Breakfast nooks are the perfect place to start the day, whether you’re trying to get the kids fed and off to school or casually reading the newspaper while drinking your coffee. More intimate than a formal dining room table, eating nooks are often tucked into a corner or placed near a window overlooking the back yard. They might be small and cozy or large enough to seat your family of six, but the key is to design a space that fosters a sense of closeness among the friends and family who sit at the table.
50 Breakfast Nook Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
Of course, you’ll have to think about your needs and the space that you have. Does the space call for a rectangular table to fit the angles of a corner or can it accommodate a circular table? Will you use that space for lunch and dinner as well, reserving the dining room for special occasions? Do you need the look to flow well with the design of the kitchen or can you create a true separate area?
Keep these thoughts in mind as you look through these 50 magnificent breakfast nook ideas.
1. A Splash of Color
The pastel blue and white of this kitchen nook is calm and relaxing, while the colors in the large painting and on the pillows add a bit of unexpected excitement. Note how the pillows have the same “dripping paint” motif, which ties the two style elements together. If you’re feeling artistic, you can create a similar painting yourself by melting crayons on a canvas. Best of all, the drawers underneath the benches act as a convenient storage space for small kitchen appliances you don’t use very often.
2. Stately Elegance
Placed in a corner with windows that allow a lot of natural light to filter through the thin curtains, this nook serves a variety of purposes while looking elegant. You might read a book sitting on the cushioned window benches or pull the comfortable chair up to the table to finish up some work you brought home. A drop leaf table like the one pictured can be opened up to accommodate a much larger number of guests or act as a serving table for your next cocktail party. In this nook, the framed artwork, decorative bowl and large chandelier really set the tone.
3. Small Space Solutions
When the room located off the kitchen isn’t quite big enough to create a formal dining room, consider this simple nook idea. The small table provides space for eating without dominating the entire space, and the bench along the wall provides seating without the additional space needed for chairs. The wire-framed chairs pictured here are both comfortable and compact. In small spaces like these, it’s wise to use white or other light colors to make the space feel larger. Artwork and accessories can add a few splashes of color to make things more appealing. Consider taking a favorite photograph and blowing it up to canvas size for unique art to hang on the walls.
4. Retro Pop
Go back to the ‘60s with a groovy retro-inspired look like this one. The bright orange on the walls, and on the curtain and funky chandelier are a bold and cheerful choice for your home decor, but you could get the same “wow” effect using any bright color that suits your style. The beautiful tiled floor creates a patio effect, which is perfect because the doors open right out to the actual patio. At night, you can close the curtains to keep your privacy. Shadow box frames like the ones used here are more interesting than traditional artwork, and you can easily change the figures to suit your mood.
5. Express Yourself
This great corner breakfast nook offers a comfortable place to enjoy your breakfast, but the room has enough empty space for it to instantly transform into a gathering place for your next party. Of course, the focal piece of the room is the accent wall, which has an intricate drawing and unique message. With chalkboard paint and your own artistic talent, you could recreate something like this with your own message. Not artistic? No problem. Simply purchase vinyl silhouettes or phrases to create the same look in just a few minutes.
6. Diner Love
The table in this photo would look just as good at an all-night diner as it does in the home. The curved teal vinyl bench and the custom-made neon sign complete the diner look. Whether you’re using the natural light from the windows nearby or the light from any of the lamps above the table, you’ll have a nice place to sit and chat. Enjoy some late-night coffee or a hearty pancake breakfast with the people you love the most.
7. Let the Sunshine In
Nothing says happiness like a touch of bright yellow. This beautiful table is sure to catch the eye of everyone who comes into your kitchen. That is, unless they’re more attracted to the unique stools with the twisted wire. What makes this little nook most unique is the use of an actual sofa rather than the built-in bench you typically find in most breakfast nooks. Cupboards on either side of the sofa make it feel like a built-in, and the “window” looking over the rest of the house keeps the energy flowing.
8. Rustic Inspirations
A rusting wooden table like this one could be easily made from reclaimed wood, and the fold-down leafs can save space when you need it. The back wall with its artful placement of distressed signs with the names of famous writers provides inspiration while working at the table. Not working on your next novel? No worries. Take the idea of a “puzzle” of inspiration and make it your own. Perhaps you’d prefer it to include house rules, your family tree or motivational quotes. Seeing these every morning will set the day off on the right foot.
9. All About the Wood
The all-wood design for this small kitchen nook makes it feel much bigger than it is. Placed next to a large picture window overlooking the natural environment outside, the floating table and benches are reminiscent of an old fashioned train car. The small step up into the nook gives the area a feeling of privacy, even though it’s open to the rest of the home. The built-in shelf with the recessed light is perfect for displaying artwork, as they’ve done here, or could be used for something like a fish tank of brightly colored fish, which could seem like moveable art.
10. Classic Lines
When your breakfast nook is located right in the kitchen, you know it’s going to get a lot of use. This sturdy breakfast nook table won’t wobble, and the color ties in nicely with the overhanging lamp and the iron design in the windows. The brown chairs are comfortable and it goes to show that you don’t necessarily need your table and chairs to be a matching set for it to look great. Complete this look with pillows that incorporate colors from the table and the centerpiece.
11. Perfectly Pink and Purple
Who said that breakfast nooks have to be small? This mirrored table is large enough to easily seat eight or more people, so it’s the ideal place to serve Sunday brunch or afternoon tea. With the gold accents, rich colors, and crystal chandeliers, it’s sure to appeal to anyone who has a dramatic – and girly – preference when it comes to home design. When you’re able to have a nook this large, an equally large piece of artwork on the walls can really set the tone for the space.
12. The Artful Prankster
A long bench and table is the right fit when you want breakfast nook furniture that will seat more people in a small space. This custom-made table by Francis D’Haene calls surfboards in mind, but the intricate chandelier reminds you that the home décor isn’t something that was just hobbled together by some beach bum. Framed black and white photographs will add a touch of class to any space, but the “Prankster” print is a unique twist on this. Consider this design if you have a long, thin space you’d like to use for your nook.
13. Indoor-Outdoor Nook
If you want to feel like you’re sitting on a beautiful outdoor patio, but don’t want to deal with the constant bugs buzzing around, consider this idea of creating your little nook inside. The brick floor and stone walls will definitely make it feel like you’re outside, especially when you open up the large windows to let the breeze flow through. Large plants placed around the “patio” add a touch of color while making you feel like you’re in a garden. Choose fragrant flowers to entice even more of your sentences. With a cute design like this, mismatched tables and chairs look perfectly placed.
14. Right at Home
With classic elements like the ones pictured in this corner nook here, you and your guests are sure to feel right at home. The pink sofa fits nicely in the corner, which means that you aren’t wasting any space, and the large round table has a sturdy base to keep it stable. The “E” and the “Eat” sign on a cutting board add a nice three-dimensional piece to the space, while the painting of flowers add some much-needed color. Using an indoor-outdoor carpet allows you to protect your hardwood floors without worrying too much about stains from spills. Make sure to purchase a carpet large enough to fill the space properly if you go this route.
