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Thursday, November 22nd, 2018
This Wesley Allen Dining Room Set has gone a long way from the early 1920s version of a breakfast nook furnishing.
Winter is fast approaching and so more and more people are prepping and setting indoor activities and hideaways. One of the most exciting ways to make indoors stay more fun is to have a breakfast nook.
Breakfast Nook in the ‘20s
The breakfast nooks were especially popular in the 1920s. Victorian homes were slowly falling out of style at that time because the bungalow homes took over and became the sudden craze.
The bungalow was one fine concept but some people found space to be problematic. Architects and builders slowly improvised when they created more intimate spaces in these smaller homes.
They then built benches to match the tables and pretty soon, housewives preferred the small table to clean up in the kitchen.
Dining Room vs. Breakfast Nook
The breakfast nook is known for its charming scale and how close it is to the kitchen. This is also a spot where families prefer to gather.
But what’s the huge difference between these two zones?
The dining room was specifically created as the area where the food for the family is supposed to be served and consumed. This is also often connected or adjacent to the kitchen.
A dining room has a table, chairs, and ample lighting so everyone can see what they are feasting on. History also records the dining room to be the gathering place for entertainment.
Modern dining rooms are often as big as bedrooms or a small living room. In medieval times, though, dining rooms were much larger and were typically known as Great Halls. One Great Hall can hold hundreds of guests at a time.
The breakfast nook, on the other hand, was also designed close to the kitchen. In fact, others took this closeness so seriously that they soon built the nook right inside the kitchen.
The breakfast nook is supposed to be a room that’s relaxing and comfortable. It is a space where the family can gather to enjoy their first meal for the day. This may also be used for non-formal lunches and dinners.
The typical breakfast nook has a smaller table than the dining table. It is also not designed to sit a lot of people.
Why a Breakfast Nook?
As its definition states, the breakfast nook should be a cozy area where the lightest meals can be served and enjoyed. More often than not, this zone has three walls although, nowadays, the modern designs have been planned to be more suitable for spaces that are contiguous (share the same border).
Don’t think that breakfast nooks are for breakfast alone. It can have other purposes, too. Back in the day, the kitchen is the heart of each home but now, the breakfast nook is giving it good competition.
What’s great about the breakfast nook is that it offers a non-formal setup. So it can be the setting for those casual cooking as well as dining activities. Here, in this setup, the cook is not separated from the rest of the family. And while everyone’s waiting for the food to be cooked, they can enjoy some snacks or a board game.
The breakfast nook has window on all its sides which show the outdoors. And with its smaller size, it is the best spot for those solitary activities that you have been planning (e.g. writing or reading).
The breakfast nook can also have benches that have storage. These can store kitchenware, kitchen appliances, board games, and craft supplies.
If you’re planning on setting up a breakfast nook soon, then you also have to plan on how to decorate it. This is a small zone to decorate so consider its use when you’re putting in the decorating details.
Tags: breakfast nook, designing the breakfast nook, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on An Inviting Breakfast Nook to Wake Up To
Monday, February 19th, 2018
Canadel Living Room Upholstered Seat Bench with backing.
Picture the scenario in your dining room during breakfast each day. It’s not a very pleasant sight, is it? There’s this need to concoct the morning coffee and then to dash off to the office to reach your scheduled time. This may be the reason why the breakfast nook came into existence in the first place.
When planned, the breakfast nook is situated in a kitchen alcove. It must be in a zone where you can easily reach the cupboards and the stove but it must not be so close that it no longer feels separate from the rest of the kitchen.
The Breakfast Nook Setup
Usually, one end of the breakfast table is placed against the wall. The other end is supported by one leg. Try your best to set up the breakfast nook by the window especially on the eastern part of your home so you get to have the best of the morning sunlight while you enjoy your first meal.
The latest addition to the breakfast nook is the high-backed seating. This provides convenience that was never before seen in any breakfast nook. When well-designed, these can be a lot more comfortable than regular chairs. The seats can also be benches that come with hinged lids and concealed storage spaces.
The Cheerful Breakfast Nook
Now that you already know the most cheerful part of your home, you need to set up the chairs and table right in that spot. Be sure to line them up right by the curtains covering the double windows. The cupboards should be high enough so that you won’t have to worry about hitting your head when you get up from a hearty breakfast.
Make your breakfast even comfier by having your electric toaster and a coffee percolator nearby. This is the simplest breakfast that you can prepare on any given day. The dishes and cups that are often used can be set close by, doing so will eliminate the rush that usually comes the setting of table during the morning.
If you have a home that can provide natural lighting for your breakfast nook during the day, then you are one of the blessed ones. This is mighty convenient as well as healthy for you because you will have an ample supply of Vitamin D while you enjoy your coffee and toast.
Breakfast Nook Elsewhere
If you are presented with the problem of minimal space, then you will need careful and professional planning. You may want to turn this issue to your advantage by making the nook look and feel cozier. You can up the level of intimacy in that area making it a more personal haven.
Canadel Living Room Upholstered Seat Bench
Breakfast Nook Measurements
If you have been thinking about how to use your available space for a breakfast nook, then you might want to measure if you have at least 24 inches width at your disposal. Going lower than this is less than ideal. Seating four people means having a table of 60 inches given you have two seated at each side.
The depth of the table or its length should have a minimum measurement of 42 inches. This is when you are ready to use both sides. If just one side is going to be used, then the recommended measurement is just 21 inches.
For benches, you can use a depth of 17.5 inches to about 20 inches. Measure from the seat’s front edge all the way to the upright part of the back. For instance, to have a seat on both sides of a table that measures 42 inches, then the minimum measurements are –
17.5” + 42” + 17.5” = 77”
This is the minimal space requirement. These dimensions still do not include the backs’ depth. These measurements vary depending on the usable space.
Tags: breakfast nook, designing the breakfast nook, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dining Room Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on Breakfast Nook Setup and Features
Monday, June 20th, 2016
1586-75203-GLD3 Shangri-La Gilded Dining Table Base: This two-seater setup is perfect for that nook in your home. Don’t forget to decorate with vases and framed art.
Any room that lacks space either for seating or cupboards needs a little inspiration. Sometimes, all it takes is a little imagination, a smart storage space, a smaller sofa, and the problem is solved. Add a spotlight to the underside of a shelf and you’ve just created a reading nook. So, here’s the thing, you have a space problem and every home has an unused nook to spare – got the solution?
Breakfast Nook
If you don’t have ample room for dining table and chairs, that tiny space right where the walls meet could serve as a cute breakfast nook. This is especially if you don’t mind dining cozily. Use a bench if you want to fit in more people to that area. Chairs take up more area than one long bench so consider ditching them when you want to use the tiny corner.
Reading Nook
The reading nook need not look intentional. You can incorporate a small library just by having a tiny desk paired with a stylish chair and have them placed in a corner. Have a small pile of books at that desk, and that’s it. Your home library doesn’t have to comprise of a huge bookshelf. Just grab one book, read, finish reading, then put it right back to the pile.
Office Nook
A small space is perfect for working niches. Most people just have their laptops these days so these won’t even require more than 30 inches of space. A little closet can be easily transformed into your dream office nook.
Laundry Nook
How much space do you think you need to move freely in a laundry space? Just 30 inches by 30 inches! Just have the stackable type of washer and dryer and you should be able to transform the tiny nook into a laundry area. Handle the spills by having it diverted towards the bathroom.
Play Pen
As a kid, didn’t you just love having your tiny play spot? Having kids of your own now, that nook could be a nice spot to hide kids’ mess. The world of possibilities just seems endless with that tiny nook. You can now store all the kids’ toys there, their storybooks, etc.
Pet’s Nook
Your pet would surely love his own nook, too. This could serve as a retreat spot where his mess could be contained. Set up your pet’s tiny bed in that corner and you just might get the extra blessing of having an unscratched sofa.
An Entertainment Corner
If you want an entertainment spot but do not want the TV to be the focal point in the room, then just set up that tiny nook to become the TV’s home. That dedicated nook will be used for TV viewing only while you can have the rest of your home for socializing.
Resting Nook
Who says you can’t sleep in that tiny corner? Set up a sofa bed and this is the perfect spot for all your guest sleepovers. You would be surprised at the stylishness that sofa beds can offer. You can also have two sofa beds pushed together to create an instant double bed. This part of your home could also be utilized as a reading corner during most days of the year. Just prop the sofa bed and what a relaxing reading time you’d have. The linens could be hidden neatly inside a trunk during the day.
Kid’s Bedroom
Believe it or not, you can actually fit a loft bed into a nook, one that preferably has a drawer so that bed linens can be concealed. Put a little color and a small partition and your kid will surely love you for ‘em!
BLOG 1. 1586-85005-GLD1 Harlequin Four-Drawer Accent Chest 1586-75410D-GLD6 Swanson Upholstered Metal Side Chair
Tags: bedroom for kids, breakfast area, breakfast corner, breakfast nook, designing a kid's room, designing nook, designing nooks, designing the breakfast nook, entertainment center, entertainment room, kids' play room, kids' playroom, laundry area, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, nook, nook design, setting up the breakfast nook, tips, unused nook
Posted in Interior Design 101, Special Rooms In Your Home | No Comments »
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