Every good dining room design plan starts with a need—and ours was simple: we needed more space and more storage!
Our old dining setup was functional but cramped. With stools along the peninsula and a traditional dining table setup, there just wasn’t enough room to comfortably walk between the two zones. Cue the sideways scooting and awkward shimmies during dinner parties.
Like many homes with open floor plans, our dining space sits between the living room and kitchen. As much as I would love a formal dining room with a traditional layout, our 1500 sq ft house leans more casual—not quite eat-in kitchen, but definitely more blended zones making for a small open-concept living and dining room. And while that layout offers flexibility, it also comes with challenges.
One major issue? The pass-through space between the dining table and the peninsula stools was a tight squeeze. So much so that we couldn’t place chairs on the side of our table closest to the china cabinet.
Especially when entertaining, guests tend to gather at the peninsula, grazing and chatting and clogging up the walkway that goes to our back sliding door.
Small spaces aren’t inherently bad. You just have to use them smarter.
So we began.
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Step 1: Define the Problem
The core issue was congestion around the peninsula. Funny to say that our layout inspo was actually revolved around a dilemma, but it’s true! Our dining table, centered in the middle of the room, sat just a little too close to the kitchen stools.
We also had a bulky china cabinet along the far wall, which made shifting the table even more difficult. The arrangement of furniture just wasn’t working for a functional dining room design. Between the awkward squeeze it was clear that a new layout was necessary.
Step 2: Reconfigure the Layout to Solve the Problem
I began sketching new floor plans that would open up the room and improve flow. The idea: shift the dining table closer to the wall and build a banquette that could serve as seating along that side.
Banquette seating is one of the smartest small dining room ideas for making the most of a tight space. This would let us push the table away from the crowded peninsula, creating ample space for walking and gathering.
The banquette would provide 72″ worth of additional seating (slightly larger than a love seat) while reclaiming underutilized space—a big win in a smaller dining room.
Step 3: Tape Out the Dining Room Design Plan in Real Life
Before I got too deep into plans, I went low-tech and taped out the layout on the floor. I marked where the cabinet towers and banquette would go.
Turns out, that stretch of wall was completely unused. It was just dead space. Testing the idea in real life confirmed it was a great idea! We’d gain both essential storage and better circulation.
Step 4: Mock-Up and Mood Board in Canva
Once the layout passed the tape test, I created a mock-up and mood board in Canva to help visualize the full room’s overall design and color scheme.
I was able to ensure pillows that I already owned worked within the dining room design plan. This step helped me finalize finishes and materials and make sure everything flowed visually.
I just love using Canva to help visualize color palettes or how certain items look together! It’s a great way to design brain storm without committing to any purchase until you can be sure you like how everything plays together.
Step 5: Solve for Sightline Obstructions
Remove Obstacles:
Previously, a closet wall separated the living room from the dining area, creating a visual block that disrupted the flow. During our renovation, we removed it to preserve the open floor plan—that was the only major structural change, but it made a huge difference in how the space feels.
Create Seamless Flooring:
We also replaced all the flooring downstairs. The living room had engineered veneer while the dining room had vinyl, which made the transition between rooms feel disjointed. Installing a light, white-oak-toned LVP throughout the entire level helped everything feel cohesive and visually connected.
Keep Sightline Open with Glass Shelving:
Originally, I had planned for symmetrical cabinet towers on either side of the banquette, but I realized that might just recreate the same obstruction issue with the awkward closet that we had before. So that’s where the bistro shelf with glass shelving came into place.
The bistro shelf will sit on a lower cabinet on the side closest to the living room. It maintains symmetry, offers essential storage, and keeps the line of sight open—a design win all around.
Step 6: Finalize Details: Cabinets, Fabrics, Wallpaper, and Hardware
With layout and structure settled, it was time for details. Relying heavily on my moodboard created in Canva it made it easier to decide these, sometimes overwhelming, details:
Cabinets:
KCD Kodiak cabinets for a rich, contrasting medium-wood tone were the cabinets we decided on. I personally love the idea of darker dining room design plan for spaces that we want to feel cozy and intimate. The dark cabinetry flanking the banquette will provide visual balance and hidden storage.
I had been thinking about extending cabinetry into the dining space for a long time so the color palette was carefully planned.
When we remodeled our kitchen, I chose the Kodiak color for our open shelves, anticipating that it would coordinate beautifully with matching cabinetry in the dining room. It was all about cohesion.
Because the dining space sits between the kitchen and living room, I also wanted to bring more blue into the room. Our navy living room chair is a standalone accent, and the banquette, pillows, and eventual wallpaper will be a lovely way to tie everything together across the zones.
Fabric:
Luckily, I was able to find the exact fabric as our navy Carlisle dupe that I have reupholstered a few years ago. I still have some reservations (maybe I wanted a striped fabric?) and fear that navy may be too dark. But for now, I’m going with solid navy that I purchased from a local end-of-roll fabric shop.
Hardware:
To keep the kitchen and dining room cohesive, I wanted to use Pottery Barn Sussex knobs in Tumbled Brass – the same hardware that we used in the kitchen. Unfortunately, they weren’t available in this color so I found a look-a-like on Amazon for a fraction of the cost! Win Win.
Lighting:
I had the CLJ Eddie light fixture saved as a favorite for several months. It was well established as my choice of lighting for the dining room before my mom gifted it to us for Christmas 2 years ago. I’m still in love!
To compliment, but not match the CLJ Eddie chandelier, I’ve selected two different sconce options. I’ll probably need your help deciding once they arrive. Both are from Vakker Lighting, but very different!
Shelving:
One feature that I’m probably most excited about is the bistro shelf! I love when a design is forced to evolve due to constraints or hurdles, but the final plan is actually better than you ever imagined! We’ll be going with this aged brass bistro shelf by IronAbode in the Roux style.
Dining Chairs & Table:
I’m still undecided on what dining chairs and dining table we’ll be using. I snagged a gorgeous pair of walnut MCM style chairs at a local HabitatRestore and I’m in the process of refinishing them. I have a few reservations, however. I’m afraid 1) they’ll be too large for the space and 2) I’m not sure they are the right look for our very Ralph Lauren-inspired dining room… TBD.
I’m also not sure we’ll keep our current dining room table. I’m not a huge fan of how the leaf doesn’t have matching side aprons, but it is just the right size. We’ll definitely stick with an oval shape – easier to shimmy into the banquette without getting poked by a corner of a rectangular table, but without the extra width of a circular table that would eat into our walk-way space behind the stools.
Wallpaper:
The final piece: dining room wallpaper. I’ve cycled through samples, pinned favorites, polled followers—it’s the hardest decision! But in a small space, the right wallpaper adds so much character. It’s like art, pulling everything together without crowding the space. Here are some of my top contenders:
Final Thoughts
Designing a small dining area in a home with an open floor plan can be a challenge. But with the right layout, a little bit of creativity, stylish storage solutions, and intentional choices, it can become the heart of the home.
From clearing pass-through space to choosing thoughtful finishes, this process has been about blending beauty and practicality. I’ve been taking tons of photos of progress, and I can’t wait to share more as we bring the vision to life.
I’m so excited to see this space come together! It is really going to up the cozy factor of our downstairs and I can already picture working at the dining table sitting on the banquette bench with a cup of coffee. The banquette truly will become the heart of the dining room… I can already feel it!
More dinners. Better flow. And maybe fewer stubbed toes during our next dinner party.
Want updates or don’t want to miss the before-and-afters? Subscribe to the newsletter or follow along on Instagram! I’ll be sharing all the final reveals—including our final dining room wallpaper and sconce choices!
Girl Behind the Blog
I’m Jess, the creator of Oak & Grain. A mid-west girl at heart who now resides in Raleigh, NC. I love finding old things and giving them new purpose by way of refinishing or incorporating unexpected, overlooked thrift store finds in the modern home. I work full-time in medicine and I love dipping into my creative side and in the process, keeping my sanity. Follow me on Instagram and YouTube to see more behind the scenes action.
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