When I moved into my brother, Matt's newly purchased bungalow, I brought with me an heirloom farmhouse-style dining room table which just barely squeezed into the 9'x9' dining space. Since the space exists in the corner of an open kitchen and living area, it was doable, but the traffic space was limited and storage non existent. After I moved out last Summer, he took the opportunity to do some shopping at the Habitat ReStore and outfitted his small space in a much smarter fashion.
The original arrangement had much less to do with intelligent design, and much more to do with hanging on for dear life to what we already had. But once the dining room table was out of the picture (and now in a much larger space in my current home), it freed up Matt to do some scavenging for a very inexpensive piece that, when mixed with his great Bertoia chair collection, looks pretty pulled together. He added a sideboard that I found at a thrift store (that ironically just doesn't fit in with my home's floorplan and all of its radiators), and now he has a cozy and functional dining space that can seat extra people when the leaf is added to the small round table. It's much more functional, and the space seems much larger with the smaller furniture replacing the older, bulky farmhouse table.
You can see the house tour from when Matt and I lived together here: A Bright & Beautiful Bungalow From An Ohio Trio
Images: Amanda Johnson
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It's good to have storage and a staging area for food, so this must be more functional. But purely visually, I actually thought it looked roomier before. Now there's a lot going on with the table and chair legs.
Looks great!
Looks cozier and more inviting now!
The storage and extra space is probably much needed and now appreciated, but that farmhouse table is so amazing. I'm sure it looks good no matter where it is.
I was hoping the first picture was the "after"...so simple, classy and elegant.
I usually vote for round tables but in this case, the first pic is spectacular and the "after" pic just doesn't hold a candle to it.
First pic. I was actually confused when I saw the after. I thought the first was the after.
both are really nice and have their advantages! the layout of the second is better, but the squareness and richness of the first table is better.
the style of the round table does not go with those amazing bertoia chairs. i like the clean lines of the first table better.
I think the shape of the second table is a much better fit for the space, but that table base is killing me!
I, too, liked the farmhouse table with the chairs. But I understand the impulse, but I just swapped my large heavy rectangular table for a round table. It's such a better fit in a small dining room.
The first table is a /much/ nicer piece, and sets off the chairs way better. Sideboard or some open shelving could have been added underneath the window and the room would still look bigger and classier with the old arrangement.
Beautiful farm table!! (And nice buffet!) But...the round table does fit the space better fo' sho'. I agree though that it doesn't seem to "go with" the chairs. Perhaps a coat of glossy black paint on the table? (Or maybe even glossy white, but that might be overkill. Even a fun bright red, yellow, or orange would look great!)
Btw, your house tour link is dead. :(
I love the sideboard and I love the chairs. I think he's right to switch to a round table in that space but he picked the wrong round table. It's really heavy and clunky looking.
I think the second arrangement is better, especially with the sideboard and picture leaned up against the wall. However, something must be done about the base of the round table. You should consider painting the top white, something similar to John and Sherry's would be lovely: http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/03/table-for-two/
My DR looks just like your before (except your table is what I want and mine isn't as nice), so I was anxious to see the after. It def. looks cozier, but that table seems way to small. So much so that it ruins it for me. The update to the curtains is nice, and the sideboard wood adds an element of cozy, but that table just isn't quite right. I want your old table. In my place if not in yours. :)
I prefer the square/rectangle shape for this space. I always felt like round tables take up more space without providing actual extra usable surface area.
Also I feel like it looks more cluttered now because even though the farmhouse table was larger, there was more visual space able to flow through, where as with the style of the chairs combined with the style of the round table everything is clustered there in the middle.
That being said that little table is gorgeous the way it is and a great find! don't paint!
I preferred the "before" picture but the storage space is probably useful in the "after".
That second table just isn't the solution....
I like the sideboard. The round table is not working visually, but I think that painting it a bright color would do the trick, without having to buy a new table.
maybe oil or stain the round table so that it disappears into the floor? the farmhouse table color seems to match with the floors better but the lighter color of the round table makes it look like a big clunky mess sitting on a sleek wood floor.
@fleo Actually, there was no room for a shelved under the window. Not sure if you can tell, but the table is pushed up against the wall because otherwise it wouldn't fit into the space. So people who want to sit on the opposite side have to walk around.
Also, I think the 15mm lens I used on the first picture makes the space seem deceptively larger than the 28mm lens I used for the second picture.
Oh, and also, Matt got this table as a place-holder when I moved out and took the larger table with me. He loves the smaller size, and the $20 price tag, but is still looking for a style he likes better that physically fits the space just like the one he currently has.
How funny, I just did the opposite; swapped a much longed for (small) Tulip table for a large and bulky farmhouse table! Whilst I loved the tulip tables stylish good looks and mid century vibe, the farmhouse suits my lifestyle much better. I love that I can have laptop and work piled up one end and still have room to eat at the other. I think the most important thing in any design decision is to use the space to suit your life :)
I prefer the first picture as well. It seems roomier and airier. Also, I am not a fan of the new table, although I understand it is just a placeholder, which explains it, I guess.