Well before we jump into the details regarding doing up our small dining space , as usual I will torture and torment you through a long prelude. Please bare and be patient or feel free to jump to the section of What , How , Where. This new acquired human attention span of one second where we want to know everything in a 10 second video is making the world go crazy.
Ironically everyone in that video is pouring a cup of Coffee and turning the pages of a book in slow-motion but I rest my doubts how many actually read and savour their Coffee at peace everyday. Anyway we are in an era where owning a Hobby and Showing away your Hobby are entirely two different things. Now that, I have made my mini rant & slapstick jab quite evident so will stop right here because somewhere even I get caught in the fast life we live today.
I have to tell you, in our previous rental home we rarely used the dining space. It was a big space nicely carved out opposite the kitchen and yet we ate mostly in our room in front of the Television. Breakfast either on the go or while lounging in the living area where it opened up to my mini balcony garden but the dining space and our mini round table remained unused or was a dumping ground for just random stuff.
This round round table for two was the first furniture we bought after getting married, it was a compromise back then with the shoe string budget we had back then. We were so broke after buying a Home that same year , getting married , and going on a honeymoon to Mauritius. So all we could get was this tiny round table for two and a double mattress to sleep on. This was in the year 2012. Trying to make up for that time lost , we use this here quite well now.
I realised a dining space for me has to have a lookout area rather than being in a dingy excluded corner like the one in our previous Home, next to a window is added bonus. I like my mind to wander , and watch my plants sway while I eat , drink coffee slowly and sit there doing nothing except dreaming or may be while doom scrolling. It has to be a COZY AFFAIR even if I am just nibbling home made ‘Daal chawal’ with a dollop of ghee. The reason why we all often sit and eat meals on Mum’s dining table is precisely this. Bright natural light flows from the glass window next to it.
Circling back to the main topic now that I have had my full share of digression, and am pretty content deep down till the kidneys. We are gonna be breaking up this tiny cute dining space of ours bit by bit for you. You’ll soon see a new bigger custom Table here like anytime but until then let me share how this one looks now thinking did I really even need a bigger rectangle ( Ha Ha Ha this is typically me after every purchase made in life).
A Cute Round Table with a few Mismatched Chairs/Stools
Round Tables are space savers , ours is for two but trust it can easily seat even four. If you find one with a pedestal in the center even better. All chairs can neatly be tucked in then. For the linen get yourself some Buffalo & Gingham Checks for those Cafe feels. Green , Red, Blue , Yellow any colour you like. I found this perfect yellow one on Amazon for an unbelievable price it went straight into the cart. Would like to get one for yourself then its on a discount right now. Buy it here
The chairs are all mismatched primarily because of space , I have 2 chairs that came with the table , 2 we pull from our Balcony , or this cane chair comes out from the study sometimes to accommodate more seating if required. I recently added this Farmhouse Stool from Chumbak and I think it looks pretty darn cute. Buy in here
Add Retro or Cottage Style Art
Vintage Prints , Botanicals , or even Retro Movie posters like Delhi’s famous Bigchill Cafe . Bigchill is to Delhi what Sarvana Bhavan is to Chennai or Mc Donalds is to USA. Its an emotion a feeling only we Dilliwala’s get. I happened to stay in Khan market for a month in the beginning of my career. And a lazy walk every evening to grab my baked potato was a memory I still hold onto so dearly. Nine out of ten times I eat the same thing even today when I visit. Post another mini digression detour rerouting back to my Gallery Wall – We displayed some of our chopping boards , Winter Vegetables Art and a Basket with a Plant. Sits pretty , looks perfect , feels like Home. The country style art is by a talented girl, Richa who I met on Instagram. Reach out to her on her Instagram Page here. Give her my reference and don’t expect a discount I paid for mine !
If you are a vovie buff add retro posters of some classics like Big Chill Cafe , or even Vintage Cars, Bikes Coffee quotes anything that’s sings to you and reflects your personality.
Invest in a Crockery Cabinet/A Rack or some Open Shelving
I don’t have a Crockery Cabinet as of now but I am eyeing a really cool one online. But until then I decided to use my Open Storage Rack to display some goodies. Displaying some of your things on open shelving – Crockery , Books , A Teapot , Some Cookies or even Pasta in a fancy jar adds to those Cafe feels. Put Alexa on for some ‘Amoreeeee’….. music and you are guaranteed to be transported to a small hamlet like Positano at the beautiful Italian coast quite literally. Who wouldn’t like that.
If you don’t have a rack like this or a crockery unit like me & are not so keen to invest in either, get some rustic open shelves and layer them with recipe books , plants, art and your heirlooms and vintage thrift finds. Here’s how Debapriya of @myeverydaycasa does it effortlessly in her Mumbai Apartment. Take a look at her beautiful page on Instagram here to get some ideas.
Ceiling Lamp
Invest in a good Pendant lamp that hangs low on your Table (I have to bring this one lower) , ours is a Rattan one bought from a local roadside vendor for Rs 800 but tons are available online now. A very retro scandinavian style metal one similar to the ones that Hang in the Operation Theatre also look nice and rustic ( I should have come up with a better reference than a OT but that’s what came to my mind ). Ikea has some great ones if you are on a lookout. Find them here
That’s it a little breakdown of the dining space which is barely a few feet honestly and is the first thing you see when you enter the Home, a funny layout indeed but we gotta make things work here isn’t it.
Is your dining space also tiny like ours then I hope you picked up a clue or two from here. Off lately the most positive reinforcement I get from people is that when they see hundreds of pictures on the gram or internet they still cannot comprehend practically designing and decorating their spaces well. A well curated design magazine also misses the mark for someone just starting out and rather intimidates them. Online shopping , digital channels , social media bombards with new content before the first one is absorbed and practically most people land up just buying stuff one after the other.
These blogs aim to be a light tea time read and mostly inspire the old school you who could take a clue and start with basic little changes that packs an impact without being intimidated and without spending hoards of money either. I believe if I can do it living in a rental, so can you but if you still feel ‘WHERE DO I START’ in your head all the time feel free to drop me an email or a comment below to connect and help you start. I probably was a motivational speaker in my last life and will get you started I promise.
Bye & Happy Weekend !
