Monday, July 19, 2010

To eat in or not

In our discussions here about the future layout and floorplan of the kitchen reno we seem to have hit a point of contention! We agree on appliances, colors, materials, pretty much everything except for placement of our future eatting area. I LOVE our giant, sunny nook, but Sean would prefer to see it become a sunny reading room. He proposes to move the dining table and chairs to the middle of the kitchen and go with a smaller island, while I would like to see them stay put and have a larger work space.

With the hardwood floors installed, beadboard ceiling up, a new light fixture and some roman blinds I think this will be the perfect spot to share a bowl of cereal everyday.

What are your thoughts?

But in the meantime I have been debating on whether to go with a more dramatic crystal chandelier or a somewhat sleeker lantern-like fixture. And here are some of my favorite "nooks" that have me all inspired, yet confused as to what direction we should go in.

41 comments:

becca said...

i think i'd leave the table there too! seems like such a great spot...

Kerry said...

I'm with you! That dining nook is in the perfect spot with all of those windows. I wish we had a sunny spot like that to enjoy our breakfast in the morning!

lauren @ gathering moss said...

go with the lantern! you could also build in a window seat bench and guess what, instant reading nook. everybody wins! y'all are totally handy enough to pull it off with some diy action.

Oona Johnson said...

How about a built-in "banquet", similar to this concept:

http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=69895&index=23&searchQuery=dining%20rooms&searchType=photos&spaceId=11

or this:

http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=27867&index=1&currentPage=5&searchQuery=dining%20rooms&searchType=photos&spaceId=11

That way you can use it as a sunny dining area AND a sunny reading nook.

I like the lantern idea for your space.

René said...

That looks like the perfect place for a table and I love the lantern idea. Can't wait to see what you decide.

-Rene

Jen said...

i think having chairs for part of your table and then adding a padded bench for the other side would be a great compromise. your hubby can kick his feet up & read in his nook while you eat snacks & cozy up with him! maybe you could even put some bins under your windows full of your favorite reads....

i have no suggestions for lighting... love them all. i think i was especially drawn to that neat lantern picture but i think it may depend on what the rest of the room looks like...

Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife said...

Such a gorgeous nook...I don't think you can go wrong either way. I guess it just depends whether you'd like to have another spot to curl up with a book or not! ; ) Also, I'm almost always a fan of more kitchen space...

christine, just bella said...

That is just the perfect little breakfast nook - it so sunny and sweet! I would keep the table - heck, you can read at a table can't you ;)

Unknown said...

I'd leave it - you'll love the space even more as your little one gets older

Ann Marie @ Twice Lovely said...

Oooh! Love the idea of a widow seat IN the dining nook! It could also work as addition dining seating if you needed it. I'm voting for a simpler, lantern style fixture. Did you see the DIY Pottery Barn Knock Off that Amanda over at the Hand Me Down House did? It was really clever! http://thehandmedownhouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/pottery-barn-inspired-chandelier.html

Unknown said...

Great suggestion with the built in seating everyone! The only issue is that the windows go lower than seat-level, and we would need a HUGE table to cover the whole room.
I already told Sean that we have a living room, family room, chairs in Wren's room, and a couch in our room. I think we have plenty of reading spots LOL.

Ashley said...

surely there are plenty of other nice places in your house to sit and read, I say leave the table :o)

Miss Money said...

Why not have a beautiful cushy slipcovered love seat on one side of a square/rectangular table...You both can win! He can sit on the loveseat & read, you can dine at your table....I like the 1st, 2nd, and last light fixtures. Have a great week!

Unknown said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE that idea Miss Money!!

Paint Me White said...

Holly the dining nook in perfect where you have it. Sean's idean in theory sounds wonderful but we have a room that we dedicate to reading etc and it hardly ever gets used. That current dining space is such a wonderful area to sit and eat, I would leave it as is. Sandy x

Anonymous said...

If the position of the table now limits it's size, then go with Sean's idea. Otherwise, all of the comments have great ideas as you've already seen. I can just imagine a time when Wren and possibly other kids have friends over and you wish the kitchen table could be bigger on a permanent basis. Also, you thought a couch in the master might be weird, but you love it. You'll probably love a couch in the kitchen, too.

Honesty Counts said...

Go for the best of both worlds! Bring the table out a little and do a built-in window seat, resplendent and comfy for reading. It can double as extra seating around the sunny breakfast nook table if you move the chairs off to the side, leaves enough room for a medium/large island, and offers a nice little reading nook for Sean.

maria marks said...

Keep the nook for dining/breakfast. There's never enough counter space and people always gather in the kitchen during parties so it needs to have open space.......

Nicole @ the style hatch said...

Keep it as a dining nook, but maybe do some sort of 'sofa' like seating so your husband could lounge in the sun and read when desired!

Good luck!

Jessica said...

Hi Holly,

I really like to location of your kitchen table...it was a perfect spot for crafting anyways! My suggestion would be to either have a build in cozy area like the last two pics or a cozy chair on one side. Then you both kind of win!

Jess Xox

Audra said...

I would leave the table as well. Maybe you could incorporate benches under the windows with open shelves below for books..... Trying to fit both of your wants! Can't wait to see it.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the girls who suggested a bench on one side and chairs on the other...then he can "recline" to read on the bench! I think lanterns would be more fun and less expected!

Jacquelyn said...

Someone already posted my idea, compromise- if you can manage to get a banquet in there under those windows!

Grace said...

Definitely leave it as an eating nook and go with a latern fixture.

Jen said...

Keep the eat-in! You'll never think you have too much prep space on your island.

Lovely Little Nest said...

The question is: Which space would cause you to spend more time in the nook?

Will you really be spending a lot of time eating cereal there? If not, I say go with the reading nook.

Anonymous said...

I love your little table in the nook! It looks perfect to me, but if you wanted to kinda split the middle with your hubby, you could make the reading area in the nook, use your dining room for all your eating, and keep all your workspace in the kitchen itself. I think it will be lovely any way you go with it!

Anonymous said...

I would say dining space over reading nook. It'll be a great spot for homework, someday, too! The light fixture could go either way. I like the idea of a more formal chandelier -- all that sunlight glinting off the crystals -- but I'm also a sucker for a good lantern.

Thanks for sharing!

Abigail @ Raising Camelot

Melissa at HOUSEography said...

Just stumbled on your blog. Love it! I say go with the eating area too. I love window seats and would have put one in if we had the wall space (we needed doors to the backyard). Can't wait to see the reno! Stop by my blog sometime - http://www.houseography.net

Douglas said...

So how about using an arm chair or two at the table...unique seating and comfortable for leisure time at the table for games, cards, discussions or reading! And I would definitely go with a sparkly chandelier. I think dining areas need less clutter, so a chandelier would add sparkle and glamor without the STUFF. Can't wait to see/hear what you decide!

Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...

I agree with you for sure! That is a beautiful eating area with tons of potential. Love all the inspiration pictures...I'm knee deep in my dining room makover.
Londen

astitchoflifesc.blogspot.com said...

Love it, but the light fixture needs to be updated...too 80's. I love the lantern light!

Rebecca said...

I vote to leave the breakfast nook as is!!! (sorry Sean)...It's definitely on my top 10 list when we uprade to a bigger home! Are you gonna do built in window seating too?

kaylan said...

Miss Money took my idea... compromise with some cushy chairs that can be pulled away from the table and turned to face out the window (if that's what Sean envisioned as a reading room). You can have the best of both worlds. I would love love love to have a bright, sunny space to start the morning.

Jen said...

In our home whomever is more invested in the decision gets to "win" - the person who cares more or whom it would affect more.

Do you do the cooking and spend more time in the kitchen? You get to decide how much work space is necessary. Do you want the breakfast nook but DH really, really, really wants the reading nook? He gets his way.

If you still can't decide, then I'd look at resale value - I think a breakfast nook would be more widely needed by future buyers than a reading nook.

Amanda said...

oh how i know disagreements like this all too well. ;) i agree with the vintage slipcovered loveseat idea on one side and chairs on the other. that area looks meant to be a breakfast nook, so i'd for sure leave it as just that, with a "spot" for reading to appease Sean too. :)

as for the light fixture, i'm a sucker for crystal chandeliers in a bedroom but think a wire/lantern one would look lovely in your dining area.

WHATEVER you both decide will look amazing as it always does.

Shauna said...

I'd rather enjoy the windows while eating breakfast...while reading you are staring a book anyways!

A House and Home said...

What a beautiful space. Definitely keep the breakfast nook...is there another place you can create a sunny reading room?

Between Blue and Yellow said...

I like the idea of doing both a window seat and a table that way if he wants a reading spot he's got one and if you want cereal there's a table.

Elisabeth said...

I agree with you, a place to eat is pretty important, and you'll find as kids grow- they will never make themselves a snack, carry it to a dining room table (esp in a separate room) and eat it all nice and formal like that! Plus, I like to be around everybody while I'm working in the kitchen.

Anonymous said...

Definitely leave it as an eat-in-kitchen breakfast nook. That beautiful space will sell your home should you ever decide to move. It is lovely with all the windows and light coming in. As for the styles. Pic #5 the chandelier & rustic chairs are beautiful together. Pic #6 is definitely my style with the fun turquoise chairs and lime green accents (LOVE IT!), Loving the green hydrangeas in pic #7. If you're leaving the table and chairs as is which are beautiful, I think you should add a small rectangle pillow on each chair in a fun turquoise pattern, then green hydrangeas in the middle of the table. :) Love your space Holly! Don't you have two living rooms? One with the L-shaped sectional and one long white sofa? I'd say take away the long white sofa and make a reading nook there. :) Not like I really know your house... LOL.. just a thought. Have fun!

 
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