First of all, what makes a dining nook? How do you know that you have a room that you can appropriately call a dining room nook? Some kitchens are just large rooms with space for a dining nook set, but cannot really claim that title. Typically, the dining nook will be slightly separated from the rest of the kitchen in some way. For example, the dining nook area might stick out from the house further than any other room. Or, the walls around the dining nook will change in shape from the rest of the kitchen. For example, there might be several walls forming a half of an octagon around the dining nook area which is open to the kitchen, but separate. Another difference might be that the dining nook will generally have more windows than the rest of the kitchen. Some homeowners even separate the rooms with more obvious things like a change in flooring materials or wall coverings. For example, the dining nook walls might be wallpapered while the rest of the kitchen is painted.

Dining Nook Furniture

Dining nook sets are slightly different from dining room furniture in several ways. First of all, a dining nook set will be more informal and casual than dining room furniture. One way that the dining nook furniture is more casual is that there are often dining nook benches for seating in combination with dining nook chairs. In general bench seating is seen as being more casual. Another difference is that dining room furniture almost never fits into a corner. A corner dining nook set is one that fits into the corner of the room with an L shaped bench rather than sitting in the center. Those L-shaped benches offer another bonus that you never find in dining room furniture and that is storage. A dining nook with storage under the bench seats is great for the kitchen where you are always looking for extra room to store things like small appliances or kitchen linens.

A third difference is that generally the formal dining room will have a rectangular table and the dining nook furniture can be any number of shapes. Round dining nook tables and square dining nook sets are just as common as rectangular ones. It depends on the shape of the dining nook itself, what the shape of the dining nook table will be. If the room is roughly circular then a round dining table would be a good idea. With round tables you are mostly restricted to chairs, because it is difficult to find curved benches. If you do have a round dining nook table then you might find it useful to install a large Lazy Susan in the center of the table so that it is easier to pass serving dishes to people across the table.

Decorating the Dining Nook

The dining nook can be a difficult room to decorate because the dining nook set will take up a majority of the space in the room. Therefore, you may be surprised to hear that there are many dining nook ideas for decorating. One idea is to use something within the room that is functional in order to make a decorating statement. You can do this with many items such as the dining nook window treatments, the dining nook cushions on chairs and benches, or even the dining nook furniture itself. Window valances for the dining nook windows and cushions for the dining nook seating have a functional purpose, but they are a great opportunity to introduce color, texture, and patterns into the room. You can tie it in nicely with the rest of the kitchen by using similar colors and patterns for decorating in both the kitchen and the dining nook. The dining furniture can be a decorative element if you take the time to personalize it. You can add a tiles table top to the dining nook table with accent tiles matching the accent tiles in your kitchen backsplash, or you can add a more personal touch by making your own accent tiles.

A kitchen breakfast nook is an area at the end or just off of the kitchen where you will find a kitchen dining set. It is an informal table where your family will gather for a majority of its meals together because it is easy to access the food in the kitchen and easier to clean up if you do not have to transfer all the food to serving dishes in a formal dining room. There are several characteristics other than its proximity to the kitchen that are common in almost all kitchen dining nooks.

A kitchen dining nook will usually have many windows and lots of natural light. Of course windows are not a requirement, but they are common. Kitchen nooks typically stick out from the house further than the other rooms so there are three walls available for windows. Another characteristic of most kitchen nook areas is that they are not large. Unless you invest in custom kitchen nooks where you get to design as much room as you need, you will find that most kitchen dining nooks are only big enough for the kitchen nook set and not much else.

How to Furnish Your Kitchen Nook

If you have a kitchen nook in your home, then you will need to furnish it at some point. There are certain steps that you should take to make the selection process easier. In addition, there are a few tricks and tips that you can use to make sure that you get the most out of the space you have available in your kitchen nook. If you follow these steps and these tips then you will find the perfect set of kitchen nook furniture for your home.

The first step is to measure your kitchen nook carefully. There is nothing more frustrating than choosing a kitchen nook table and chairs only to find that you do not have the kitchen nook space requirements necessary to fit it in your kitchen. Measuring the kitchen breakfast nook is sometimes harder than it seems. Most of the time the breakfast nook does not have four walls that clearly define the boundaries of the room. Instead, you need to guess where the boundary is between the kitchen and the nook area. Once you determine where the imaginary walls would be, you might face other problems because many times the breakfast kitchen nook is not a rectangular or square room. Sometimes there are many walls forming a half octagon or some other shape instead. In other words, kitchen nooks are not always regular polygon shapes. The procedure is to figure out what regular polygon the room resembles and then take measurements of that shape.

Once you have the measurements of the room you can calculate how large your kitchen nook table can be. The rule of thumb to use is to subtract three feet from each of the dimensions of the kitchen nook. For example, if you have a roughly rectangular kitchen nook with measurements of ten by eight, then you can have a kitchen nook table that measures seven by five. You may be wondering why you need to leave so much room between the kitchen nook tables and the walls. The answer is that you have to leave room for the kitchen nook seating. Kitchen nook chairs, specifically need to have room between the table and wall so that you can pull them out and sit down and then push them out and stand up. Kitchen nook benches that remain stationary do not need as much room and as a result you can purchase a larger kitchen nook table if you have a kitchen nook set with bench seating. A corner kitchen nook table can be even larger because there is a bench on two adjacent sides of the table so the dimensions can be increased in both directions.

Once you have figured out how large your kitchen nook table can be, you can start to think about kitchen nook seating arrangements. There are benefits to both kitchen nook chairs and kitchen nook benches. Chairs offer your guests some personal space that benches do not. When you sit on a bench, you are forced to touch legs and arms with your neighbor and that can be uncomfortable for your guests who may not know each other that well. Chairs are also easier for young children who need to sit on their knees or on a booster seat. There is nowhere to attach a booster seat on a bench.

Benches, on the other hand, can seat more people that chairs so they are a good choice for a large family that needs to accommodate large numbers of people around their kitchen nook table. Another advantage of kitchen nook benches is that they often come equipped with under the seat storage compartments. Corner kitchen nooks are the most common type of kitchen nook furniture sets to offer storage. Kitchen nook benches with storage are a great place to put extra kitchen linens, small kitchen appliances that you do not use every day, or large food containers.

If you have an exceptionally large kitchen nook and you do not want a table that fills the entire space, you could also consider a kitchen nook table with a drop leaf or a leaf extension in the center. On special occasions you could always make the kitchen nook table larger, but it does not have to be large every day.

Kitchen Nook Sets

Once you know the shape and size of your kitchen nook table and the type of kitchen nook seating that you want, you can start to look for kitchen nook furniture for your home. The most common way to purchase kitchen nook furniture is in kitchen nook table sets. A kitchen nook set is a grouping of furniture that includes the kitchen nook table and the seating around the table. The materials of construction will match and the seating will be the correct height for sitting at the nook table. You can choose to buy your kitchen nook furniture piece meal, but it will be hard to meet the same criteria on your own.

Taking the information you learned during your measurements, you will know what shape your kitchen nook dining set must be and that is the perfect place to start. Once you have eliminated the tables that are the wrong shape, you can start looking at size requirements. Finally, once you have a few choices of kitchen nook furniture sets that have the right shape table of the right size, you can start looking at the seating options. You may have to make a few concessions along the way, like giving up some chairs for benches if the table is slightly too large, but you should have a few choices at the end of your search.

To narrow your selection further, you need to look at style and materials of construction. The style and materials in your kitchen nook should match the style and décor in the rest of your kitchen as much as possible. Even though they are technically different rooms, they blend together so much that you need to make sure they match each other. There are a few broad characterizations to keep in mind. For example, wood is generally not used in modern settings in its natural state. In other words, the only way you will find wooden kitchen nook furniture in a modern kitchen is if it is painted rather than stained. Another general rule would be that wood is generally stained light colors if you have a country style kitchen and stained dark colors if you have a more formal kitchen. Still another generalization is that glass and metal tables and kitchen nook sets are well suited to modern homes.

After you find the perfect material of construction for your kitchen nook set, you can turn your attention toward kitchen nook furniture styles. One very popular style is the corner kitchen nook set. Kitchen corner nooks are made up of an L-shaped bench that fits into the corner, a table, and either chairs or benches on the other sides of the kitchen nook table. You need to have a kitchen nook with two walls that are perpendicular to each other in order to make this style of kitchen breakfast nook set work. Kitchen corner nooks cannot have an odd shape like a half octagon that sticks out away from the rest of the house.

If your kitchen nook has that shape, then a style that would be more appropriate might be a round kitchen table with chairs. I specifically say chairs because it is quite uncommon for there to be curved benches around a round table. Round kitchen nook sets almost always have chairs rather than benches. Round kitchen tables are different than rectangular tables in that they usually have one center table leg rather than four legs at the corners. This means that it is easier to squeeze extra chairs in around the table if you need to. If your kitchen nook area is large, then the round table may be so large that it is uncomfortable to reach across from one side to the other. In those instances, there is a special style of round kitchen table that has a large Lazy Susan in the center that you can rotate around three hundred and sixty degrees.

Other Kitchen Furniture

If you have a relatively small family but a very large kitchen nook space, then you might consider other kinds of kitchen nook furniture rather than extra large kitchen nook sets to fill the space. There are several varieties of furniture that you can put in the breakfast kitchen nook that are convenient and stylish.

The first is a pantry cabinet. Some kitchens are designed with a pantry cabinet built into the rest of the kitchen cabinetry, but many are not. Most homeowners need to use a separate, stand alone pantry cabinet. Since the kitchen is usually wall to wall cabinets, there is rarely any room in there. The kitchen nook is still close enough that it is convenient for a cook or homeowner preparing food, but it is considered part of the kitchen nook furniture so it doesn’t have to match the kitchen cabinets exactly. These kitchen nook cabinets are usually just inside the boundary of the kitchen nook and slightly separated from the rest of the kitchen cabinets. It works especially well if you have a corner nook kitchen table because it balances things out to have other pieces of furniture along the third wall.

Another common type of kitchen nook furniture is a console table. Console tables are tables with four thin legs that are meant to sit against a wall or large piece of furniture. They are usually very slight pieces of furniture and they are perfect for the kitchen nook because they do not take up much space and you can use the surface to display pictures or place your house plants. Kitchen breakfast nooks have lots of natural light so it makes sense that you would want to take advantage of it for your houseplants. The perfect kitchen nook console table will be short enough to fit under the window sill.

Decorating the Kitchen Nook

Because the kitchen nook is filled with so much furniture, it may seem at first like there are not many decorating opportunities. However, by using the furniture and the elements of the room that make it a kitchen nook like the windows, you can make many decorating choices that will make this room a very comfortable one in your home.

The kitchen nook set is the largest thing in the room so it should be the focal point of your decorating strategy. You can use the difference elements of the kitchen nook furniture set to your advantage. For example, corner kitchen nooks have large benches with high backs and the kitchen nook corner bench is an excellent opportunity to add color and texture to the room. You can pick upholstery in almost any material that you like and therefore change the color and texture. In addition, you can add throw pillows to the L-shaped bench for contrasting colors and themes.

But you do not have to have a corner kitchen nook set to use the seating arrangements for decoration. Any kitchen nook bench or kitchen chairs can have cushions on the seats that have the same effect as upholstery. In fact kitchen nook cushions may be even better because you can purchase cushions with cushion covers that are changeable. That way, you can change the look for your kitchen nook easily.

There are other ways to decorate your kitchen besides kitchen nook cushions and kitchen nook bench upholstery. You can use the window treatments to add color and lines to them room as well. Window valances, specifically are a great addition to the kitchen nook because you can install them at a height equal to the kitchen cabinets so there is a continuous line for the eye to follow from one room to another. Window valances come in many shapes and styles so you will definitely be able to find one that matches the décor in the rest of your kitchen and kitchen nook.

Most homeowners choose to use blinds of some kind rather than drapes these days. For whatever, reason, drapes or curtains seem a bit old fashioned and they are much harder to manipulate. Blinds can let in a little bit of light or block it out entirely. But blinds rarely offer the touches of color and texture that a decorator needs. Thais why window valances are so popular in the kitchen. They do not get in the way of the operation of blinds, but they add color and possibly shape to a window depending on the variety of window valance.

Another advantage of valance window treatments is that they are a way to tie the kitchen and breakfast nook together. Some homeowners believe that you should try to tie the two rooms together with kitchen furniture like a pantry cabinet that looks like the kitchen cabinets, but is a free standing storage cabinet that is actually in the breakfast nook. Nevertheless, the window valances offer another opportunity. Not only can you draw on colors in the kitchen counter or backsplash tiles, but if you install your window valance on a line that is level with the top of the cabinets in the kitchen, it will help tie the rooms together. Designers and architects use lines like that all the time to make the eye flow easily room one space to another. If you are interested in having a valance above a window over your kitchen sink or a set of window valances in your breakfast nook, there are several different varieties to choose from.

Types of Window Valances

There are probably as many as twenty different window valance styles. We won’t go into detail for each style, but we will discuss some of the most popular and the categories that many styles fit into. The main point is that you can have a window valance be almost any shape you desire and out of any kind of fabric as long as it matches the rest of your décor.

Tailored Window Valance

The tailored valance is probably the most popular. This window valance hangs on a normal curtain rod if there are no other curtains, or sometimes on a curtain rod that is installed out slightly further than the other curtain rod if there are curtains or drapes. There are three parts to a tailored window valance that are all really just one large piece of fabric. There is a rod pocket where the curtain rod is places so that it is hidden from view and the valance hangs from this rod pocket. Above the rod pocket is an area called the header. When you form a rod pocket you turn the fabric over and sew two seams with a space in between. The fabric above the top seem of the rod pocket is called the header. It generally sticks straight up and is no larger than one to one and a half inches. Most tailored window valances will be puckered meaning that the rod pocket will have elastic in the seams and the header will look kind of pleated. The last part of a tailored window valance is the fabric that hangs down. It is usually about twelve inches long and only covers the very top part of the window falling loosely.

Shaped Window Valance

Another popular type of window valance design is a shaped window valance. As the name implies, these valances are shaped around something rather than just hung from a curtain rod like the tailored valances. They are essentially the same design as a tailored valance, but the shaped window valances have pieces that turn back towards the wall and form a kind of three sided box against the window. They are mostly used where there are also curtains or drapes hanging behind the window valance in order to hide the curtain hardware. The way the shaped window valance is achieved is with a special curtain rod that has pieces that extend directly out of the wall and then make ninety degree turns into the long curtain rod piece. While not essential, most shaped window valance curtain rods and rod pockets are larger than tailored rod pockets, as large as three to four inches. I think this effect is to make the window valance look even more box like. Also, shaped window valances are generally not puckered for the same reason.

Scalloped Window Valance

Pointed Window Valance

There are many different variations on these two window valance designs and most of the variations have to do with the hanging part of the valance and the cut of the fabric. One variation is a scalloped window valance. Scalloped valances have anywhere from one to three scallops across the bottom rather than a straight line. The scalloped valances are also a little longer than the straight ones and the scallop shapes usually fall about sixteen inches. Some window valances have pointed bottoms. The valance has a triangular shape and comes to a point at the center of the window. Alternatively, there could be several points like with the scallops. Still others use generally curved bottoms and these are called tapered valances. The shape of your window valance should reflect the decoration and style of the rest of the breakfast nook and kitchen.

Banner Window Valance

Some other variations include a banner window valance and ruffled or trimmed window valances. The banner window valance is a valance with at least three pieces of fabric rather than just one. There is a central piece that looks like a tailored window valance with a round bottom, but it does not start the rounding after coming straight down at the sides. Instead, the half circle piece starts in the upper corner leaving a large part of the window uncovered. Then, behind that round piece of the window valance on either side are triangular fabric pieces that cover the outer parts of the window. Ruffled and trimmed window valances can be scalloped, straight, pointed, or tapered. The only difference is that there is some kind of fringe or ruffle at the bottom for decoration.

Balloon Window Valance

One last variety of tailored window valance treatment is the balloon valance. Instead of a hanging piece of fabric whether straight, puckered, or pleated there is a balloon of fabric below the rod pocket. The fabric is brought all the way around to the rod pocket again to create a kind of balloon effect. Sometimes, people put things in the balloon to make it more voluminous, but most of the time it is just billowed fabric. While everyone is free to choose whatever kind of window valance they want for whatever room they want, balloon valance window treatments seem to work best in country themed kitchens and breakfast nooks. One downside to this type of valance window treatment is that they need to be maintained more than other varieties. If the balloon is not periodically puffed up, the valance will look wilted and not pretty.

Scarf Valance

There are also window valances that are not shaped or tailored. Scarf window valances are another classification of valance style. These valances are essentially a very long and thin piece of fabric that you drape over a rod at the top of your window like a scarf. The scarf can hang down to the floor on either side, or it can be cut off further up. You can drape it once so there is one long scalloped shaped piece of fabric or you can drape it over twice like in this picture to create two scallops. The fabric is adjustable so you can make the scarf look any way you like. These window valances are much easier to install and to remove when it is time for cleaning. They are generally made of sheer and light fabrics, but they do not have to be. The sheer fabrics tend to drape in a more aesthetically pleasing manner.

Where to Use Cushions

There are several different kinds of cushions and places that you will use seat cushions in the breakfast nook or kitchen. The first place you will find cushions is on breakfast nook chairs. Individual chair cushions can come in a few shapes and attach to the chair is a few different ways. Some seat cushions are square. Generally if you choose square seat cushions, the cushion might not cover the seat exactly because there are very few chairs that are an exact square. Most chairs are concave at the back and then extend out in a rectangular shape in the front. Some cushions are shaped to match this conformation exactly. If you decide to go with that kind of seat cushions, then make sure that the size matches your chairs. Your final seat cushions shape is circular. Circular seat cushions should only be used on chairs that are circular.

There are two ways that cushions attach to the chairs they are associated with. The first way is with ties. There are usually two ties at the back of the cushions that you tie to the rungs in the backs of the chairs. Ties seat cushions are very secure and will not fall off as people sit on and stand up from chairs. However, they only work if there is something to tie the cushion on to. The other way that cushions are attached to chairs is with grips on the bottom of the cushion. The grips are meant to be no-slide devices that will keep a cushion from sliding off of the chair. They work find when no one is sitting in the chair, but they do fall off from time to time.

Cushions are also used on breakfast nook benches. Bench cushions are almost exclusively of the grip variety because benches never have places for ties to be attached. Bench cushions will be rectangular without rounded edges. While there are some standard sizes, most bench cushions need to be custom made because the dimensions of bench seats varies widely from one breakfast nook set to another.

You will also find kitchen cushions outside of the breakfast nook. If you kitchen has an island with seating, then the stools at the kitchen island might need cushions. Stool cushions are very similar to seat cushions for the chairs in your breakfast nook. The only additional thing you need to look out for is that when you add the cushion, there is still adequate room to fit your knees under the kitchen island counter.

Cushion Materials

Seat cushions come in a wide variety of materials so there is sure to be something that will meet your needs. There are actually two materials you need to think about when choosing your cushions. First, the fabric of the cushion cover is important, but also the material that is used for the stuffing of your cushions is equally important. You want to make sure that the cushion stuffing is soft enough that the cushion will actually be comfortable, but firm enough that it will provide support.

Cushion covers come in almost any fabric you can imagine. The most common is probably cotton because cushion covers should be made of materials that are washable. It is ideal if the cushion covers can be removed and put in the washing machine. In these cases, you want the stuffing to be one piece rather than loose batting because it will be difficult to get the cushion back to its original shape once you remove loose batting. Another advantage of using cushion covers is that you can have several sets to rotate in different season or for different holidays. The covers for cushions do not take up much room. In fact, you can squeeze them into a small storage compartment in your pantry cabinet or under the seat of your corner breakfast nook with storage.

Where to Buy Cushions

Cushions and cushion covers can be bought in a wide variety of places. You will find a small selection of choices at large department stores like Target, Wal-Mart or Sears. They will probably have a few colors and textures, but your choices will be relatively limited to the most common color schemes. You might find a larger selection and a bed and bath store, but your best option is to try an online retailer like CustomCushions.net. Their online tool allows you to choose the shape of your seat cushion, followed by the thickness, dimensions, fabric, color, and whether or not you want tie backs. Once you have custom designed you cushions, you can order as many as you like.

As your children grow they will be inviting more and more friends to dinner and you are going to need room for everyone at the table where you take most of your meals. The breakfast table is not only for breakfast these days. In fact, most families eat almost all of their meals there. In order to spend quality time together, you want the whole family to be able to sit at one table with whatever guests they might bring along. Benches might help you increase the number of people that can fit around your table because you can typically fit one and a half people on a bench that takes up the same amount of room as one chair.

Family time is very important and many families might use the breakfast nook set as a place to gather for family meetings or family game night. Your kids and guests alike will be less likely to run out on you if the seating is comfortable. No matter what the material of construction is for your breakfast nook chairs or benches, chair or bench cushions can make the seating more relaxing. You can buy chair cushions in a variety of colors and patterns to match almost any kitchen. Bench cushions are not quite as popular, but they are available. If you cannot find anything to match the size of your cushion exactly then you can have something custom made.

While this will probably not be available with breakfast nook chairs, breakfast nook benches often come equipped with under the seat storage compartments. You can use this extra storage space for various purposes such as extra table linens, small kitchen appliances, or games and art supplies for family time. No matter what you use it for, extra storage is always welcome in any household. Typically the storage is under the seat and can be accessed by lifting the seat like a lid. However, there are some instances where the storage might be slightly different. For example, I have seen breakfast nook benches with drawers that pull out of the upright back of the bench. These small drawers can be used for magazine racks, spice racks, or anything that can fit into a tight space.

It is important when picking breakfast nook furniture that you stay true to the design and decorating style of the kitchen and the rest of the home. For example, if you have a modern kitchen then it would be completely inappropriate to choose a wooden breakfast nook table with breakfast nook bench seating. The two style just do not match. Instead, you should choose a breakfast nook seating that matches the decorating style. A modern kitchen might mean angular chairs with leather upholstery. A more traditional kitchen might be the perfect opportunity for a corner breakfast nook bench arrangement.

One type of breakfast nook lighting fixture is the chandelier. A chandelier is defined as a branched decorative light fixture that hangs from the ceiling. By branched, I mean that there are usually two or more arms that bear light. They are often, but do not have to be ornate. Crystal is quite common so that the room is lighted not only by the light bulbs, but also by refracted light. However, there are also plain chandeliers and this is more likely what you will find in the breakfast nook lighting situation. Breakfast nooks are more informal than dining rooms so simple light fixtures are best.

Another type of light fixture that is sometimes classified as a chandelier, but it really is slightly different is the pendant light fixture. This common breakfast nook light fixture is also sometimes called a drop light or suspender. This style has a single light fixture suspended from the ceiling. That fixture can have multiple light bulbs inside it, but there are no arms each with their own light bulb. This light fixture is most popular in the breakfast nook because it is simple and easy to match to any décor.

A third option for breakfast nook lighting is recessed lighting. If you use recessed lighting in your breakfast nook then you are probably using it in the rest of the kitchen as well. Recessed lighting fixtures are ones that are recessed into the ceiling so only the light bulb is visible. When they are turned on it appears as though light is coming out of a hole in the ceiling. The light bulbs in this style light fixture are often easier to change than in chandeliers or pendant lights. Sometimes you need to remove piece of the chandelier or take the pendant light apart to have access to an old light bulb and change to a new one. Recessed lighting is always exposed and easy to reach. However, it does not have any character or style. You cannot use the light fixture in your breakfast nook as decoration if you use recessed the lighting.

The same holds true for track light, the last breakfast nook lighting possibility. Track lighting is a lighting method where small light fixtures are attached to a track and can be moved to point to light in a particular direction. If you are using track light in the breakfast nook, then you are probably using track lighting in the rest of your kitchen as well. Track lighting is very trendy, but it is probably not as appropriate for the breakfast nook because instead of shedding light on the entire table, the light will be directed on particular chairs and locations. There will always be small areas that are not lit well.

Everyone knows that you need to buy a breakfast table and chairs for their breakfast nook or kitchen, but what they might not know is that you can often buy all of this furniture in what is called a breakfast table set. The furniture set will come with a table and the seating arrangements for the table. There are advantages and disadvantages to buying you breakfast table and chairs this way.

One of the advantages is that you do not have to worry about matching the table and the chairs because they will already be matched. If you buy these pieces separately, it is unlikely that the stain or paint color will match appropriately. Breakfast nook sets are also a good idea if you do not have much of an eye for decorating. You may know that you want a certain style of chair or you may concentrate on matching colors, but there are many subtleties to matching pieces of furniture. The details like carvings, lines, relative sizes, and much more are important ones.

Another advantage to buying your breakfast nook table as part of a set is that you will be able to compare overall dimensions rather than trying to calculate how much room different pieces that you put together will take up. It makes shopping much simpler. Finally, the breakfast table is a piece of furniture that needs to be durable since it gets used a lot and is abused from time to time. If your table and chairs are part of a set, it will be easier to order replacements than if each piece is a one of a kind or bought at a thrift or second hand store.

Some of the disadvantages of buying your table and chairs as part of a breakfast nook set is that you are locked into the types of seating available. You may have decided that you only want chairs around your breakfast table, but many breakfast table sets come with benches or a combination of benches and chairs. Conversely, if you decide you like the bench seating because now your children are young and do not mind sliding into a booth; but later, when they grow up and move out, you want chairs for you and your guests, then you will be in trouble. Most breakfast nook sets do not come with interchangeable parts if you change your mind later.

While the breakfast room table is usually small, the table can be one of many shapes. Some of the most common breakfast table shapes are round, rectangular, or square. The shape of your small breakfast table depends largely on the shape of the breakfast nook area. If your kitchen has an end that sticks out in a half octagon shape, then breakfast table furniture of the circular nature would fit best. You can use the maximum amount of the space with a round table. If your kitchen just has an end that does not have any cabinets or counters and stays the same rectangular shape, then a rectangular breakfast table set will work best.

After you decide on the shape that fits best in your kitchen, you will want to consider the materials of construction. The materials that will work best for your breakfast table are ones that continue the decorating style of the rest of the kitchen. Since the breakfast nook and the breakfast nook furniture within it are just an extension of the kitchen, the décor should be consistent. For example, if you have a country theme kitchen with oak cabinets and a copper sink then your breakfast nook table should probably be oak or stained to look like the oak of your cabinets as best as possible. You will tie things together even better if you find a way to tie in more subtle connections like some inlaid copper tiles on the table top.

Some of the most common breakfast table materials are wood, glass, granite, stainless steel, aluminum, Formica, or other hardened plastics. The tabletop and the table base do not have to be made of the same material. In fact, it is usually nice to have a difference. You do not even have to be consistent within the tabletop. It is quite common to find a combination of metal and glass or wood and tile in a table top. Materials like glass, metal, or plastic have one advantage over wood in that they are not porous. Wooden breakfast tables can absorb spills and odors and it is harder to clean than the smooth surfaces provided by glass, plastic, or metal. That is why many wooden tables explore the many breakfast table color options by painting the tabletop. The paint provides a layer of protection and the wood is less likely to absorb stains.

There are several different styles for the table base to choose from. You can have a traditional dining table style with four legs in each corner, but this is usually reserved for square or rectangular breakfast tables. Those legs can be tapered or straight, thin or thick, or freestanding or permanently installed. Some stereotypes that seem consistent are that wooden legs are usually thicker and straight, while metal or plastic legs often taper and are thinner. Sometimes bars or supports connect the breakfast table legs. Their function is most often decorative rather than structural. An alternative to the four-leg breakfast table is a pedestal table. These work best for square or round tables because the weight can be evenly distributed around the one center leg. A pedestal breakfast table will have a large center leg, typically with an X or tripod design at the bottom for support and stability.

While most breakfast nook table sets are meant for sitting at the normal dinner table height, there is one breakfast nook table idea that is quite popular that strays from that standard. Breakfast bar tables are chest high tables meant to be used in conjunction with bar stools. Sometimes, the breakfast bar is just an extension of the kitchen island and you can pull right up to the island to eat your meals. A breakfast table with stools is reminiscent of an outdoor café or bar and works well in a newer house with a more modern feel. They are usually meant for smaller kitchens because they typically only seat two to three people. Breakfast table stools are usually higher than normal chairs and you have to step up into them.

Many people think that you can use any dining room table in the breakfast nook and that there is no difference between the two. However, some dining room table attributes are not appropriate for the breakfast nook. For example, a drop leaf breakfast table is uncommon. Usually you choose the largest table that you can for your breakfast nook. Having extra leaves that can be added to the tabletop is pointless if the room cannot accommodate anything larger. In addition, breakfast nook tables are usually considered less formal so ornate wooden carved legs and dark woods like cherry or teak are not common for breakfast tables.

The Santa Fe breakfast nook set is the perfect solution for a family that needs a lot of seating, but has limited space. This set consists of a table and seating for eight to nine people. The seating is a combination of benches. There is a three seat bench with no back running down one side of the table. Then, there is an L-shaped bench that wraps around two of the other sides. The L-shaped bench is made up of a corner piece, a two seat bench, and a three seat bench. There are no chairs, so if you and your family are not comfortable in booths and on benches then this set is not for you. Keep in mind that not only do the benches mean you can fit more people at the table, they also mean extra storage space. There is under the seat storage in the L-shaped bench where you can keep anything that you need to.

This breakfast nooks set is made of distressed poplar wood. The combination of the distressed stylizing and the dark stain give the Santa Fe breakfast nook set a very earthy and country feel. One way that this manufacturer has elected to keep costs down is by combining solid poplar with poplar veneer. You cannot tell the difference from the outside, but the veneer lowers the cost significantly. The other material of construction used in this furniture is slate tiles. There is a row of inlaid slate tiles along the back of the L-shaped bench. These tiles are sealed into place and give the furniture a touch of color and character. The wide variety of colors and patterns in the tile make every version of the Santa Fe breakfast nook original.

One clever feature of this furniture set is the drop leaf that fits between the wall and the corner part of the L-shaped bench. The drop leaf provides a little shelf above head level where most people put some flowers, pictures, or other decorations. Yet another good feature is the fact that the set is reversible. You can put this furniture in any corner and make it work.

The cost of the Santa Fe breakfast nook set can be anywhere from $789 to $1,035 depending on where you shop. All in all , I think it is a great value for the money.

The first positive that I see is the combination of chairs and benches. The benches allow more people to sit than would be able to if you had only chairs. In addition, the benches have under the seat storage and it is very convenient to have extra storage close to the kitchen table for table linens and other kitchen linens. On the other hand, the chairs are very nice because they are more comfortable for some people to sit in. Not everyone one likes sliding in and out of a long booth or bench.

Another positive for the Soho Delfino is the materials of construction. These high quality materials will last a long time and look good too. Chrome legs support the black tabletop. The chrome is carried over into the legs of the chairs and benches as well. The final place that you see the chrome is in bars that create open space between the bench seats and the bench backs. I like this touch because when the bench seats and bench backs are continuous, it reminds me of diner booths. The chrome separators provide a much more modern look. The fabric on the benches and chairs is a velvety microfiber that comes in five different colors: red, black, beige, eggplant, and Moroccan brown. Microfibers are known for their durability and softness.

The one down side of this breakfast nook furniture set is perhaps the cost. It is one of the more expensive sets that I have come across. I have seen it advertised for around $1,279. This might be a lot of money for someone to spend on kitchen furniture, but I think it is worth it. The furniture is of good quality and should last a long time. The modern look is a plus considering you are getting seating for eight. Usually larger breakfast nook sets are more country themed. It is hard to find modern looking furniture for a large family.