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Space-Saving Real Estate Solutions for Tiny Homes

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 11 December 2019 11:10

A few decades back, the nuclear family was pretty much the norm. This meant you needed to be able to seat four or five people for every meal, even if there were no guests. It also meant that when guests did show up, you probably had several more people to accommodate. Dinner tables that could seat at least six people were considered essential.

These days, it's far more common for a household to consist of only one or two people. If you live alone, you may only need to be able to seat two people to accommodate the occasional guest.

So here are some options for dining tables that work well for smaller families and smaller spaces.

Folding Dining Table Set

Folding dining table sets are very space-conscious and give you flexibility. They are a complete set that come with their own matching stools or chairs. The chairs often fold, but not always. In most cases, the matching seating can be stored inside the table to keep them out of the way when the set is not in use. This is referred to as a space-saver or nesting set and usually accompanies round dining tables. They also are frequently on wheels so they can be easily moved out of the way.

This allows you to use almost any patch of open floor as a dining space occasionally. Alternately, if you actually have a small dining room, it allows you to free that space up for other uses when you aren't eating.

If you want something a bit more posh, you may want to go with a folding or extendable dinner table. If you are willing to buy stalking chairs separately, this may be the best way to get something reasonably spacious and elegant or traditional looking.

This could mean the table has a middle section that pulls out, or a drop-leaf that can be propped up at the edge of the table. One of the benefits of getting a folding table instead of a set is that you can pair it with your choice of stackable chairs in a design of your choosing.

Breakfast Bar and Stools

If you live alone, you may have no need for a real dinner table, not even a small one. You may be content to have just a breakfast bar with two stools.

In many cases, the stools fit entirely beneath the bar when not in use. If you rarely eat at home, this may be the perfect solution to give you a place to grab a bite to eat when you need a place to sit down while preserving valuable floor space the rest of the time.

Breakfast bars are typically budget friendly and low maintenance. They often fit into some nook or cranny where an actual dinner table couldn't go at all.

Drop-Downs & Pull-Outs

If space is truly at a premium, you may want to ditch the table base altogether. A wall-mounted table takes up hardly any space when folded flat against the wall during times when it is not in use.

If you never have guests and it's only ever you, you can find wall-mounted folding tables in very small sizes and a variety of colors. They operate on a hinge and are especially popular in tiny homes.

If you don't like the look of most wall-mounted folding tables, you can get ones that are designed to be hidden away when not in use. They end up looking like a small cabinet on the wall when folded up out of the way.

You can add a bit of flair by pairing them with whatever seating option you prefer. A hidden table may be a little larger and more conducive to using with two chairs, which could be positioned around the closed cabinet for convenience.

Similarly, you could commission a contractor (or if you’re handy, embark on a DIY project) to create a dining surface that pulls out of existing hardware, like cabinetry or countertops. This can function as an easy extension to existing countertop seating or simply act as a primary dining area.

Mealtime is what you make of it, and no matter what your dining setup, there are ways to make it homey and enjoyable based on how you accessorize it and the atmosphere around it. You don’t have to feel like a college student for investing in space-saving dining set solutions – you just have to be savvy.

 
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James Stevenson

Hi, My name is James and I've been involved in the property and real estate industry for 10 years now. I hope people will like to read about my thoughts and experiences in the industry and please contact me if you want to discuss my articles further!

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