One of the biggest challenges of small apartments is figuring out how to divide the space, particularly if you are in a studio apartment. One room may not seem ideal, but it is a good chance to get your creative mind working and figure out a way to make your space work best for you. After all, it’s likely you spend a good amount of time in your home, so, it’s beneficial to spend some time arranging your apartment into somewhere you can enjoy being in. 

Most apartments in the cities are relatively compact and may only have one or two rooms. However, it is important to separate the space where you sleep from the space where you do other things such as work, eat, watch TV, exercise, and do any hobbies. According to Harvard University in the US, “keeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep”. 

Separating your apartment into distant areas for different activities can help make it feel bigger and more organized. One of these designated areas may be a dining area or dining nook. Below we will discuss some of our favorite tips and dining nook ideas for a small apartment. 

Make Your Own DIY Bench Seat with Storage 

If you’d like your dining nook to be against a wall, you could incorporate a DIY bench seat with storage. These are great for slightly larger apartments or for larger groups of people. You could create a DIY bench seat by purchasing some sturdy drawers or bedside cabinets, such as the Ikea ‘Malm’ cabinets. Simply line them up together against a wall and decorate them with throws, blankets, and cushions to make the seating comfortable. 

For a more elaborate upholstery project, you could fix them together and fix a soft cushioned top to them. You may want to add some additional height to match the height you’d like to sit at when at the table. 

Not only can DIY bench seats provide ample room for guests, but the best thing about them is that they can also provide a large amount of hidden storage – perfect when you live in a small apartment! 

Separate Spaces with a Rug 

Rugs are a great way to add character and comfort to a living space. They’re also great insulators so by having a large rug, you may be able to save a bit on heating costs in winter. 

Nevertheless, rugs are particularly good for separating spaces without creating a literal barrier to block them off. A rug on the floor underneath the dining table will work wonders to make the area feel more distinct from other areas. This can help your home feel generally more organized. 

You may even want to play on the idea of a rug under the table, and instead of having the rug fit perfectly under the dining table, you could have it offset so that it is part under the table, part out of it to add some uniqueness and character to your home. 

Elevate the Atmosphere with a Hanging Light 

A hanging light or pendant light over the dining table will help to draw attention to the dining space and distinguish it from other areas of the apartment. It creates a focal point that can be enjoyed from a distance or when you are sitting and eating your meals. Additional lighting around your dining nook is also beneficial so that you can easily see what food you are eating. Instead of using bright white light, you can use a hanging light to provide warm atmospheric lighting for your meals. 

For anyone in our Village House apartments or other rental homes, where you may not be able to install hanging lights. You can purchase plug-in pendant lights, which you may be able to install using materials that don’t leave a mark. 

Get Creative with a Gallery Wall 

If your dining nook feels too ‘floaty’, perhaps not defined, or separate enough, a gallery wall may help! A gallery wall is a great way to frame – no pun intended – your dining area and make it feel distinguished. Plus, a cluster of beautiful art and photos will make your time sitting at the dining nook much more interesting, from simply appreciating the pictures yourself, to being a conversation starter when you have guests around! 

A gallery wall is a wonderful opportunity to get creative, it’s hard to get wrong. Simply arrange a cluster of photographs or art on a wall close to your dining nook and figure out a design you like. Framed or unframed, it doesn’t matter. You could choose to coordinate frames so that they all match or you could go for a mismatched look. The art could be themed or coordinated or all unique, the options are endless! 

Invest in an Extendable Table 

Fitting a table big enough to seat guests can be a big challenge in any home, let alone a small apartment. Often you need to sacrifice valuable space, so you may find yourself squeezing around furniture every time you move around your home, this can be frustrating. Other times you decide to sacrifice the table, meaning that you may not be able to host any guests. 

Extendable tables are a magnificent invention when you live in a small apartment but would still like to have guests around for meals, so you don’t need to sacrifice either! These tables may fit 2 or 4 people at first but can be folded out to sit many more. Extendable tables come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you’ll be able to find one specific to your seating needs. They can be found in a lot of furniture stores, in big brand shops such as Ikea and Nitori, and in smaller shops as well. 

After reading this we hope you feel inspired to turn your eating space into your favorite dining nook. Try some of these tips out in a Village House apartment and please let us know how it goes!