Dinner table
A kitchen table for a small kitchen is a special moment. Our families are used to having breakfast, lunch and dinner in the kitchen. Home tea parties and friendly gatherings are often held there.
Tables and chairs for a small kitchen are not just “equipment” for eating, they are also a recreational area where everyone should be spacious and comfortable enough. How to solve this contradiction without sacrificing the capacity of the kitchen unit and the size of the dining area?
Let's look at several practical solutions that have proven themselves well over decades.
Dining table shapes
Not only the space saved in a small kitchen depends on the shape of the table, but also how organically it will fit with the furniture.
With rounded corners
Rounded shapes give the interior softness, and such furniture is less dangerous for children. A variety of types and colors allows you to use tables with rounded corners in interiors of a wide variety of styles - from high-tech to Provence.
The photo shows a small Scandinavian style kitchen. The modern table fits harmoniously into the decor, has no corners, and is therefore convenient for movement in narrow aisles.
Angular
Installed in a corner and saves space well by filling space that is usually left free. The two sides of the countertop can be connected to the kitchen unit, walls, or window sill. The downside is the small capacity - 1-2 people.
The photo shows a rectangular corner tabletop that connects to the kitchen unit and the wall.
Oval
Quite compact, but at the same time practical and safe. It is easy to accommodate 5-6 people behind it. For a small kitchen, you can choose a transformer with an oval-shaped tabletop or an original table on one leg.
Narrow
At a narrow table, several people can eat at the same time - the amount depends on the length of the installed tabletop.
If you choose it to match the color of the walls, the space of a small kitchen will not be visually reduced.
Semicircular
The tabletop, which is a semicircle, is placed with the straight side facing the wall. If you choose chairs with rounded backs, the space saved will increase.
Square or rectangular
This is the most popular option. If the area of the room is small, then furniture with corners is chosen to be small. Placed near a wall or in a corner.
Triangular
Can be pushed into a corner or be appropriate in an irregularly shaped room. This is the most unusual furniture option for a small kitchen. Like all custom-sized tables, it seats a minimum of people. Compact stools are best suited for seating.
The photo shows an unusual kitchen in which there was no room for a standard dining table. The designers found a way out by fitting a triangular structure into a small space.
Using a window sill
There is a way out even in extreme cramped conditions. A modest dining table for a small kitchen can be organized by replacing a regular window sill with a tabletop of suitable size.
There is always a heating radiator somewhere near the window sill, so the size of the tabletop is chosen in such a way that the radiator does not interfere with sitting.
Of course, such a decision cannot be called chic, but there is even something romantic in it. This ultra-minimalist table can easily accommodate two people. In addition, they will have breakfast and lunch looking not at the stove or cabinet, but looking at the street seething with events, which is much more fun.
What is the ideal table for a small kitchen - round or rectangular?
Perhaps this is the first question when choosing a table for a compact kitchen. It’s obvious: a round table has no corners and you can sit behind it more closely, while a rectangular table can be placed close to the wall, saving space. However, you can sit more closely at a rectangular table and move a round one to the wall.
When giving preference to one or another form of countertop, consider 4 points:
1. Table location.
If the table is located close to the aisle, it is better to choose a round option. You've probably touched the corner of a rectangular table more than once. In a situation with a round tabletop, bruises can be avoided.
2. What to sit on
In this small kitchen, a compact table is complemented by a chair and a banquette - an excellent option for company. But if you plan regular family dinners, we recommend purchasing stackable stools.
In some situations, seats need to be planned “in reserve”. The designer created this project for a woman who lives on her own, so one soft chair is enough in the kitchen. Beautiful designer stools are provided for guests. Agree, such a scenario looks lighter and more original than three large chairs.
3. Kitchen configuration
Often the shape of the table depends on the design of the kitchen, as in these projects in the photo. The concept of smooth lines and semicircles can be seen in almost everything here.
4. How to place a rectangular/square table
We’ve figured out the location of the round table, let’s consider options for a rectangular or square one.
In a small kitchen, as a rule, the table is placed against the wall, and chairs are placed on 3 sides. But if you often receive guests, choose furniture that will allow you to change the scenario. So, the table and chairs can be folding.
Another option is a rectangular kitchen of 6 square meters. m. A comfortable scenario in this case is as follows: the table is located perpendicular to the window, the bench spans the entire width of the kitchen. By moving the table away from the window, up to seven people can sit comfortably.
Another example is a rectangular table along a long narrow kitchen. This arrangement is typical for a traditional dining room design, but is no less practical for a small kitchen.
The passage to the table is accessible from all sides, and you can also freely approach the window, which is very convenient: a window sill in a small kitchen is a functional item.
And in this project there is a compact table without visible supports. The load-bearing parts are a pair of metal channels mounted into the wall and under the screed, and the tabletop is made of Corian.
Folding model
When choosing a folding table for a small kitchen, not only personal preferences are taken into account, but also practical considerations. Not only will the whole family gather at such a table for many years.
Owners of small-sized housing, obviously, will more than once receive guests who also need to be comfortably accommodated. Therefore, you need to count on at least 5 people.
Note!
- Kitchen countertop made of artificial stone: TOP-120 photos of kitchen countertop designs. Ideas for making artificial stone
Sofa in the kitchen - pros and cons of sofas in the kitchen. New designs + photo reviews of materials and structures
Railings for the kitchen: TOP 100 unusual solutions in the interior. Features of choosing and installing roof rails in the kitchen
A transforming table for a small kitchen allows you to quickly expand the countertop area. There are several designs of a folding table:
Buy a folding table - provide yourself with comfort
Folding tables for the kitchen are popular among people because, when assembled, two people can easily fit behind them. But if the owners are expecting guests, the table moves into the living room and unfolds. In this form, it can comfortably accommodate 10-12 people and a large number of dishes.
In this regard, the best option is a “book” that has rectangular or rounded (then you get a round or oval kitchen table) hinged planes. On the folded “book” they place a vase, a teapot, a sugar bowl and other small things that are not put away in the cabinet.
If the frame of the “book” is very narrow, such a design takes up virtually no space, but when folded, such a model is non-functional. Even for one person, the transformer needs to be unfolded. In addition, using a folded table is inconvenient, since the person sitting has nowhere to put his feet.
A very original solution for a small kitchen is a glass kitchen table hinged to the wall. The back of this table has a mirror coating. When the table is not needed, the tabletop is raised up and its upper edge is secured with a special fastener. Thus, a large mirror appears on the wall, which visually expands the small space of the room.
The legs and tops of folding tables can be painted with patterns and ornaments, so a tablecloth is not needed here. The table itself is already an interior decoration.
The materials used for the manufacture of folding kitchen tables are:
- chipboard;
- MDF;
Folding table attached to kitchen island made from affordable MDF
- glass;
- natural massif;
Folding table made of natural wood with an aging effect, which is relevant for a Scandinavian interior
Eclectic kitchen with a compact folding table-book made of natural painted wood with an aged effect and blue chairs of the same effect
Rectangular folding kitchen table made of natural wood
Folding kitchen table when folded, increasing the dining space when unfolded
- aluminum+plastic.
Compact modern kitchen with a folding table made of budget material and included stools that also take up minimal space
Modern minimalist kitchen design with folding table. The main material of manufacture is plastic, the additional material is aluminum
A laconic, bright dining space for a modern style kitchen
If the table is large when disassembled, it must be durable to withstand a huge number of plates, salad bowls, bottles of drinks and wines. Therefore, plywood is not used in such structures.
Extendable table for a small kitchen
This is one of the most popular traditional designs, which unfolds by moving two halves apart in different directions. The empty opening is filled with the included board of appropriate sizes.
Table with two “wings”
This compact, practical thing can be both a bedside table and a table, and in different sizes. On ordinary days, before lunch or dinner, one “wing” is raised, and when guests arrive, both are raised at once.
When assembled, the product is used as a convenient stand, on the side of which there is a number of fairly spacious drawers for storing kitchen utensils.
Table with four wings
A table with four wings is a super-compact model that allows you to reduce the surface area of the assembled product to the limit. When the table needs to be prepared for eating, the hinged doors hanging from all sides can easily be raised to a horizontal position.
Wall model
A small kitchen with a table mounted on one of the walls is the ideal solution for tight spaces. The folding tabletop, fixed to the wall, is brought into working condition with one movement.
Note!
Modular kitchens: reviews of new designs. Options for furniture arrangement in the kitchen + 160 photo examples- Kitchen set - TOP-150 photos with options for installing a kitchen set. Varieties of furniture placement + design ideas
- Kitchen doors - reviews of types of kitchen doors. Varieties of manufacturing materials. Design ideas with photo examples
Since such a table has no legs, the plane is supported by a reliable rotating bracket, also fixed in this area.
Folding kitchen tables for a small kitchen: models
To make staying in a small kitchen as comfortable as possible, the designers thought of several modifications of kitchen folding tables:
folding;
A folding compact table is an option, like in a compartment, for one/two. The stools in this kitchen are not folding, but at the same time they take up very little space - they can be stacked on top of each other.
And resourceful designers also found a use for this useless niche by coming up with an interesting dining corner. In the open version it is a folding geometric table with creative chairs...
in the closed one there is a neat tabletop under which chairs can be pushed.
An ultra practical and modern solution for organizing a compact dining area was invented in this kitchen. Definitely, this part of the room is a design feature.
with a support on a hinge or a bar counter;
A bar table on wheels is an option for those who have not decided on a location. When not in use, the stand can always be moved to the wall. By the way, bar stools are also foldable.
In this kitchen project, the small counter is an extension of the window sill. The main task here is to find chairs of the correct height. The only option is models with screws or with smooth adjustment. Standard or traditional bar bars are not suitable: the former are too low, the latter are too high.
retractable;
A retractable table from under the tabletop is most often designed to order. However, this solution allows you to save a lot of space in a small kitchen.
If the retractable table does not fit tightly to the wall, it can be supplemented with chairs and a banquette.
Compare the following two photographs: the first one seems to have no table at all; on the second you can see that it moves out from under the tabletop, harmoniously combining in style with two folding chairs.
“book” table – two surfaces hang down on the sides of the tabletop, which can be raised if necessary;
transformer;
table with support - continuation of the work cabinet;
folding stationary mounted on the wall.
Using a free corner
If there is at least one free corner in the microscopic kitchen, you can place a small triangular table there.
Corner tables in a small kitchen can help out even when there are no other options left. This is probably the best solution if there is only one person living in the apartment, for whom there is more than enough space at such a table.
How to choose tables and chairs for a small kitchen
Before buying a furniture set, you need to take into account some circumstances, for example, that each family member will need their own full-fledged space for eating. Ideally, this is a rectangular tabletop 600x400 mm.
The choice of kitchen table and chairs for the kitchen is directly related to the number of people living in the house. When choosing furniture for a small kitchen area, you need to take into account the dimensions of not only the tabletop, but also the chairs. Seating should be compact and comfortable.
Original kitchen corners for a small kitchen
If there are more than 4 people in a family and it is customary to often receive guests, then it is better to move the dining group to the living room. Then you can simply choose a small dining table for a small kitchen for individual dining.
Material
What material should you choose when choosing a table for a miniature kitchen? You can find many options in furniture showrooms and online stores. Any modern piece of furniture, no matter what material it is made from, will elegantly fit into any interior.
Metal and plastic
Lightweight kitchen tables with a metal base and a plastic top are an excellent option for a modern kitchen design. This thing is easy to move from place to place, and its strength is sufficient to withstand any operational loads.
Features of a small kitchen and the complexity of its layout
The peculiarity of a kitchen space of limited area is the complexity of arranging all the necessary areas. You should allocate space for the stove, sink, work surface, storage system, food intake, and at the same time avoid clutter. The task is complicated by the fact that some areas are connected to communications (gas stove and sink), while others cannot be located nearby (refrigerator and stove).
Folding tables are convenient in any kitchen
Small kitchens are considered to be rooms less than 9 m².
It's good if the room has a square configuration. In the case of a narrow space, as well as in the presence of niches and protrusions, finding the optimal solution requires an individual approach.
For example:
- a square-shaped kitchen will benefit from a U-shaped arrangement of items;
- A layout in the shape of the letter “L” will help to separate the dining and work areas as much as possible.”
- linear arrangement is appropriate for elongated rooms;
- For a non-standard room, furniture will most likely have to be ordered in order to efficiently use every corner.
Modern materials
The technological breakthrough has also affected furniture production, which today produces kitchen furniture made of carbon fiber and fiberglass. These materials look very modern, they are wear-resistant, durable and beautiful.
To make your final choice in favor of one model or another, we suggest you look through a collection of photos of a table for a small kitchen.
Design ideas for kitchen tables in the interior
In an effort to squeeze the maximum benefit out of every centimeter of space without losing its beauty, designers are coming up with more and more eccentric ideas: two-level tables, tabletops with photo printing, irregularly shaped seats and much more.
A table for a small kitchen can even stretch along a corner. An excellent solution would also be an idea borrowed from cafe interiors: tables with round legs and soft mini-sofas in the dining area by the window.
The photo shows a small narrow kitchen, the disadvantage of which the designers turned into an advantage, stylizing the room as a cozy cafe.
