Breakfast Nook
"'The wife is a vegan, and having lots of space to prepare food was very important to her,' Steeves says. The designer took advantage of the size of the space by using a previously empty bay as a cozy spot for a kitchen table. And she extended the island so that it would provide an ample prep area within the work triangle, as well as seating for the whole family. The island measures 10 feet, 2 inches by 4 feet, 4 inches. 'At first the homeowner was hesitant to place a dining area in the bay, because she loves plants and knew it was a good spot for them,' Steeves says. 'But I promised we’d find good spots for her plants. Now she tells me it’s the kids’ favorite part of the kitchen. In addition to having meals here, they do all their crafting and their homework at the table.' The designer built in a bench under the windows that has storage underneath. 'The oval table fits the room nicely, and the curved edges and pedestal make it easy to get around,' she says. The woven light overhead plays off woven elements she used in the adjacent family room."
"Stefan made the table for Heather for Christmas using two extra pieces of the quartzite and a strip of walnut down the middle. Adams helped him source the gold powder-coated steel base on Etsy. The West Elm chandelier is perforated brass, which complements the knurled brass of the kitchen hardware."
"Back to the turret, which Stefan and Heather had earmarked for a dining nook right from the start. Adding a built-in circular banquette was Adams’ idea — a tricky one to implement but worth it. “Stefan and his lead carpenter built it themselves,” Adams says. “Because the radius is so specific for the banquette, each one of those [upholstered] channels is a separate piece that could come out, and rather than separate window sills for each of the windows in the turret, they just made like one curved window sill. That was like a feat of measuring and engineering, but it turned out beautifully.” Adams used the same bold chartreuse fabric she used on the island stools. She advises a neutral backdrop for big-investment spaces like kitchens, but she likes to make unexpected choices for accent pieces that are easy to redo. “I want this kitchen to last stylistically 25 years at least,” she says. “And so the stools and the banquette, I feel like those are the places to bring in the fun.”"
"Looking toward the other end of the room, past a glass door leading to the backyard, you can see the interior of the circular turret on the left. (Above the dining nook is a new circular shower in the primary suite.) Though a common feature of Victorian homes, turrets or towers are not typical on Dutch Colonial Revival-style homes. But because this home has a barnlike silhouette, the turret recalls a silo and thus feels fitting, Adams says. Plus, it’s not visible from the street. We’ll look at its function in the kitchen more closely in a moment, but first, note the set of cabinets on the right."
"5. Nifty Nook Designers: Meredith Owen Interiors and Hatch + Ulland Owen Architects Builder: Nalle Custom Homes Location: Austin, Texas Size: 54 square feet (5 square meters); 6 by 9 feet Homeowners’ request. “This breakfast nook was designed for a busy family that enjoys entertaining and working in their kitchen area,” designer Meredith Owen says. “This place offered a cozy spot for both dinners and virtual meetings to be conducted while maintaining a close proximity to the action happening in the kitchen.” Special features. Dark charcoal stain-resistant cushions. Cane chairs. A thin cage light fixture with a low profile that doesn’t obstruct the views. “Pops of rust and gold custom pillows were designed to warm up the space,” Owen says. Designer tip. “Use an indoor-outdoor fabric for fabrics close to an eating area so they can be easily cleaned when spills occur,” Owen says. “Uh-oh” moment. “Accommodating a good bench height for families with different age ranges is always a challenge when designing a built-in bench,” Owen says. “Using different foam thicknesses can help to make a big difference in the seat height. We used a firmer cushion at first to accommodate the younge...
"2. Creative Corner Designer: Allison Crawford Design Location: Austin, Texas Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters) Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners wanted a comfortable space to have family dinners and to host guests,” designer Allison Crawford says. “They also wanted the space to be unique and stylish. This dining area is right next to the front door of the home, meaning a traditional table and chairs would look unanchored in the space. Instead, we added built-ins to ground it and accommodate more people.” Crawford uses Houzz Pro to manage her design projects and calls it a game changer. “Houzz Pro helps us organize our products, create mood boards for each room and manage invoicing and budgeting for our clients,” she says. Special features. Custom wall paint by local artist Jeremy Earhart. Cubist chandelier by designer Kelly Wearstler. Eero Saarinen for Knoll executive chairs. Knoll Saarinen oval dining table. Oaxacan black vase sourced in Mexico City. “We designed and installed channeled velvet benches to accommodate the whole family and commissioned custom paint for the walls to tie in with their stunning art collection in the rest of the house,” Crawford says. “We ...
"8. Banquette Beauty This handsome Chicago kitchen features light wood cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling, with decorative molding at the top. Brass details — in the hardware, wall sconces and pendant lights above the island — add an elegant touch. Another highlight is the L-shaped island with a custom built-in banquette. The bench seating with gray tweed backing, three striped linen chairs and ebony-stained table can accommodate up to six people. With the addition of the two counter stools, this kitchen can comfortably serve breakfast for eight."
"Removing the existing island allowed room for a more user-friendly L-shaped island with attached banquette and custom cushion and pillows. The island design gives the family a comfortable, inviting spot for casual meals and doing homework on one side, with designated work zones on the kitchen side."
"This cozy nook, with storage drawers under the banquette, serves as an eat-in area and someday may be a spot for playing games and doing homework. The chandelier has a traditional silhouette, but its dark color plays off the modern touches of black. Much of the art through the home was already part of the couple’s collection. “He is a big photography fan,” McGuill says. "
"The couple installed an L-shaped banquette in the kitchen’s dining area; its seat flips up to reveal storage. A new modern tulip table, brass chairs and lots of colorful pillows sit under a capiz shell chandelier."
"After. Grey had a custom banquette built below the windows and added window shades to create a cozy breakfast area. The banquette has drawers at the bottom that the homeowners use to store table linens. Assorted colorful pillows atop it add comfort and bring a splash of color to the space. A light fixture above the table features three exposed lightbulbs, complementing the fixture above the sink. 'There’s an informality to the breakfast area now that encourages the family to hang out longer and take in the morning sun,' Grey says."
"Banquette. “This family needed all the extra storage they could get,” Steeves says. The banquette has large drawers underneath it. Because the table must be moved to gain full access, they use them for things they don’t need very often, like fancy linens, large serving platters and seasonal items. "
"Lippa round dining table: LexMod; Amish dining armchairs: LexMod"
"5. Well-Defined With today’s open plans, it can be hard to delineate a dining space. But the way this area tucks in an alcove between the kitchen and living room has a lovely intimate feel. Takeaway: Bring a soaring ceiling down to human scale with elements like artwork and light fixtures."
"A kitchen nook offers loads of way to personalize your designas well as options to infuse some vibrancy, character and comfort into your space. Custom bench cushions and throw pillows — chosen in a fabric, pattern and color palette of your choice — can create a more colorful and comfortable space. Adding a rug into your nook can introduce even more character and vibe while further defining this fun and functional space."
"43. Two curved settees surrounding a round dining table give the look of a built-in banquette but with much more flexibility."
"Just around the corner from the kitchen is a cozy breakfast room with plenty of space for the whole family to sit comfortably. It continues the pinks and grays seen on the sun porch and in Laura’s office."
"After: The designer added caned chairs in front of the windows for a lighter, more open feel and played off the texture by adding a rattan cabinet behind the sofa. This piece lightens up the look from the kitchen toward the family room. Steeves also added woven baskets to bring that texture to the wall. “'My clients were into very natural organic textures, so we went with a 100% wool rug,' Steeves says. 'Wool can stand up to kids and the dog and just about anything else you throw at it.' The hexagonal pattern has a woven look that plays off the caning and rattan."
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