homes. Keeping the design minimalist, modern interiors are focused on practicality and optimized to make the most of the available space - with multi-purpose rooms and open floor plans. One of the areas where you can see open-concept design largely applied in contemporary homes is the dining room or kitchen.
Buffets and hutches have been traditionally used to furnish the kitchen space and we won’t be wrong to say they do their job effectively and impressively. However, the idea of a kitchen and dining space has significantly evolved over the years. People are embracing attractive alternatives to set up their small dining room to adequately store china and cutlery and also impress guests with their organized setting and openness.
Having said that, let’s take a look into some clever storage solutions and tips that will make your dining space look clutter-free and the overall setting more comfortable and welcoming.
1. Floating Shelves
One of the most organized and easiest ways to add storage to a small dining room is fitting floating shelves on the wall. Not only do floating shelves give off a contemporary vibe but they also provide adequate space for storing your crockery, dishes, pans and other items in an organized yet stylish way. Since they are mounted on the wall without any support, they take up minimal space in your dining area, creating a neat and spacious setting for enjoying mealtimes with your family and friends.
2. Cabinet and Sideboards
Being a little bulky, sideboards might not sound like a very useful storage solution when designing a small dining room, but it does make sense if you place it wisely. A sideboard acts as a standalone piece that gives you the opportunity to use up the dead space next to your dining area and store your cutlery and crockery.
Being shorter, it leaves the walls above it open space for hanging your art and decor. At Online Amish Furniture, you can choose from a variety of sideboard or buffet designs and styles - from traditional to shaker, mission and formal, to complement your dining room theme. Alternatively, you can invest in closed cabinets which allow you to store just about anything inside while freeing up more open space in the dining area. Cabinets with multiple shelves give a lot of room for storage without making it look crowded or giving the feeling of overwhelmed.
3. Use Multi-Purpose Furniture
Don’t have a dedicated dining space or have to sacrifice part of your dining room to your work-from-home space? Thanks to multi-purpose furniture, you can still keep your small dining room functional and creating a setting that has more practicality than meets the eye.
Be it a retractable coffee table that can be quickly extended into a dining table or a convertible dining table that doubles as a mirror, multi-functional furniture pieces are versatile and able to adapt to different situations without taking up too much space in your dining room.
4. Built-in Seating and Storage
Meant to be directly next to the wall, banquettes are the most popular built-in seating solution that adds a casual dining experience to an open floor plan. They can be added to a breakfast nook, eat-in kitchen or just about any small dining space that could use a little perch; they are like a small dining room’s superhero. And if you are wondering why banquette when even a regular bench can provide that extra seating to your space-constrained dining room, the reason is it makes your setting stand out. A banquette is usually upholstered and exudes a feeling of intimacy and comfort.
5. Install Shelves Within Partition
If you have a spacious kitchen that inspires the open floor layout, consider setting up a dining room within your kitchen by installing open shelves as dividers. Sectioning off two areas will create the illusion of a bigger space while eliminating the need for investing in additional storage furniture.
THE TAKEAWAY
A dining room doesn’t have to have a large footprint in order to look functional, organized and inviting. With a few practical design ideas coupled with some furniture knowledge from experts, you can turn even the smallest of dining rooms attractive and comfortable for family mealtime gatherings.
At Online Amish Furniture, we stock an impressively huge variety of Amish dining furniture, including everything from Amish dining sets to hutches, buffets, sideboards, wine cabinets and more. Each furniture unit is designed to make its presence felt wherever it is placed with its authentic American wood construction and heirloom-inspired design. Moreover, we have more than off-the-shelf furniture to offer you. If our online collection doesn’t seem to have something that would complement your existing dining room theme, we can get your dream furniture custom built by our skillful craftsmen. Our Amish experts would love to help you express your personality and style through our state-of-the-art customization service.