Tables (that table and more)
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Perhaps an art piece? I like the idea of benches -would cut down on visual clutter.
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Ooh, I like that first one you posted!! And that's exactly my style, the black accents with wood!
And yes, I agree, round tables are sort of popular but we had a round dining room table way back when I was in grad school and it was awful. They take up a bunch of space, and when you're sitting at them, they're actively inconvenient in terms of a place setting or anything else you might do at a table, like study.
The second one you posted is probably too big. And although I like benches a lot, I think this spot is actually too small, so regular small-ish dining chairs might be better.
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hmm, there are also square tables that are small... not sure about that. Maybe I can simulate it with my folding tv tables to see how the space feels...
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That table/bench setup comes in 3 sizes but the smallest one doesn’t offer benches.
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Form follows function...I think it would be good to start to figure out how I need to use the space before trying to select any pieces. Looking at it from that perspective, obviously that space is an entry/mudroom because of the garage entry . It's also a potential eating area, though it adjoins two other eating areas (the counter and your current dining table), so you might be tripling up on dining. Which is fine, if you think you'd use all three for eating on a daily basis and/or for guests.
Observations:
From the photo it's clear you are already using it as as entry/mudroom, with the shoe rack and storage cubby under the counter. I don't see any place for coats, but I think that may be because it's summer and you don't currently have need for outerwear, but you will come fall/winter.
You have three places that are suitable for dining, namely the counter, the area in front of the patio, and the area in the living room where you already have set up a dining table and chairs. I'd be thinking about dining needs, both your daily routine and when you have guests. In our vacation home, everyone gravitated to the counter and ignored the adjoining formal dining space.
What I might do...first, I'd figure out how to set up /formalize the entry function because I'd be using that area for that function every day. I would be looking for a way to hide the shoes rather than have them on an open shelf unit, but that's because I wouldn't want shoes and coats near the cooking area of the kitchen. And the cubbies under the counter look a bit like an afterthought.
I'd also want a place to put coats near where I enter/exit routinely.
You could do a built-in or or buy a freestanding unit to go in the place where the shoe shelf is. Maybe something with a bench and hooks for coats, with storage above and below. Maybe search for "hall tree with bench and storage". Or you could split up the entry function between the kitchen eating area and the garage and put coats in one place and shoes in the other. Again, I'd be looking at some kind of storage capability, preferably with doors so you can hide coats and shoes.
As for whether to put a table in the eating area...I would probably treat that area as a hallway and put stools under the counter for casual eating. The stools can pretty much tuck away underneath when not in use but still give you extra places to sit.
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@Steve-Miller said in Tables (that table and more):
That table/bench setup comes in 3 sizes but the smallest one doesn’t offer benches.
Ah, I see it, 48 x 36... that's probably still too big actually. I'll measure when I get home, but the space is pretty small.
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something that's all-in-one storage to organize the entry function. Not your style or color or size necessarily. Just look at it for how it might be used:
eta: here's another one, smaller:
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Thanks for all the ideas @wtg !
@wtg said in Tables (that table and more):
Form follows function...I think it would be good to start to figure out how I need to use the space before trying to select any pieces. Looking at it from that perspective, obviously that space is an entry/mudroom because of the garage entry .
Yep. I've been noticing that I want a table there for when I come in from the garage. We don't put anything on the counter where the sink is (when we come in), because that's part of the kitchen and Mr Sk is quite particular about that.
It's also a potential eating area, though it adjoins two other eating areas (the counter and your current dining table), so you might be tripling up on dining. Which is fine, if you think you'd use all three for eating on a daily basis and/or for guests.
We probably wouldn't sit there regularly, but based on our gathering the other day, I will want a table there for when we have guests. (Those foldable tv tables are not functionable enough, too small and too unstable, besides the fact that they're not attractive)
Observations:
From the photo it's clear you are already using it as as entry/mudroom, with the shoe rack and storage cubby under the counter. I don't see any place for coats, but I think that may be because it's summer and you don't currently have need for outerwear, but you will come fall/winter.
We won't put coats there. Coats are super bulky and would take up physical space as well as be more visual clutter. The way we set this space up, you can't use the coat hooks that are there. That was intentional. There's a coat closet by the front door, and in the last three places we've lived, we always keep our coats in the coat closet. So no coats here.
I'd be thinking about dining needs, both your daily routine and when you have guests. In our vacation home, everyone gravitated to the counter and ignored the adjoining formal dining space.
Yep. Our daily dining will mostly be at the bigger table that's already there. But since I'm planning to have regular gatherings, I want a space there for people to seat and/or set their food down. This weekend, I had two chairs there, plus the folding tv table. And I set up the drinks station on the counter by the sink. And the actual food was on the main dining table in the living area. And so even though there was other seating throughout the living room and in the piano room, everyone was in that area. Of course!
What I might do...first, I'd figure out how to set up /formalize the entry function because I'd be using that area for that function every day.
It's already set up functionally.
I would be looking for a way to hide the shoes rather than have them on an open shelf unit, but that's because I wouldn't want shoes and coats near the cooking area of the kitchen. But I'm not a big fan of open storage, so that might not be a consideration for you.
I also don't really like open storage (and I hate open shelves in kitchens). It would be nice to have a shoe rack that's actually an item that has doors so you don't see the shoes. I don't think Mr. SK would like that though... Shoe racks in Japan are generally always open, so I think he looks at it differently than I do. So for now, that will stay that way... But yeah, it would look nicer if that shelf wasn't open. At a minimum, the next time we have a gathering, I will move all those shoes into our bedroom closet just for the gathering.
And I'd want a place to put coats near where I enter/exit routinely.
In the hall closet. That works for us.
As for whether to put a table in the eating area...I would probably treat that area as a hallway and put stools under the counter for casual eating.
If the counter didn't have the sink there, I might consider that, but because of the sink and the rest of the kitchen set up, that's a work station for dishwashing and food prep, so no counter seating for us.
As I think about all of this.... for entertaining, I wonder if we might almost be better of completing reversing the living room set up. Move the dining room table to the opposite end, move the seating to where the dining room table is now.... (not a sit-down dinner, but a gathering with buffet style, finger food)....
In our last house (that we owned, not the rental) we used to completely rearrange the furniture in the family room for gatherings. It wasn't a big deal to do that beforehand and move it back afterwards.... Although it would be a bigger hassle in this new place... hmm...
Anyway, that's not directly relevant to the table question.
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@wtg said in Tables (that table and more):
something that's all-in-one storage to organize the entry function. Not your style or color or size necessarily. Just look at it for how it might be used:
eta: here's another one, smaller:
Oops just saw this. Thanks for the links, but I don't want to put something like that in this space, too big and we won't put our coats here. We're good with the half-height shoe rack style. (although I would like to get one with doors if I can convince Mr Sk of that)
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Would some kind of drop leaf or gateleg table work for the kitchen eating area? Smaller footprint for daily living, could be expanded when guests are there.
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I like the idea of a drop leaf! Or maybe one with a removable leaf (our regular table has removable, super convenient). What is a gateleg? off to google!!
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Is it this? I don't think we want this color, or round
but this is very nice design!
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yes, that is a gateleg table. It's just a drop leaf design with legs that swing out. We have one in our screen room and have it half-closed when we're not using it for four people. They make square ones where the stools can kind of tuck in underneath so you don't have bulky chairs. Maybe not comfortable enough stools for a sit down dinner, but great if you're just perching during a party...
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Here's one, don't know if the dimensions work for you.
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ooh that one is cool!
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Multifunctional furniture is very common in Scandinavian design. I think they often took their cue from interior shipbuilding approaches, maximize use in small spaces. I think there are a ton of them at IKEA, but they tend to be cheap and probably not a good fit for your decor. IKEA does a lot of white and light colored woods.
Here's a compact dining table ala Scandinavian MCM. Not a gateleg but nifty nonetheless, from the 1960s. Hans Olsen for Frem Rojle.
There's also a version of that one where the chairs only have three legs. I'm not so sure how stable they might be when you're pushing them in/out to sit down!
Here's a gateleg with built-in storage for the chairs. Clever design but I don't know how comfortable those chairs would be for a long sit.
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Here's one I've always been fascinated with, the teak desk in a box.
Lots more pics here:
https://epochfurnishings.com/2017/07/28/vintage-teak-desk-box-secretary/?v=7516fd43adaa
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these are fun! I really like that round one! But probably none of these would fit our decor (and they're probably too big).
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A version of a the "desk in the box" that I haven't seen before. Guess it's really more of a secretary desk because of the drop-down writing surface.
https://shop.villagetreasurehouse.org/collections/whats-new-this-week/products/desk
It's teak veneer, not solid, so not quite as substantial, but still kinda nice!
