To keep or remove dining table?

[windywell]

We have recently renovated our kitchen diner giving us more space up the kitchen end, but less space in the dining area end.

I'm currently pregnant just now and due to our little one at the end of the year;

We're undecided whether to keep our dining table, or turn this area into a snug. We eat all our meals at the breakfast bar, bar Christmas! However with the little one on the way, feel we may regret getting rid of the table.

How important would you say a dining table is?

(we're changing lights, wallpaper and sofa)

Another angle!

A dining table is good for little ones to learn to eat at the table. Also good when they have friends round and they all eat there. Also good for birthday parties, using a nice tablecloth and having a selection of food there that little hands can reach.

Can you store it and get it out when needed? What about when you have guests? If this is your only dining area I would keep it but if you don't entertain etc get rid

Lovely room BTW

@ssd I did think that! Our joiner suggested getting rid but I think we may regret it! He baby is of course siding with joiner 😂

Do you have a table anywhere else? If not l would keep.
It might help if you showed more of the room/layout as you might be able to reposition.

@chopc We barely have guests to be honest! Know that may change with little one (currently both are always at work haha)

@justcross1966 We don't. The other half of the room is the kitchen so zero space to relocate there. The furniture all fit before but we've extended down to this area.

The image attached (our breakfast bar previously ended at the cutout and our TV was on this wall) so we're having to move all the furniture down to the dining area end making it a tad cramped- I hope this makes sense.

Would upload more but a plumber is currently in the kitchen haha.

When little ones are out of the highchair its too dangerous to have them on a high stool I find. They can be on and off chairs non stop! Plus our table is used for homework, playing, activities… all sorts. You might find glass too noisy and a nightmare to keep clean as well! I have a table thats nearly identical and getting rid!

A corner bench type seat would work?

Other side of the kitchen ☺️

@Capricornandproud If we keep the table (which I am pushing for) we definitely will change it in a few years. The glass is the main reason we never sit at it- nightmare to keep clean!

The important thing is you have a place to sit and eat together. As that's the breakfast bar, you don't need the dining table, and getting rid of it would free up space in the room.

We went through the same thing when pregnant with dd and doing up the house.

in the end we got rid of the dining table, it just too up so much room and was only ever used at Christmas! However the space we gained we use all the time now.

when kids are older we’ll probably get a drop leaf table we can store away for when they have friends over/Christmas.

For now though? We need to utilise the space for what works for our family in the here and now. We’re not suddenly going to start eating at a dining table. We had one and did it about 4 times. The space however is now great for babies in walkers and bouncers etc.

Few more questions
Where do you plan to put TV and do you have another sitting room?
Lovely kitchen by the way!

@Tangledbaby That's my husband's thinking! We have a carpeted living room so no use for walkers etc! Thinking we can store the table and get it back out in a few years!

How much do you use the breakfast bar as a prep/worktop space? That's the main question for me. If it's pretty much always in use then having an extra space where LO can be happily/safely doing table top activities while the adults are getting on with other things can be incredibly useful. If you have another area as a worktop, then that can be the breakfast bar.

Although I echo the pp - when you have a toddler, high breakfast bar seating can be a little dangerous. But at that point you could maybe get them a low play table.

Though actually, part of the problem is that you've an L-shaped sofa, which obvs means you need two walls. If you're replacing the sofa anyway... If you got a single sofa and moved it further down towards the glass door, you'd have ample room for a small oblong or square table along the wall where the shorter end of the L is currently. That might actually be better.

We have an L shape and while I love it for comfiness, I wouldn't get another one because you have zero options for changing the room around.

If you have a whole other living room I would make this space as child friendly as possible. So a suitable table (not glass) with chairs for play dough, crafts and later homework. Put in storage for toys, board games etc and maybe one small sofa. This way you can keep your living room a bit more grown up.

I'd get rid of your table as the shape and glass top is not the most practical. If you later on decide that you do need a table, for Christmas, parties etc, consider getting a square or rectangular shape that folds down.

I'd be tempted to try the table in the corner where the green dot is. Then using some cardboard measure out 2 small sofas or a chair and larger sofa them put where pink lines are.

Could you get a small bistro style table. Something not as imposing. Alternatively a square would be easy to push into the corner.

As you’ve said you have a separate living room I’d keep the dining table as having a sofa in the kitchen doesn’t really gain you anything apart from a smelly sofa, and a small child would struggle with a bar stool

Actually this is a good point re storage for toys. My Dc are adults so it's a distant memory!

I think the point about once your little one is out of a high chair in a few years is a good one - a breakfast bar is okay for now, but might be difficult with e.g. a 4 year old.

But I agree with others that an alternative option for the table might be good - maybe folding or extending so you can use it for having people over but it's not taking up room all the time.