Open floor plans have for years become a staple in apartment interiors due to their flexibility and efficient use of square footage, but there are instances where these open layouts do not provide a designated dining room area adjacent to the kitchen. Apartment dwellers are often left with the decision of whether to do away with the dining table and chairs or place them in a not-so-favourable location further away from the kitchen.

Rectangular dining tables tend to command more square footage than their round counterparts. In furnishing your dining area, not only does the size of the table have to be considered but also, adequate room for dining chairs must be available. Chairs must have room to be pulled from underneath the dining table when individuals are ready to sit and leave the table. One must also consider the flow of traffic throughout the space, and adequate walkways must be left behind each chair to ensure functionality.

These considerations often make dining tables quite cumbersome in smaller spaces.

Dining benches have become a popular option for homeowners who want to veer from the traditional dining room arrangement. We have also found dining benches to be particularly useful in tight spaces.

Benches allow homeowners to utilise walls, which may otherwise have been dead space behind a chair. By placing the bench along the wall, the remaining space for the dining table and chairs can be utilised more efficiently. Benches also provide additional seating options for guests and can be utilised with round and rectangular dining tables. We created these dining areas with a boule bench from https://https://www.ifwallscouldtalkja.com/home-showhouse. The lower back provides lumbar support and keeps guests from leaning directly on the wall when seated. The contrasting black table with a butterfly-caned base adds a modern element to this dining nook, which is accentuated with a wood and brass chandelier and abstract artwork, also from Home by If Walls Could Talk.

Joelle Smith is lead designer & managing director of design firm If Walls Could Talk.

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