Color Me Domestic - Dining in Small Spaces

Ready for Guests! Chairs and table from IKEA

Living in Chicago means I have to make the most of every square inch at my disposal. So my love of entertaining is in constant conflict with my lack of seating. We had a pub height table that fit perfectly in the spot where a dining table would go but we ate dinner there maybe four times in the last two years.

With the holidays approaching (quickly, I might add) I felt the itch to entertain and then felt the itch to redecorate so we began the search for a new dining table solution.

The first criteria with decorating is always, ALWAYS budget. We decided to dip into our Christmas budget and replace our dining set as the gift to each other this year. Our total budget was $500... and anything we didn't use went back into Christmas so I set my target around $400.

The I discovered that most dining tables are made to fit whole rooms dedicated to meal time. So the second criteria for a new table was size. It couldn't be any bigger than 36" x 36" or 3 feet. We found a few solutions to fit that size criteria from Target, West Elm and IKEA. 

The other trick with a small space is that everything has to go together. Not exactly match, but it does need to coordinate. In our small space we already have a black side board with brushed silver hardware, a pistachio sofa, a grey chair, a glass and matte grey desk and shelving unit and a glass coffee table. 

Now, excluding everything I just said about the new stuff having to coordinate, my dream coffee and croissant set (because 3 feet is a bit small to be called breakfast nook) is the West Elm Tripod Table in Red with two Reed Zinc chairs from cb2. 

And this little set did fit, if only barely, into the max budget. But the argument of comfort over style won out because the metal chairs didn't seem fit for long term sitting. Plus the red table was just a bit too much for our space.

Back to square one.

I decided to focus on chairs then and by-gosh, by-golly, upholstered dining chairs are expensive! Which led me to IKEA. The source for all things cheap-chic. I found the NILS chair for only $80 each! And there is a great company called bemz that creates IKEA slip covers in all sorts of trendy fabrics. I am now petitioning for these Marimekko ones.

So chairs were settled but we still needed a table. Those of you who have gone to IKEA without a plan before know the stress of wandering throughout that "store" aimlessly. I was already a little anxious getting the chairs without having settled on a table when we came across maybe the most perfect match there could be.

The TORSBY table with chrome legs and a black-brown top. It is 33.5 inches square (size, check!). The black-brown and chrome fit perfectly into our "scheme" (coordinate, check!). And it cost only $140 (budget, check!).

Then came the joyous experience of fitting all it into our Mazda 6, getting it into the apartment via the freight elevator and assembly. Luckily the table and 2 chairs proved to be much (MUCH) easier than the queen sized bed with drawer storage and two dressers I've previously had to transport and assemble from IKEA.

And wha-la! Here is our new dining table, chairs and a view down the hall into our office!