{"id":18245,"date":"2023-09-04T13:42:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T04:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/?p=18245"},"modified":"2025-06-29T20:06:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T11:06:16","slug":"dining-nook-ideas-for-small-apartments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/interior-design\/dining-nook-ideas-for-small-apartments\/","title":{"rendered":"Dining Nook Ideas for Small Apartments\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>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\u2019s likely you spend a good amount of time in your home, so, it\u2019s beneficial to spend some time arranging your apartment into somewhere you can enjoy being in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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, \u201ckeeping computers, TVs, and work materials out of the room will strengthen the mental association between your bedroom and sleep\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=vhblog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2020&amp;utm_content=2019-12-16-static-property-768x300-v1-enhp-sitevisitors \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8576\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Make Your Own DIY Bench Seat with Storage<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image4-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18270\" style=\"width:768px;height:undefinedpx\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image4.jpg 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d 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 \u2018Malm\u2019 cabinets. Simply line them up together against a wall and decorate them with throws, blankets, and cushions to make the seating comfortable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019d like to sit at when at the table.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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 \u2013 perfect when you live in a small apartment!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Separate Spaces with a Rug<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"754\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image7-1024x754.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18274\" style=\"width:768px;height:undefinedpx\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image7-1024x754.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image7-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image7-768x566.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image7.jpg 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rugs are a great way to add character and comfort to a living space. They\u2019re also great insulators so by having a large rug, you may be able to save a bit on heating costs in winter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Elevate the Atmosphere with a Hanging Light<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image6-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18278\" style=\"width:768px;height:undefinedpx\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image6-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image6.jpg 1431w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For anyone in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2022&amp;utm_content=2023-08-17-native-link-1x1-diningnookideas-enhp-readers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Village House apartments<\/a> 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\u2019t leave a mark.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=vhblog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2020&amp;utm_content=2019-12-16-static-property-768x300-v1-enhp-sitevisitors \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8576\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Get Creative with a Gallery Wall<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image2-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18282\" style=\"object-fit:contain;width:900px;height:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image2-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image2.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If your dining nook feels too \u2018floaty\u2019, perhaps not defined, or separate enough, a gallery wall may help! A gallery wall is a great way to frame \u2013 no pun intended \u2013 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!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A gallery wall is a wonderful opportunity to get creative, it\u2019s 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\u2019t 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!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Invest in an Extendable Table<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18286\" style=\"width:768px;height:undefinedpx\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1-348x229.jpg 348w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image1.jpg 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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\u2019t 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\u2019ll 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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2022&amp;utm_content=2023-08-17-native-link-1x1-diningnookideas-enhp-readers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Village House apartment<\/a> and please let us know how it goes!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/interior-design\/five-tips-for-organizing-your-kitchen\/\">Five Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/useful-things-for-your-kitchen-to-make-your-life-easier\/\">Useful Things for Your Kitchen to Make Your Life Easier<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/must-have-japanese-kitchen-utensils\/\">Must-Have Japanese Kitchen Utensils<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/how-to-organize-a-small-kitchen-7-kitchen-storage-ideas-to-follow\/\">How to Organize a Small Kitchen! 7 Kitchen Storage Ideas to Follow<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/interior-design\/essential-kitchen-appliances\/\">Essential Kitchen Appliances<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":18290,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interior-design"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18245"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18245\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}