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Original poster

2.2m by 2.8m - is this too small to use as a dining area

16 replies

ftm123 · 12/12/2015 18:01

I am currently trying to reconfigure the downstairs of my house. There is an awkward space, 2.2 by 2.8m adjoining the kitchen (it is part of the side return), there is a utility elsewhere and as this space opens to the garden I want it to be living space. I have been toying with the idea of using it as a dining space but am worried it is to small. I would want it to fit a family of 4. I would appreciate the opinions of mumsnetters. I can't yet try it out as the space is currently a shed/lobby.

Thanks.

OP posts:

PhoenixRises · 12/12/2015 18:06

Our dining room is 3.3m by 3.1m.

We can fit eight in, and that's with a piano and a glasses cabinet in the room.

I think you'd be fine if it was a narrow table and chairs, and didn't mind a squash - you could use a bench secured to the wall to save on space?

superram · 12/12/2015 18:13

Could you not open up that space in to the kitchen? Even if just a big 'window' it will feel poky and you won't use it. A snug might be better?

Dontyouopenthattrapdoor · 12/12/2015 18:17

Totally fine! Even with a normal table, but if you're worried you could get something like this for extra space. Decorate in light colours to keep it airy.
www.oakfurnituresuperstore.co.uk/oak-dining-furniture/oak-kitchen-tables-and-chairs/oak-kitchen-tables/oxford-120cm-solid-oak-dining-table-with-benches.html?gclid=CJzNje321skCFYoBwwodClYE6w

yomellamoHelly · 12/12/2015 18:20

Ours is 2.6 x 2.6m. But doors to all sides and two of those sides double leaf and always open. So it works quite well. Have a round table with a 1.15m diameter which can be extended to 1.65m. (At which point it gets "cosy"!) Would still work if it wasn't so open, but would look cramped.

lalalonglegs · 12/12/2015 19:09

I think it's a bit small but one solution would be to have a bench or fixed seating along one wall rather than chairs all the way round. I agree that opening onto the kitchen would be a good idea but knocking down that supporting wall is horrifically expensive.

RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 12/12/2015 21:11

It does sound quite small but having just checked, the room we have our dining table in is approximately 3.3 x 2.5m so not vastly larger. In that space we have a 2.4 x 0.75m table as well as there being a (currently not working) open fireplace at one end. Admittedly we only have three chairs in there at the moment as this is not where we tend to eat our meals - we have a smaller, circular table in the adjacent room, but eat mostly in the kitchen as there are only the two of us at home.

We have had eight around the table for special occasions though - it was a squeeze - but as the room is open to the living room and sandwiched between that and the kitchen plus we had nowhere else to site my precious French table, having had much larger rooms at our last house and DH was threatening to get rid it works well enough. Not sure how it would be if in constant daily use for more than two though......

Will try to find some pics to illustrate how it looks/works

ChablisTyrant · 12/12/2015 21:15

We used to have a space width 2.4m for dining and it was a real squeeze. People couldn't get in and out behind others. So I'm afraid 2.2m won't fit a normal oblong table.

RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 12/12/2015 21:25

Ok, so I don't have any pics that show the room as a whole as it's quite hard to take one , but here are some that give an idea of how tight the space is......the tall chair in the second pic is right up against the wall. There's about 30cm between wall and table end and slightly more the fireplace end obviously not ideal for DC and no room for dressers etc but all our china, cutlery etc is stored in the rooms either side......

In your position OP, where you want/need a family-friendly eating area, I think I'd perhaps be looking to incorporate the space into your kitchen as previously suggested.

2.2m by 2.8m - is this too small to use as a dining area

Cressandra · 12/12/2015 21:52

Raphaella can I ask where you bought your table? I'm looking for a refectory style table to work with our bench seating, and they are thin in the ground.

I would imagine having a table without the legs in the orners really helps the room work with limited space too.

RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 12/12/2015 22:23

Cressandra - we actually got it in 2013 from a salvage yard in Dorset (sadly no longer there) and it had originally come from a local farmhouse, but we didn't it as such.......it was a swap for some stone from an outbuilding we demolished . The ticket price of the table was £695 which we felt was quite a good deal! Have you tried scouring eBay etc?

Cressandra · 12/12/2015 22:47

Drat! I thought you'd say that. It is lovely.

We need quite a small one and the ebay ones are nearly all too big and dark, or ex-pub ones that are only 60cm wide and I think might look a bit naff. I know a chap who builds them to commission so I think I'll probably just do that, but I would like an older one if I could find it..

orchidnap · 12/12/2015 23:51

Ours is 2.5 x 1.96 and we have a square table that extends to an oblong, and an ikea kallax unit weuse like a sideboard. It's quite a squeeze but when the house was on the market we took the kallax unit out and it was fine wit just the table.

RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog · 13/12/2015 00:58

Thank you Cressandra It is rather lovely although it does have a large chunk taken out of one of the 'feet' where the SW Dog as referenced in my name chewed it but I'm sure if you keep on hunting something equally special will turn up!

Cressandra · 13/12/2015 17:02

That just adds to the character Raphaella...

OP incorporating it into the kitchen sounds like a good option. Built in seating or a wooden monk's bench can help maximise the usable space, but as we've found, you need a pedestal or refectory style table ideally or it's hard to get in and out.

Original poster

ftm123 · 13/12/2015 20:06

Thanks everyone. The kitchen is actually at the top of the side return, not to the side of it. We were planning to extend the kitchen about 3m into the side return, but leaving an awkward space we need a use for. Our architect friend suggested dining area, I was sceptical, and sadly think it will probably be too narrow to be comfortable to use. Knocking through to the adjacent reception is out of our budget, especially as there is a fireplace in the way.

Hmm, need to think about this some more. Maybe I should turn it into a back kitchen ;)

OP posts:

Cressandra · 13/12/2015 20:53

Sounds like it would make a lovely study or music room. But only if you have use for a study or music room. Friends of ours have a tiny playroom. It's only really big enough for toy storage but that's what our bigger playroom is mainly used for anyway! Well, that and clarinet practice.

I suppose the other option is moving the utility. I take your point on the wasted view of the garden but it might be worth the trade off if you can make great use of the current utility's space.

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