Improving a small Victorian dining room: any tips?

jacr100

Hi folks

I’ve attached some photos of the dining room in our Victorian semi (dimensions 3.0m x 3.7m). We did a little bit of renovation in this room when we moved in (mainly plastering/painting plus taking up carpet and putting down laminate), but now it’s time to improve it further.

Since many of you out there have much better design heads than us, I thought I’d ask opinions.

Things we’re considering:

1. Take out the electric heater and replace with an empty fireplace + improve the fireplace surround.

2. Take out the bookshelves either side of the fireplace and replace with alcove cupboards + floating shelves.

3. Add a small cupboard under the stairs.

4. Replace the table with a smaller version (eg square that extends), with benches rather than chairs.

5. Possibly add a window into the west-facing wall (where the clock is), for lots more light.

Any advice on the above, or suggestions to maximise storage and/or fit a Victorian style, warmly appreciated.

Rosa_Damascena

Is it a self-contained room, or used as a thoroughfare?

Doozergirl

I'd look at moving doorways so that you don't have to walk straight through the middle of it.  I can't see what your route out of the dining room from the side is, but I'm guessing it's on the same side as the table.    Even just to move the door closer to the chimney breast so that you can walk *around* the table more intuitively.   

With a massive budget you'd do the whole side return kitchen extension and the kitchen door (if there was one) would be where the window is now ☺️

It's always going to struggle to like a family dining room with the table pushed against the wall.  The table wants to be the focus of life in that room, otherwise it's a hallway.  

Storage is clearly important.  You're using every inch around those walls, so a simple cupboard with a few floating shelves isn't really going to cut it - where's everything else going to go? I've made built in floor-to-ceiling storage priority in our house.  The majority of it is behind big (think wardrobe style) doors so that the interior space can be filled and not necessarily made beautiful.  It's the doors that need to be beautiful.  In a period house like yours I'd panel the walls and hide doors to alcove and understairs storage in the panelling.  Don't make the cupboards too deep, everything wants to be easily accessible like it is now. 

 It gives character and detail but hides the things you don't want to look at, makes it more relaxing to be in without looking at everything you own.  

A very high level shelf around the room or shelving around a doorway wall could act as a display for things you want to see.  

Pinterest is always your friend:

https://pin.it/KmrfgFQ

https://pin.it/1hk5Tb0

https://pin.it/3stof6A
https://pin.it/1xiwQAs

The Ikea room sets and catalogues are also people's friends.  Those people KNOW how to use entire walls for storage and build it in so it looks great. And the Ikea Hacks website. 

I've got our carpenter here this week hacking me an entire wall of BESTA units for our TV wall.  It's going to hide the soil stack and the stopcock on either side of the room.  

Martin_the_Unjust

Personally I would start with a serious declutter.

(and then I would declutter some more)

jacr100

Rosa_Damascena said:

Is it a self-contained room, or used as a thoroughfare?

Hi Rosa. It's a thoroughfare (I've attached a floorplan, which should make it clearer).

theoretica

If you aren't using the chimney you could look at the building construction and see if there is a nice alcove you could open up there.

jacr100

Doozergirl said:

I'd look at moving doorways so that you don't have to walk straight through the middle of it.  I can't see what your route out of the dining room from the side is, but I'm guessing it's on the same side as the table.    Even just to move the door closer to the chimney breast so that you can walk *around* the table more intuitively.   

With a massive budget you'd do the whole side return kitchen extension and the kitchen door (if there was one) would be where the window is now ☺️

It's always going to struggle to like a family dining room with the table pushed against the wall.  The table wants to be the focus of life in that room, otherwise it's a hallway.  

Storage is clearly important.  You're using every inch around those walls, so a simple cupboard with a few floating shelves isn't really going to cut it - where's everything else going to go? I've made built in floor-to-ceiling storage priority in our house.  The majority of it is behind big (think wardrobe style) doors so that the interior space can be filled and not necessarily made beautiful.  It's the doors that need to be beautiful.  In a period house like yours I'd panel the walls and hide doors to alcove and understairs storage in the panelling.  Don't make the cupboards too deep, everything wants to be easily accessible like it is now. 

 It gives character and detail but hides the things you don't want to look at, makes it more relaxing to be in without looking at everything you own.  

A very high level shelf around the room or shelving around a doorway wall could act as a display for things you want to see.  

Pinterest is always your friend:

https://pin.it/KmrfgFQ

https://pin.it/1hk5Tb0

https://pin.it/3stof6A
https://pin.it/1xiwQAs

The Ikea room sets and catalogues are also people's friends.  Those people KNOW how to use entire walls for storage and build it in so it looks great. And the Ikea Hacks website. 

I've got our carpenter here this week hacking me an entire wall of BESTA units for our TV wall.  It's going to hide the soil stack and the stopcock on either side of the room.  

Very helpful – I appreciate the time you've taken!
The side kitchen/bathroom extension is something we are considering as a later project – until we get there, we're looking at ways we can improve this room in the meantime. The floor-to-ceiling storage with wardrobe doors is a great suggestion; ditto the IKEA Hackers website. Thank you :-)

MovingForwards

Declutter and then put floor to ceiling units / shelves in. Go for a lighter colour as that room is dark, perhaps look at some floor lighting to make the room inviting. Make a feature of the table as it's a family home, don't shove it to one side.

Doozergirl

MovingForwards said:

Declutter and then put floor to ceiling units / shelves in. Go for a lighter colour as that room is dark, perhaps look at some floor lighting to make the room inviting. Make a feature of the table as it's a family home, don't shove it to one side.

See, I'd introduce darker wall colours to embrace it and make it inviting.  Different layers of lighting, and light focussed specifically on the dining table will create an intimacy.