Solving Dining Nook Problems

My biggest wish and non negotiable when we designed the kitchen and dining space for the cottage was a dining nook. I had a vision from the start of family and friends, propped up with plump cushions, gazing at the view over long lunches and mornings spent reading the paper with a coffee. During the planning process we had to forgo some things on our wish list, but as we have no other dining space i knew that nook has ro stat. And i was going to so everything to make it happen. And it did. In this post,, read about how we created our dining nook, the problems we encountered and how we solved them..

Above is my original dining nook design.. You can see from the images below that some of the design changed. Here’s why.

The Dilemma of a Corner Dining Nook

I was drawn to the idea of a corner nook from the start. A corner nook is an intimate eating space and an almost instant way of creating community around a table.. Creating a corner nook was always in the plan. I didn’t realize the impact having kitchen cabinetry butting up to one side would have. We had no choice with the run of benches. Our kitchen is not expansive, but this design choice made the nook tricky to get into and limited the size of the table we could have.

Still. I was determined to make it work. So, we tried out two different tables before finally setting on an antique, circular, pine table.. It was fate we saw the table on that day. We went to the auction with the intention of bidding on a different item, but ended up with the table. The rectangular table we intended on using (our second choice) now functions as an island. The table can be turned lengthways and seating added when we have larger gatherings. The little dining nook is perfect when its just us or a couple of friends.

The biggest problem with the nook, however, is the bench seat. Gavin and the carpenter were adamant 45cm was too low, despite the fact I intended to add a bench cushion and this is the standard chair height. Basically, to stop the argument, I agreed to the bench being built at 50cm . It’s too high and I couldn’t add the thick cushion I wanted. Now, when we sit at the bench, my feet barely touch the ground. This is not conducive to a long lunch. I asked for the height to be lowered but unluess I take it apart I cannot see this happening. So, the workaround its to have tiny footstools to pull in and pop your feet on. They work, but are not what I wanted.

The Ugly Fence Issue

Unfortunately, the cottage doesn’t have the privacy and wide open spaces we had at the farm. I’m still getting used to the idea of having neighbours. To counteract the ugly green fence and, view of the neighbour’s unsightly garage, we planted screening along our boundary, This will take time to grow, so my workaround inside the house is a pair of linen cafe curtain panels. These can be closed to block the view at the side of the house but allow the maximum light into the room. This area also faces west. From previous experience at the farm, this can make summer late afternoon sun quite blinding, so the curtains will help with this.. I also love the softness the curtains bring to the angles in the room.

To make the curtains, I purchased two 1.5, copper rods and the little end caps to match. Gavin cut them to size and we spray painted cheap metal bracket in a copper colour to match the rods. I added the curtain clips I’ve used through out the cottage, sewed simple linen rectangles by cutting to size and hemming the edges and clipped them onto the curtain hooks. I love how this ties in with the curtain in the bathroom and matches our simple linen tea towels. Linen has such an informal country feel. It’s one of my favorite textiles.

Adding Softness to the Dining Nook

Kitchens have angular, hard surfaces. They’re not a room known for curves and softness. Soft, relaxing vibes were a priority if I wanted to achieve my goal of long lunches. We introduced the round table and piled cushions high under the windows. I chose this option rather than a seat back for the informal look it creates. I also chose a round scalloped pendant light to enhance this feelt. If you’ve been following for a while, you will know this is a replica of the lights in our bedrooms. I had a larger custom version made to mimic them and tie the old and new parts of the house together. The light shade also adds a textural element to the room, breaking up the hatch’s edges.

Textiles and Fabrics

In my original design, I had a pattern made from the wallpaper in the original kitchen. It was expensive to have the design reprinted and after paying for it I discovered it was not seamless as I had asked for and therefore could not be used in a fabric design. So, I decided to use linen and cotton to create a playful corner.

My first effort did not go to plan. Sticking to my whole house colour scheme, I knew I needed green, but could I find anything? Not a hope. It was only by chance that I returned to Spotlight on the day a whole range of linen was unpacked. I ended up with this gorgeous hydrangea print linen, which I coordinated pale blues and deep greens of a Japanese cotton. I may return to my original idea at some point but for now I’m super happy with the fresh and cosy look.

The light

I ADORE this light and was happy to have it custom made to make a statement. However, the fitting was installed where we thought the table would be, not where it ended up, This caused a major headache until I realized I could swag the cord and hang it where I wanted. But, let me tell you, finding the centre of the dining nook table was not easy. It’s still not exact but it’s close enough that only we would notice. I can live with that.