How to Add a Dining Room within a Living Room
If you don't have a dining room in your home, don't despair. In fact, many people who have an actual dining room find that they rarely use them. It's actually quite easy to add dining room space in an existing living room. In fact, if you already have a dining room, you might decide to repurpose it for another use, adding a dining area to your living room instead to save space.
Assessing the Living Room Area
Take a good look at your living room area. Are there any spots within it that seem especially well-suited to the addition of a table and chairs? An area against the wall is often perfect for a dining area. If you're extremely tight on space, you could even push the table right up against the wall. A long narrow table pushed against the wall can seat four people easily - one on each end and two against the long side. You could even keep two extra chairs on hand, moving the table out from the wall if necessary when you need to seat six.
Placing a table in a corner can also work well, especially with a round table. When used in this fashion, the table doesn't seem to stick out into the room as much, which will help blend it into the overall look of the living room. A standard round table often provides comfortable seating for four. If you occasionally need to seat six, look for a table with a removable leaf.
Choosing Furniture Pieces
When adding a dining area to the living room, keep your table and chairs on the small side. Oversized tables and chairs are great, but they can take up too much room in the living room.
Choosing a table style that will allow the chairs to be pushed under the table are also a good choice, since less floor space will be taken up when the table isn't in use.
Incorporating the Dining Area into the Living Room
There are some tricks you can use to visually blend the dining area into the living room, while still giving the look of being a separate space. Choosing dining room furniture made from the same color wood as the living room furniture can be appealing.
Adding an area rug under the table can also help to visually segregate the dining space. If the table is against a wall, adding a high shelf to the wall over the table can have a nice visual appeal. A hanging light over the table will add to the look, plus provide adequate light for dining. If possible, use a dimmer switch on the light, so that you can adjust the level of light to suit the overall mood of the dinner.
A table runner usually looks more attractive and streamlined, compared to a full tablecloth. When not in use, display a vase of fresh flowers on the table as a centerpiece, which will add a natural touch of beauty to the room. Once you've added a dining area to your living room, you'll probably find that you use it all the time.
