Thanks so much for your reply, Beth!!!!

Own not rent - but I think I'm too exhausted from the kitchen reno to get into a custom bench at this point (though that is a wonderful idea, and now I regret not doing that during kitchen design ;(

I absolutely love the first photo you shared - that perfectly captures the vibe I'm trying to achieve.

The Target settee you suggest is great! I already have a settee that I am considering moving into this space. Do you think this might work (Mine looks exactly like this, but is 68" wide): https://www.loveseat.com/i/tommy-hilfiger-french-provincial-tufted-back-sof-2/

Thank you again!!!!

I like above suggestions & I think the space is super cool.

it's 24" deep. what you need to do is tape off the floor to the exact measurements of the settee. I would think it's going to impede on that doorway.

you may have to go smaller (lengthwise and depth)

I was going to suggest you paint the risers on those stairs. just patch in some paintable wood and paint them black

a new light, maybe paint that accent wall or get a really cool piece of art

Thank you aunt c! I am at the end of a long reno process in other areas of the apt, and feeling overwhelmed now that I'm finally attending to the dining area. So thanks for helping remind me that the space is super cool! :)

Thank you Beth - good point, I will tape off the settee to try it. And OMG: thanks for your idea re the stair risers, that is brilliant YES!!!!!!

I will be the voice to say do the built in! Do it! It will pay off in the end. I would also upholster or place moulding on that back wall. I cant tell what the rest of your homes esthetic is so am only throwing out suggestions. Houzz is giving me a run for my money today posting so this will likely be in sections.

Sea Winds · More Info

Nantucket Elegance · More Info

Belknap · More Info

with 105" roughly you wont get the cabinets on the sides but you could do narrow book shelves which would be nice for housing cook books etc.

However if you absolutely don't want to do a built (Great under seat storage in them) in then I suggest getting as close as you can to one. Ballards has a line of banquets where you can choose from 9 different styles and sizes and get really close to a built in look

Or some fantastic benches in a ton of different fabrics

As far as a table I would do something like this. marble top and iron bottom. You could pull off an oval up there for more table seating

Dining Tables · More Info

And just for fun and again not knowing your style . Art work is just place holders and had some fun with chandeliers

and if you really want to add some wow I would do a fantastic wallpaper on the back wall!

Again sorry I had to post this all separate. This site is acting goofy again.

Design has some beautiful ideas.

if you're on a budget, there is an Ikea Hemnes hack w/the bench / builtins. if you can do your own trim work to finish it off so that it looks built in place, it would look like this

Peel and Stick wallpaper?? would be a great addition to that small painted area

GASP....Beth you know how I feel about peel and stick.......

Is your style traditional? I can only assume since you mention shield back chairs. Or are you thinking traditional with a twist?

Beth Hemmes makes a bench? Can you link the hack? I am curious now ;-)

Soon Houzz is only going to let me get one word per post in........just sayin

lol..pink, I didn't know you didn't like peel and stick! is is really that bad? I just figured for a small spot between the built in's it would be ok.

I don't think the Hemnes has the bench. that's the DIY hack part. (and the platform base for the cabs, and the crown work) the bench is not very difficult to build though. would be something like this. He'd have to beef up the studs in the wall. Or just put legs on them.

http://acharmingnest.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-ikea-into-custom-built-ins-part.html

there is this one too

https://hydrangeatreehouse.com/ikea-hack-banquette-seat/

Ikea Brimnes has this one. he could prob finagle this one

https://www.allmodern.com/furniture/pdp/lassen-settee-a001120562.html?piid=1754835633

https://www.allmodern.com/furniture/pdp/berti-551-armless-loveseat-a000791316.html?piid=1354296436

I am a complete advocate for not using peel and stick! Couple years back went into a home and the owner had used peel and stick on her breakfast nook eating area. It was a aqua blue geometric. First of all it had faded so badly on one wall that the white portion and the aqua portion we barely different. No direct sunlight. Second when we went to have it taken down it had left a sticky residue all over the wall. Yes the manufacturer said no sticky residue. Hog wash! We had to replace drywall before we could move on. It would not come off no matter what they tried. Just awful. I would choose actual wallpaper any day over that! Now if its being used inside drawers or something fine but nowhere else LOL!

good to know!

Not knowing your taste or style preferences, I can't help but envision that space as a jewel box, rich in deep colors and luxurious fabrics. It would be a bonus if you have a rich collection of art to cover all the walls from floor to ceiling. Forget a settee/banquette. Instead use ghost/acrylic chairs so the art can be seen through them.

Dining Room · More Info

Nina van de Goor's Home · More Info

You can definitely place a 68” settee on the back with a 36” dining table. You can also place a small 36” buffet table closer to the door.

Following

I don’t suggest placing the settee opposite from the entrance of the lift/platform especially if the depth is 24”

Love your little dining area. It reminds me of the lovely pre war apartments in NYC with its wrought iron and step. Good luck with its renovation! Love Beth’s ideas, above!

Yes aren’t they lovely. I happen to live in one and the dining area is much wider than this one plus our back opposite from kitchen is actually the entrance.

I love round tables - they're my favorite! Be mindful of two things ... round is often wider than rectangular (do you have the room?) and a round table with a straight settee is beautiful, but you often "lose" the seating at either end of the bench. If that doesn't bother you, I love the look - built-in or not!

I'd go with the 36" round table. I'd add large artwork on the back wall. Put mirrors on the 2 narrow walls flanking the kitchen and add some kind of plant/tree(like in this photo) on the floor at the end of the railing.

Oh my gosh - everyone, I cannot thank you enough for this wealth of wonderful ideas!!!! You all are the BEST. I'm new to Houzz and am just so amazed and grateful for your generosity of ideas! And visualizations!!! You've really helped me to clarify a few things:

1. The settee I already have will definitely not work in this space. Per Beth, I taped it off: too big. And Design Interior South's visualization helped me to get a sense of scale/feel: again, too big. A wide settee definitely "eats up" the space, whereas I'd wrongly imagined it would blend into the space. The power of visualizations!!!

2. The photos of built-ins "in progress" brought out my post-reno PTSD and I just can't go there.

3. Of all the other settee options,I really like the simple, smaller curved settee that Beth suggests. Simple, yet stylish. I definitely looked at Ballard settees per Design Interior South, but feel they all bring maybe a little more heft to the space than I'm leaning toward.

4. DecoEnthusiaste has expanded my thinking with those great photos. Maybe I don't need a settee after all. I'm not wild about ghost chairs - I love the look, but not living with them - but the point is well taken: light airy chairs. And Dezign Interiors raises a good point about possibly losing working seating w a settee anyway.

Sooooo.... here's what I'm thinking:

White tulip table 36"

Two chairs, no settee

Jewel box art (I fear peel & stick too LOL!) or large artwork, and possibly a mirror on one of the flanking walls (nice idea shirlpp) : TBD

This is huge progress for me, and it's all thanks to you!

To refine the idea, a few photos below:

-- Light fixture (which I've already purchased, hmmm. Note to self, in future don't make piecemeal purchases cuz now I'm hemmed in. It's actually very beautiful, BBarry Visual Comfort. I thought it would play off the iron railings, and then leave room to balance it w pretty antique brass tones in the rest of the space. Apologies that I did not mention this earlier, I forgot.)

-- Possible chair;

-- An inspiration photo I found that I felt pulls all y'alls ideas together in my head.

Do you think this "works"??? I'm really not sure about the chairs... I like that they are "airy" but dunno. (I should note: while I do love French cafe woven chairs, I feel they may be slightly too informal for the overall space?)

*****What chairs would you suggest - with this light fixture and a white tulip table in this space?****

Thank you again for any ideas you might share!!!

Give me a few minutes here.......and tell me what colors do you have in your home? Personally I think you need a higher back chair to carry off a two chair look. I love the idea of a Tulip table and the modern esthetic it would bring to the space but I would temper it with transitional pieces that relate to the traditional elements of your homes architecture. This will create a transitional space that works. I know you're thinking scaled down in size but two chairs at a table can look wimpy. The area is small but it isnt THAT small. You need some height. Again playing here since we don't know your color ways and other furnishings. BTW you chandelier style is fine. The size and scale might be on the small side. I would have to look up dimensions on it.

Elegant, simple, modern and be sure to incorporate black. Table size below may be too small, but I love this look for your space. A tulip table would be nice as well and the advantage of a round table is that it can be placed into the corner for better traffic flow. Pictures on both walls balances everything.

You can buy different sized frames from IKEA and add your own photos or prints. I helped my daughter in law with adding oversized mats with small pictures; just picked up thick Bristol board from a craft store and they look great at little cost.

Could also use decals on stair risers, if you like that look

As recommended above, I would also choose an oval pedestal table instead of around. You’ll be able do use the city better, and have more walking space towards the stairs. I don’t think choosing round vs oval would impact the style you are going for at all, but may be a bit more practical - all depending on price of course! :)

“A round”

City should be “settee”! Sorry - clearly having dictation issues....

Great suggestions all. Design Interior South: thank you so much & my colors are blues (think peacock not navy), with soft greens and creams, old brass accents and black wrought iron too. Your mock-up is in that ballpark! See pic below - this blanket was my color inspiration for the space (the blanket is more beautiful in person, the green a tiny bit brighter like new spring grass). And great point, my dining area is small but not that small, let's avoid a wimpy look!

So many different possibilities, I'm getting immobilized. I feel like my friend's 4 year old: when faced with lots of choices, he melts down. Don't we all LOL. Feeling very fortunate as I write this, these days.....

Anyway. OK, I feel like there are two clear choice points here:

- Go for a smallish settee with two neat chairs;

or

- Go with just two chairs, with a bit of heft.

See pic below - I have two of these antique mahogany armchairs that I inherited from my mother. Maybe I should reupholster and use them? In say a creamy mohair or velvet? They have a vaguely tudor look and lovely brass tacks that actually might vibe nicely with my space. But then.... what table with these arms ?!

Again, thank you for mulling this over with me team Houzz!

I think you could still do a tulip style table with those chairs but I would throw in a traditional element with them like tulip style but marble top. One thing to not though. The arms on that chair looks really high. You don't want anything that cant slid under the table when in use or you will be eating from a mile away! One more question for you. Is this the only dining area in your place? Do you entertain and have dinner parties? How many will be using it?

I'm not wedded to a tulip table BTW, but do want to avoid looking like Granny's house. Marble top is a GREAT idea, thank you!

Yes this is the only dining area. Two will use it regularly, and we do like to entertain. Mostly cocktail parties but sometimes dinner too. (Imagining the world post COVID yay :)

Great tip on tucking in the chairs. I'm torn about these chairs - sometimes I think they are real ugly, and sometimes I love them.

They could be phenomenal lacquered a color with some wonderful fabric.

(Having just spent an inordinate amount of time on Houzz, I believe I have now identified my preferred style: transitional. )

or

Claire I LOVE THESE PIECES! Thank you

are you looking for a subtle comfort ness in formal or casual?

not a problem glad I can be of some help.

Pretty space love it all! I definitely would NOT do a settee! Those are best for kitchen corners and near windows. You Have a really beautiful, more formal space for a cool table and chairs. I wish I could see the reat of your house! And I’d like to know your style. That said! Wallpaper, maybe a tropical print or something from Farrow and Ball on that back wall to give it depth. Then go from there. If tropical you could do a Serena Lily rattan chairs...I’m picking up on that iron railing and the woods...reminds me of French Colonial...

I love your chairs! I suggest this color with the wood and iron; and cover your chairs in something similar to this fabric in the picture:

definitely French Colonial but a rattan is definitely not transitional or French. Beth had already suggested creating a built in banquet.

This is a beautiful column pedestal table a little Romanesque but fits the style.

Thank you Claire and Kimberly!

Kimberly yes re color!

Claire I am really liking your suggestions!. The chair you suggest is perfect but one thing: I already have barrel chairs in the LR so I feel like I can't go there in the dining area. (To avoid "Look at her and all her barrel chairs!" LOL.) That pedestal table is GORGEOUS... it may be a bit big for the space, but now I will be hunting for something similar w a smaller footprint. (That pic looks like 48" or more to me, I think 36-40 may be best for my space.)

TY! Yeah the table is 47” wide I knew it was too big it was the style that I’m suggesting.

Ok let me look for a chair similar to wing. Bb

How about this jauregi upholstered chair

Something like this? 42” wide?

I've looked for the romaneque pedestal table in a smaller size but not finding. But wow: i really like the tulip table in antique rust! I think that might have just clinched it. I'm thinking:

-- my antique arm chairs covered in a creamy fabric with

-- a tulip table with at minimum antique bronze base, or possibly a white marble table top.

Thank you Houzzers!