The most popular style is a rectangular shaped cart with a bottom shelf where two stools can be stored when the cart is not in use. Typically there is a semi-circle leaf that will fold up when you roll the breakfast cart out to eat a meal. If you have a small breakfast nook or kitchen then this type of breakfast table with stools could be perfect for you because it does not have to take up room permanently. Instead, you can roll it out when you want to use it but store it against a wall or in a corner when you do not need it. Another advantage is that you can use this cart for purposes other than eating meals in your kitchen. You can use the cart to serve appetizers or drinks at a party, for example.

Just because most breakfast nooks are small and most people will not have room to make their breakfast table bigger, that does not mean that it is impossible. There are some breakfast tables with leaves.

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 you 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 stray s 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.

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.

Lots of sun and beautiful scenery make the experience of eating or sitting in your breakfast nook much nicer. While light gets into a room full of windows any time of the year, the spring and summer offer a unique period of extended daylight and lush scenery. Your breakfast nook is likely to have sunlight pouring in for more hours during the summer because of the length of the day. One nice side effect is that the sun rises earlier and sets later in the summer and you are likely to avoid sunlight directly in your eyes when you are eating breakfast or dinner. This makes mealtime much nicer. In addition, in the summer, the grass is green and flowers, bushes, and trees are blooming so the scenery is much nicer than the bleakness of winter. If you do not have a yard to look out onto, then you are more likely to see people out and about and more things going on outdoors during the summer, which is nice for people watching and entertainment.

In addition to the increased daylight and more enjoyable scenery, there are other advantages of the breakfast nook during the summer. Flowers are more available during the summer months and you can decorate your breakfast nook table with fresh flowers. The color that fresh cut flowers bring to the room can accentuate or bring out subtle colors in your wallpaper, kitchen counters, china, curtains, or placemats. The availability of this living decoration increases your decorating opportunities.

If you have children, they will definitely be spending more time outside during the summer. A room with windows on all sides gives a parent a panoramic view of where their children are playing. You can get bills paid, do the dishes or read a book at your breakfast nook bench while still keeping an eye on your kids. Sitting outside is difficult because the wind might blow your work around. The comfortable sitting areas in your breakfast nook make it a great place to work and still be close to your playing tots.

The visibility afforded by the many walls of windows makes the breakfast nook a room that is much more enjoyable and useful during the summer. Start using this great room today!

Really, a breakfast nook’s purpose is not merely a place to eat your first morning meal, it’s about a focal point where a family and friends can gather. We eat ninety nine percent of our meals here. At night, this is where we play board games or discuss the goings on of the world over a cup of coffee. Our children fill in their coloring books, or do their homework, or take a break from playing to eat a snack at the table. In the end, this site’s purpose will be about the furniture, decorating ideas, and activities that will enhance your breakfast nook and by extension maybe make your family life a bit better, if only just a bit.

Breakfast Nook Furniture

The most important part of all breakfast nooks is the furniture. Since this is usually a small room there is not a lot of space for a lot of pieces so the few that you choose are very important. In addition, this room is extremely utilitarian and you must consider how it will be used when picking out the furniture. Aesthetics are not the only thing that is important. The two most critical pieces of furniture for the breakfast nook are the table and chairs. My ideal breakfast nook is most importantly comfortable. It is, after all, meant as a place in your house to serve a causal meal or snack. I have a hard time picturing people snacking in a formal dining room. That means nice, but not necessarily expensive, furniture.

Breakfast Nook Tables

Since it is the largest object in the room the breakfast nook table is automatically the focal point. There are a few things to consider when picking out the right table for your eat-in kitchen. First of all, you want to pick a table that is as large as will comfortably fit in the space. Even if you have a small family now, you never know how it may grow in the future and you always want to make sure there is room for guests. That being said, make sure that there will be adequate room for the seating. Secondly, make sure the table matches your kitchen in decorating style. If you have a country kitchen with wooden cabinets and checkered curtains than a wooden table would be appropriate. In contrast, a modern kitchen with black marble counter tops, stainless steel appliances, and very straight lines might be complimented nicely by a glass table with metal legs. The material and look for the table should fit in. Yet another reason to consider the material your table is constructed out of is how easy or not easy it will be to clean and its durability. Especially if you have children, you will have to clean up messes often and you know that kids can be hard on furniture. Make sure the table is made of something durable and is easy to wipe off. Tables that need special cleaners are inconvenient when you are in a hurry so you should consider that when purchasing a breakfast nook table.

Breakfast Nook Chairs

Once you have chosen the piece of furniture you will sit around, the next step is to choose what you will sit on. There are two main categories of breakfast nook seating. The first is chairs and the second is a breakfast nook bench. It is quite common for there to be a combination of the two around a table as well.

The benefits of using chairs are that they are sometimes more comfortable. If you are a person of large size then it is more comfortable for you to sit on a seat that supports your entire bottom rather than a bench that might only support part. Another advantage to chairs is that they give the occupants personal space. If you are going to be entertaining at all, then you might want to allow your guests the option of sitting in their own personal seat. Benches require a certain amount of intimacy and closeness that not everyone would be comfortable with. Thirdly, it is easier to pull out a single chair to sit on than an entire bench. If only one person wants to sit down, it is awkward to pull out the whole bench by yourself. If you try to only move one end then you end up sitting at a strange angle. Chairs make it easier for individuals to find their place at the table. Finally, choosing to use chairs means that you can be more flexible when choosing your breakfast nook set. If you decide on a modern style then you are much more likely to find a set of furniture that includes chairs than benches. Benches are typically used in very specific styles. Chairs give you a wider range of possibilities. If you end up going with chairs consider picking up a set of breakfast nook cushions.

However, there are pluses to using benches as well. Benches can accommodate more people in the same amount of space taken up by chairs. If you have a large family then benches could be the key to making more of the limited amount of space that you have. In addition to seating more people, they can help maximize your space in the entire breakfast nook. Corner breakfast nooks are great space savers. If you put a bench in the corner of the room and then put a rectangular table right up to the benches you can have a larger table in your room than you could if you had to pull chairs in and out on all four sides of the table. One final advantage is that benches are often equipped with storage underneath the seating area. You can use this space to store anything from kitchen linens or small kitchen appliances that take up space in cabinets or on countertops to art supplies or games that are used often in the room. Everyone can agree that extra storage is always good and that you can always find something to put in it.

Other Furniture

There are many different breakfast nook designs and depending on which one you choose, you might be able to fit in additional pieces of furniture. My mother has a small table sitting under one window that is only about one foot wide and about four feet long. She uses it to hold small plants and knick-knacks. If your kitchen does not have a lot of windows and natural light, you might have to compensate by adding a floor lamp, ceiling light fixture, or maybe even a simple chandelier. Since most people want to accommodate as many people at the table as possible there usually is not much room for other furniture. But, if you have the room make sure that the theme of the room is continued in any piece you add.

Decorating Your Breakfast Nook

As I have said before, the breakfast nook is not a large room. But, that does not mean that you can not decorate it tastefully and add character to the space. There are many ways to add color and personality to the room. One way is with the breakfast nook cushions. The chairs and/or benches should have some cushioning to them.  It might be nice to able to sit up at the table so don’t go overboard with the cushioning. Whatever padding you choose, make sure that the color compliments some color in the kitchen like in the counters or cabinet hardware. Another way to add color and continue your decorating theme is with the window coverings. There are an incredibly large number of styles and colors to choose from when picking out blinds or curtains. This is a great opportunity to use a utilitarian element to make an influential decorating statement. Whatever you breakfast nook plans are, you have plenty of other opportunities to add decorating elements like the lighting fixtures, place mats, center pieces, wall art, and even accents in the table or chairs such as tile borders or painted stenciling.