Small House Living ~ Dining Room

This is the tiny dining room in our cozy little house.  It is very, very small, and when people are seated, there is no walking space around the table.  Yet it still works really well for us.

The only furniture that actually fits in this room is the dining table, 4 chairs, and bench.  There used to be a wall between this room and the tv room and it was impossible to have any large family gatherings here.  One of my favorite things we have done is remove the wall between these two rooms.  

view from tv room

We used floorboards that we removed from the attic to enclose the new opening giving the look of exposed beams.  We lightly sanded the boards and applied a Danish Oil in natural to the wood.

view from dining room

My husband used some of the extra wood to create this faux fireplace which I LOVE.  It gives a wonderful focal point to the room and I especially love to decorate it for the holidays.  

You can't even notice that inconspicuous GIANT tv, can you?  Well, it's not moving anywhere.  I had to compromise on something with a guy that allowed me a white sofa.

When you fill this room with people and dogs, you really can't get by if you're on the end near the tv room.  It's that tight.

Here you get a peek of the dining room to the left and can see how our house basically surrounds the center stairway and chimney.  

The table was a huge splurge for us, purchased from Pottery Barn.  We got the 2 Rustic Pendant lights for free using points we earned buying the table.  Then, the table went on sale and Pottery Barn refunded us the difference between what we paid and the sale price!  I made the burlap cord covers by sewing burlap ribbon by hand, the long way down the cord.  (Yes, I had to stand on the table to do this, and when the burlap gets dirty enough, I will have to cut it off).

We love this farmer's table for its rustic charm, the warm pine color, and the very sturdy leaves you can add to each end.  By extending the table into the tv room, the leaves enable us to seat up to 14 slightly squished people for holiday dinners.  

We store the leaves under the sofa, carefully wrapped in the foam they came in.  The only time it is is problem is when this one tries to squeeze under there!  

She's quite a bit bigger now but still goes under the sofa occasionally.

The chairs were purchased used and painted white and the rug was found on craigslist.

Linens are stored in this buffet that was a Christmas surprise from my husband.

Because I keep "things" to a minimum, have a "light hand" at decorating, have a place for everything, and give away what I no longer use I am able to really make small spaces work for us without it feeling claustrophobic.  (Now if I could just apply the same things to my sentences)!

By keeping this tiny room as simple as possible, we are able to keep it clutter-free, functional, and enjoyable for our family.

Linking up here:

https://adventuresofmel.com/inspire-me-wednesday-linky-party-issue-226/

http://happilyeverafteretc.com/category/welcome-home-wednesdays/

http://diybydesign.blogspot.com

http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/2017/03/feathered-nest-friday_16.html

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/03/best-friday-features-amazon-gift-card-giveaway.html

http://piecedpastimes.blogspot.com/2017/03/saturday-sparks-link-party-211.html