Kitchen Design
Remodeling Guides
Renovation Detail: The Built-In Breakfast Nook
On the menu: one order of cozy seating with plentiful sides of storage. For the kitchen or any other room, built-ins fit the bill
My kitchen is crying for built-in breakfast-nook seating. As much as I love our bump-out nook, I can't help but curse our freestanding dining table and benches. The area is capable of providing us with so much storage, but without the form and function of built-in seating, we are wasting space.
A built-in seat has the natural space for handling storage, and if you're careful to make that space easy to access, you can unearth loads of untapped spare room. Drawers are a handy way of providing organized, accessible space.
You may configure underbench storage based on your breakfast nook's configuration. Window seats and corner benches encourage a wide berth of drawers underneath, while U-shape nooks and booths are better outfitted with drawers at the bench's ends. When planning for drawer accessibility, you'll also want to take the dining table into account.
In the not-too-distant future we'll be bidding farewell to our freestanding furniture and welcoming a world of built-in seating and storage. A cozy dining area and extra storage give me the warm fuzzies!
A built-in seat has the natural space for handling storage, and if you're careful to make that space easy to access, you can unearth loads of untapped spare room. Drawers are a handy way of providing organized, accessible space.
You may configure underbench storage based on your breakfast nook's configuration. Window seats and corner benches encourage a wide berth of drawers underneath, while U-shape nooks and booths are better outfitted with drawers at the bench's ends. When planning for drawer accessibility, you'll also want to take the dining table into account.
In the not-too-distant future we'll be bidding farewell to our freestanding furniture and welcoming a world of built-in seating and storage. A cozy dining area and extra storage give me the warm fuzzies!
A corner bench offers the coziness of a booth and the flexibility and added storage of a straight bench.
A single straight built-in bench allows for easier storage access and more flexibility in choosing a table shape and size.
A single faceted built-in bench allows for easy access to the classic crescent bin pulls in polished nickel.
This home in Portland, Oregon, is loaded with savvy storage. I spy an L-shape bench with storage, a wall mounted shoe rack and hanging hooks aplenty.
A bump-out with three walls of windows is the ideal spot for built-in U-shape booth seating, a cozy dining alternative.
A bright U-shape nook is outfitted with integrated storage hidden behind the seat backs.
Not only does this L-shape breakfast nook boast bench storage, but it's nestled into a built-in cabinetry arch.
Massive drawers are tucked underneath this 44-inch by 70-inch built-in breakfast spot with wainscoting.
A faceted window seat adds sitting room and storage to the dining area. Hinged doors provide access to the bench's cargo space.
A low cabinet separates this breakfast area from the kitchen without closing off the sight lines.
It's inevitable that your nook will be used for more than just breakfast. It's important to outfit the built-in with electrical outlets for your family's charging needs.
For comfort's sake make sure the back of your built-in bench angles slightly and that the seat overhangs the base cabinet. Your back and knees will thank you.
More:
Breakfast Nooks, Sunny Side Up
More:
Breakfast Nooks, Sunny Side Up