What Makes a Room a Breakfast Nook?

People use the term breakfast nook to refer to a wide variety of rooms, so there is no hard and fast rule for what constitutes a breakfast nook and what doesn’t. In general, if the room holds a breakfast table and some kind of seating, it can be referred to as the breakfast nook.

Breakfast nooks usually have windows. While not a requirement, natural light and lots of windowed walls are quite common in breakfast nooks. Studies have shown that some people actually feel less depressed and are more productive if they are exposed to sunlight during the day. What better way to start your day than in front of some windows letting in natural light. Please keep in mind that if there are windows in your breakfast nook, you must have window treatments of some kind. You do not want the harsh light of a sunrise or sunset to be in someone’s eyes as they eat. The window treatments are actually a plus because they give the homeowner or decorator a way to decorate the breakfast nook. In a room with little furniture except a table and chairs and no extra room, the window treatments are one of the few opportunities to add color and texture.

Another characteristic of most breakfast nooks is that they are actually little nooks or areas not common to the rest of the house. Many breakfast nooks are square footage that juts out away from the rest of the house. Again, this is not a requirement, but it allows for the extra windows and it means you do not have to give up kitchen counter space to have kitchen seating. This feature is particularly nice if you want a breakfast nook for a round kitchen table. It is easy to make the breakfast nook octagonal in shape with windows on each side of the half octagon. Rooms that are actually circular are harder to build and would be much more expensive if you are remodeling or building a home.

Yet another attribute of breakfast nook is that they should just flow from the kitchen. There is rarely a wall or even a change in flooring between the kitchen and the kitchen nook. It really is not a separate room and that is one reason that some people call it an eat in kitchen rather than give the area a separate name. Those people are usually referring to a breakfast nook set when they say breakfast nook.

Characteristics of Breakfast Nook Furniture

Breakfast nook furniture is pretty simple because it mostly consists of a breakfast table and some seating. However, there are different options for seating and the materials of construction and styles of breakfast nook sets are quite varied. No matter how the rest of your kitchen or home is decorated, there is kitchen furniture for you.

Your first option for seating in the kitchen is a set with a breakfast nook bench. Bench seating has many advantages over chair seating. First, you can fit more people at the table if you use benches than if you use chairs. A good estimate is that you can fit approximately one and a half people for every chair. Large families will appreciate the extra seating space without having to get a larger table. Second, benches often come equipped with under the seat storage compartments. A breakfast nook with storage is very helpful to a homeowner because the kitchen is one room where you can never get enough storage. People use this space under their breakfast nook furniture to store small kitchen appliances that they do not use every day like bread makers or rice cookers. They also use it to store things like table linens, extra food, or art and school supplies.

Your second option for breakfast nook seating is chairs. If you do not have an especially large family that you have to seat very meal and you use your breakfast nook set to entertain guests, then chairs are a good choice. Chairs are a bit less informal than benches and it is more comfortable for a guest to sit in their own chair than to share a bench with someone they do not know well. Benches force an intimacy that many people are not comfortable sharing with strangers. In addition, chairs are more comfortable for the most part than benches because a good chair will have a seat that is shaped to a person’s body. I find that it is best to have a little of both worlds. Breakfast nooks with a combination of chairs and benches are quite popular because they give you the extra room and storage of benches but still allow guests to feel comfortable at your table.

A third seating option is stools. If you have a high top breakfast table or a pub table in your kitchen, then you will be forced to use stools rather than chairs. Stools are also popular if you plan to use your kitchen island as a breakfast bar. Some kitchens are too small for large pieces of breakfast nook furniture so they use rolling kitchen islands that come equipped with a drop leaf a few stools.

A breakfast nook set is not complete without a table. The shape of the table should match the shape of the room so that you can utilize the space in the most efficient way possible. The table should also be as big as possible so that you can accommodate as many people as possible. When measuring for your breakfast table, make sure to measure the entire breakfast nook and then subtract three feet from each dimension to allow for an eighteen inch buffer around the table. Those eighteen inches are to allow room for chairs to be pulled in and out. One way to increase the size of your table is to purchase a corner breakfast nook set. That will decrease the buffer to about twelve inches or less on two sides.

The most important thing you need to pay attention to when choosing between breakfast nook sets is the shape and size of the room. The shape will determine the shape of your table and the size will limit the size of the breakfast nook table set. If your nook is just an extension of the kitchen and is rectangular or square, then a rectangular or square table would be most appropriate. However, some breakfast nooks are extensions of the kitchen but extend out into a half octagon. With this shape room you want to look into a round kitchen table. Once the shape is determined, you can turn to size. Measure the dimensions of your room carefully. Then, subtract three feet from each dimension to determine the maximum dimensions for your kitchen table. For example, if your room measures ten by eight, then the largest table you can accommodate is seven by five. The three feet is so there will be approximately eighteen inches of clearance between any edge of the table and any wall or divider. You need that space to pull chairs in and out.

Probably the next most important aspect to consider is the style or design of the furniture. This includes materials of construction, carvings, style of chair or bench, etc. If the rest of your home, including the kitchen is a more traditional or country style, then wooden tables and chairs are probably best suited to your decorating tastes. If your traditional décor is more formal then your chairs might have high backs with carvings and the table legs will be ornately shaped. However, if your traditional décor is more like shabby chic then the table and chairs will be plain. If you have a modern furnished home, then furniture made of chrome and leather would fit in better. The furniture in the breakfast nook should match the kitchen as much as possible. It should maintain the same color schemes in the cushions and placemats. If your backsplash has accent tiles of red and blue, chair cushions of the same color will set off the accents well.

Next, you might want to consider the size and age of your family. Large families with lots of small children will want to choose a corner breakfast nook set with plenty of bench seating so that they can accommodate the entire family comfortably. A corner breakfast nook set might not be appropriate for a family consisting entirely of adults because it is harder for them to slide in and out of the corner bench. Children have no problem with this task. Benches can seat more people than chairs. In fact, they sit three people for every two in chairs. In addition, corner benches are not pulled out as chairs are so you can actually fit a larger table in your kitchen nook space than if you use chairs.

On the other hand, if you do a lot of entertaining, then you should have mostly chair seating. People who are not as intimately connected as family members might not feel comfortable sitting next to someone else on a bench because bench seating encourages bodies to touch while chair seating ensures you have a personal protective bubble around you. Chairs are also more formal than benches so they are more appropriate for a room where you plan to entertain guests rather than just gather with your family.

The final consideration when you are picking out breakfast nook furniture is whether you have enough storage space in your kitchen. Most kitchens are always short on storage space and as a result, the counters overflow with appliances and the cabinets are bursting. If you have a breakfast nook set with storage space under the bench seats, you can move all the small kitchen appliances that you do not use every day into storage out of sight. They will still be close by if you want to use them, but they will no longer clutter up your counters and cabinets. Some other things you can store in your breakfast nook benches is extra table linens and large containers of food that would not otherwise fit in your kitchen. Until you have storage in the kitchen furniture set, your only other alternative was to store these things in closets or in the garage. The problem with closets is that things get piled on top of each other and it is hard to reach things. The problem with the garage is that you need to wipe everything down before you use it because of the possible contamination concerns with other things stored in a garage.

First, benches can accommodate more people than chairs. Generally, you can fit one and a half people in the space taken up by one chair if you have a bench there instead. That means that a bench along the side of a rectangular table that usually has two chair will actually sit three people. If you put benches on both sides, then you get seating for six rather than four. If you have a large family, or you entertain a lot of your children’s friends, then bench seating is probably a good fit for your breakfast nook or eat in kitchen.

Another reason breakfast nook benches are so popular is that they often come with under the seat storage compartments. Every homeowner can use a little bit of extra storage space. It is fantastic when you can get that storage from a piece of furniture that is going to be there already. Kitchen nook benches with storage are great for hiding table linens, small kitchen appliances, art and school supplies, or board games.

If you change your placemats, napkins, and table cloth often then you probably have a large supply of linens and keeping under your breakfast nook bench is the perfect place for them because they are close at hand, but not taking up valuable kitchen storage space.

There are several kitchen gadgets and small appliances that I love having, but that I do not like taking up counter space. Until I got breakfast nook storage benches, the only option was to store these items on a shelf in the garage. When I did that, I needed to clean the appliance before I used it every time. It is much more convenient to just open up the breakfast nook bench and take out the appliance I need. I know they will stay clean and protected in there. Things like my bread maker, rice cooker, pasta maker, ice cream maker, etc. have found their way into this storage place.

If your kids gather around the kitchen table to do homework or play while you are getting dinner ready then it might be a good idea to keep some art supplies and school supplies in the breakfast nook storage area so that the supplies they need are close at hand. Some families also gather in the kitchen for family nights and some board games or cards in the breakfast nook bench are handy to have around. You are much more likely to coax everyone into staying for a game if the supplies are at your finger tips.

Even though there are advantages to breakfast nook benches, there are also some drawbacks. For example, bench seating is typically a little more shallow than what you get with individual chairs. That means that sitting on a bench could be uncomfortable for some people if they need a more substantial seat. In addition, bench seating encourages closeness because there are not clear boundaries for personal space. If you entertain often, then you might want to consider having some chairs so that your guests will be more comfortable.

Breakfast nook furniture usually consists of a table and chairs. There are lots of possibilities for both, but let’s discuss the tables first. Most breakfast tables are rectangular. The dimensions can vary but most are between 34 and 48 inches wide and 50 to 65 inches long. The typical table height is between 29 and 34 inches. Most rectangular tables have legs at all four corners. Typically the legs are connected by a trestle at each end of the table to provide extra support. There are also square or round breakfast tables. A typical size for a square or round kitchen table is 42 inches by 42 inches for a square or a 42 inch diameter for a circle. These tables, unlike rectangular ones, usually have one center leg to support the entire table. It is common for the leg to have a tripod or four prong bottom for extra support.

Breakfast tables are made of many different types of materials. Wood is probably the most common, but by no means is it the only material readily available. If you do have a wooden breakfast table, then chances are it is distressed wood. Since most breakfast nooks are less formal than dining rooms, you often find distressed wood that looks more casual. To distress the wood of a table, the edges are darkened and flattened. The corners are usually rounded so there are no sharp edges. Other than wood, you might find glass, ceramic tile, metal, plastic, Formica, or cork used as materials of construction for your breakfast table.

No matter what your table is made out of, it should be large enough to accommodate your entire family and perhaps a few guests. Try to use as much of the space as possible. There are a few ways to create extra space or make the most of the space you have available using different seating options.

The most common seating option for kitchen furniture is chairs. Chairs are probably most appropriate if you have a smaller family and only need to accommodate four to six people at any one time. Chairs can come in any of the same materials that the breakfast tables come in. Most likely the materials will match the material of the table. For example, if you have a wooden table then wooden chairs would be most appropriate. The matching could be less subtle, as well. For example, you might have a table with chrome legs and chairs with a leather upholstery and chrome trim.

The seating option that provides the biggest capacity for sitting and one that is very popular in breakfast nook sets is benches. You can have separate benches for each side of the table or L-shaped benches that wrap around two sides. It is quite common for the benches to have high backs. The high backs can fit into a corner with a corner breakfast nook set or they could offer a way to separate the breakfast nook area from the rest of the kitchen. Most breakfast nook benches have cushions and are quite comfortable. Another plus is that many come equipped with under the seat storage. A breakfast nook with storage is a welcome addition to any kitchen.

One final seating option is stools. These are not appropriate if you have small children because they are much easier to tip over and do not provide as stable a base. They also do not work well unless you have a higher table. High top tables are usually only made for two to three people, so if you have a large family then a breakfast nook table with stools is probably out of the question.

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.

The advantage of a corner breakfast nook set is that you will be able to use a larger table than if you placed on in the center of the room. When a table is in the middle of the room, you need to leave about three feet of space on every side so that there is room to pull chairs out. However, if you purchase a corner table with benches, there will only be about eighteen inches between the wall and the table on two sides. That gives you an additional eighteen inches of table space in both directions.

One factor to consider if you want to get a corner breakfast nook furniture set is the fact that at least some of the seating will be benches. If you have a large family and need lots of seating, that could be an advantage. Kids do not mind sliding in and out of booths and it is easy for them. You can fit more people on a booth that you could in chairs in the same amount on space. On the other hand, if you are going to be asking guests to sit at your kitchen table, then benches might not be the best choice for you. Some people are uncomfortable sitting as close to other people as you have to when sitting on a bench. In addition, some people have a hard time sliding in and out of a bench.

Another factor to consider is the two outside walls and whether or not there are windows there. If your breakfast nook literally is in the corner of your home, then there will probably be windows on those two outside walls. If the kitchen furniture that you choose has high backs on the corner benches, they could block the windows. IF you have windows on the two walls where you will be utilizing the corner for furniture, make sure that the seating arrangements do not come up high enough to block the windows. In addition, you will need to make sure that the window treatments do not interfere with the seating arrangements. You do not want long drapes that fall onto the bench seats. If there are no windows, then you have a lot more flexibility when choosing your corner breakfast nook furniture for sale.

Kitchen Corner Table Unit Set Walnut Chelsea Walnut Break Nook Set creates a cozy spot for meals and conversation in any corner of the kitchen. The rich walnut finish on this corner nook provides a traditional look to this highly functional piece. The nook corner bench and nook free-standing bench seats five people comfortably. You can determine the direction of the corner unit during nook assembly. Some assembly required.

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.

When picking out breakfast nook furniture, I like to think about the table first. It is the largest piece of furniture and it will be the biggest presence in the room. In order to utilize your breakfast nook space to the best of its ability, you want to get a table as large as possible. A good rule of thumb is to measure the dimensions of the breakfast nook and then subtract three feet from all sides. That is how big your table can be. The three feet is so that you can leave room for people to pull out chairs and sit down. Another aspect of the table to consider is the style and materials of construction. Whatever the decorating theme of your kitchen is will most likely dictate this point. If you have a modern kitchen with black countertops and glass door cabinets, a wooden table just would not look right. Something with glass or metal might work better. Remember to keep the theme going and you should be fine. The last characteristic of the table to consider is the table height. Table height can range from normal to what we call a high top. High top table require stools rather than chairs or benches. The type of breakfast nook that would be well suited to a high top table is one where you only have room for a table for two. Then, the high table is reminiscent of a café or bar.

Once you have decided on the table, the next step is to pick what you are going to sit on. As I said above, most breakfast nook sets are either chairs, benches, or a combination of the two. However, some will use stools if the situation is right. You want to balance the number of people you can sit at your table with the comfort of those individuals. Benches will allow for more seating, but they are not as comfortable as chairs. Another thing to consider is the style of the table you have chosen. You want to make sure that the style of the table lends itself well to benches or chairs. Modern looking tables do not go well with benches and high top tables do not go well with benches or chairs. One thing to keep in mind about benches is that they often come with extra under the seat storage space. Extra storage is a very good selling point, but you have to make sure it looks good too.

There is a style or technique of home decoration that goes something along these lines. You’re out shopping for a new couch for your living room when you see a dining table that would work really well in your breakfast nook. So you buy it. Sometime later, your sister has just updated her dining room furniture and offers to give you the chairs from her old set. Now you add a “new” set of chairs to the table you bought awhile back. Then one day you’re out antiquing and you spot an antique farm house bench that would just complete all the furniture in your breakfast nook. You have a new table, newish chairs from a completely different dining set, and now an antique bench. Nothing “matches,” but everything goes great together. Buying a breakfast nook table set is sort of the opposite of that, except for the everything goes great together part.

I like buying sets of furniture and I also appreciate the look that buying furniture piecemeal can bring to a home. I think the mildly obsessive compulsive aspects of my personality lead me to prefer matching sets of furniture. In fact, I can remember getting in deep trouble with my mother when I was young because I complained that the silverware she was serving for dinner didn’t match. She still reminds me of that to this day. Back to the topic at hand.

A kitchen breakfast nook set generally will have a table, a single bench without a back, and an “L” shaped bench with a high back. When a manufacturer uses the term nook, they are frequently referring to the L shaped bench part of breakfast nook dining sets. The corner shape and back are remarkably good at giving the feeling that your new breakfast corner nook set is a separate and distinct part of the house. As the name implies, you’re assured that all the pieces in your set will match. This definitely takes all the guess work out of making sure disparate pieces of furniture go together.

Prices for complete breakfast nook sets range from $300 (or less depending on quality) and go all the way up to $2000 before any delivery fees. A good value price point falls between $1000 and $1200. I’m always trying to maximize space so I tend to favor benches with built in storage compartments. These compartments are great for storing board games, toys, or art supplies. You will be surprised how much you can pack into a breakfast nook set with storage. I would not expect to pay a premium for storage functionality.

Here are a couple of breakfast nook sets that I think are a good value.

The Santa Fe Breakfast nook set comes with a corner bench with backrest, a rectangular table, and backless straight bench. This set will comfortably seat four or five adults. The contoured and smooth design plus the rich dark brown finish really give the furniture a Southwestern feel. However, the thing that makes this collection unique is the “variegated” slate inlay on the backrest of the L shaped bench. Unfortunately, the Santa Fe lacks any kind of built-in storage. All in all, this is a sharp looking set is well worth the roughly $1100 purchase price.

The Soho Delfino breakfast nook set comes with a rectangular table, two chair, two backed benches, and corner piece that connects the benches. This set features a modern design with chrome metal finish on the legs of each piece. The chairs and benches have padded cushions with stain-resistant microfiber covers. Each bench has a lift up seat that reveals a shallow storage compartment. The Soho comes in a number of colors. This collection won’t disappoint if you’re in the market for a black breakfast nook set. The microfiber cushion covers aren’t suitable as a substitute for leather, so if you have your heart set on a leather breakfast nook set, look else where.