Q: We're struggling with how to use and arrange the front room of our house. We definitely want to incorporate the dining room into this room, but it leaves a dead corner - and we're not sure what to do with it:
The room is the first room you walk through in our house after passing through a tiny entryway. We have a large farmhouse table which we use for lots of entertaining and a hutch to go with it as well. The dead corner was once where the former owners had a small dining table and then, in the place where our table is now, was a seating area.
The dining room connects to the kitchen of which you can see the window/cut out into this space in the pictures. It's a natural place for folks to stand and talk during parties. The side table with pictures lines the stairway. We're not set on the placement of any of the furniture and are open and looking to incorporate additional uses into this room. Also looking for ideas on how to give it a more finished and lived in look.
Sent by Amy
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It looks there there's a wood stove? Maybe some comfy chairs? Make it a little tea/reading nook?
I would put a rug (perhaps diagonally) and a nice comfy armchair (not too big, no) along with a small little table that could hold a book or two, a cup of coffee. Other than that, a sideboard or something to hold whatever, and you could put one or two nice things on top of the sideboard/buffet without cluttering it up.
That looks like the perfect place to put a sideboard or a bar. You could put a couple of high stools there, even in front of the window. The light looks like it's pretty low, so if anyone's close to bumping into it, either raise it or replace it. Either way, hopefully it's on a dimmer so you can alter the mood of the space.
I'm also big on adding plants where possible. That corner looks like it's begging for a plant :)
Overall, nice space!
Yep reading nook or sideboard! Great little corner!
reading/study nook...or a dinette for 2...or a circular chair with a nice defined rug...like a waiting/reading area.Yes, a huge jewel colored planter will be great on that corner.
I would add a a rug of some sort to both the main eating area and by the nook in question. Something in an easily washable fabric in case something's spilled, and in coordinating colors/patterns so they tie together. Go with some kind of color to help break up the all-neutral palette, and something that would help the blue chairs seem less out of place.
Since the hutch is so large, I don't see any other options for furniture placement. How tied to the hutch itself are you? You could get a wider and shorter sideboard that goes from archway to archway and replace the paper lantern (?) with a table lamp. That frees you up to add art above it. It will also make the piece look more built-in, especially if you paint it the same color as the walls.
Speaking of, if that's an inherited paint color, I'd repaint in something bolder and/or brighter. And get curtains, at least for the street-facing windows.
For the nook itself, since it's a gathering place during parties, I second the bar recommendation. A couple of stools so people can perch and still talk to people who are standing. They can go under the shelf when not in use. No low seats or it will break up the group into sitters vs standers. Maybe extend out the pass-through shelf so there's more room to place drinks, but definitely something to serve that function. A tall table in the corner? A shelf that extends from the pass-through to the window? A shelf instead of a table would leave room for a plant.
If you want to add a reading area, replace one of the chairs at the ends of the table with a comfy upholstered piece. On the wood stove side you can pull it out whenever you want, stack some books next to the stove, and bam, reading nook. Pretty much the same goes for the other end.
I realize I may have went a little overboard here, but I'm OK with that.
How about an ottoman by the window, and a bar cart underneath the pass-through? Or you could turn it into a cozy little reading nook with a low bookcase under the window & a comfy chair. I also like plants, so add a plant, too. :)
Hard to see the whole space but we took out a wall andI I would do the same with the wall next to the staircase.....if possible. A plant or a beautiful tree branch , bottom to top, you could even spraypaint it. Or if you can find it a good size shimmering mobile......
Do you have children? This looks like a corner just dying for a kid's play space - you can opt for simple (benches that store things) or a crafts corner, or even a play kitchen.
If that is not something that tickles your fancy, why not create a little home office - a nice small secretary desk that closes to hide a laptop. This would be a great place to keep all household bills etc. handy.