my home: dining space

Here we are at the second part of my home series after the first went so smoothly!

Kinda. I was happy to have my post shared with a wider audience on City Pages but, in traditional internet fashion, it ruined a lot of the fun. I wrote the introduction piece to give some context on my home search process and how, ultimately, it ended with me wanting something completely different than what I had originally thought. That’s the part of growing up that keeps catching me by surprise: It happens so innocuously you can’t even feel it.

And I wanted to share that with whatever number of people 84 percent of 51 is – that is, the amount of people who answered “yes” to a Twitter poll asking if my followers would be interested in a series of posts about the house on my site. I didn’t think it would end up with me having to defend myself against strangers who believed I pitched the idea to City Pages in hopes of going VIRAL! and many others who questioned the reason it was written in the first place. For more context on why this space even exists, click here.

If you found me via that crossover post, hi! I appreciate your click and time spent here.

With that said, let’s talk about furniture and plants and this dining space that isn’t quite a dining room.

As mentioned in my first post, I told my realtor I was not interested in a formal dining area. That’s because I’d spent the past six years eating off a $20 IKEA coffee table in front of the TV, and I’m not much of a hostess. My hope was to have a home where every bit of space and room is utilized regularly and doesn’t just sit empty or unused.

So in non-formal-fashion, the area connected to the living room and off the kitchen is a combo dining/work/entryway space!

My 1950s home didn’t care about the stunning entryway designs I’d saved on Pinterest; it wouldn’t allow the area needed to create a functional place for me to set keys, bags, etc. once I walk through the door. In defiance, I purchased an EKET cabinet (with legs, but that assembly process faltered so I’m not DISCUSSING IT) and planned to put it right when you walk in the front door. That was a no-go because then the front door couldn’t even open all of the way.

I’ve discovered a lot of “design” is actually just moving things around to best fit the space you’ve been allotted. And so, I created my own “entryway” area – a spot equidistant from the home’s two entrances – to drop keys, have another spot for a plant and uh, OK, store some shoes for convenience.

Finally having a real dining table has been a surprising luxury. Imagine eating a meal across from your loved one and having a conversation??? Instead of staring at the TV?? Not that it isn’t on in the background, but at least you’re looking at each OTHER for the most part.

Besides eating, the table is used as my work from home desk. It’s strategically-located in a space that I can’t fall asleep in and am surrounded by plants and sunlight. Plus it provides quick access to the Diet Coke in my fridge. This area of the home pulls off triple duty like a champ, I’m so proud. Our Wi-Fi router is even hidden in here somewhere, can ya spot it?

The plants that get to sit by this window all day soak up some stellar rays; I only wish I had another level of my home to provide an entire wall of windows for all the good plants in the world that deserve good light. At the moment I have a cactus, succulent, heart leaf fern, croton petra and an aechmea fasciata — I think, maybe, sure — sitting here.

Here’s a list of most of the furniture and items pictured with links to where you can pick them up yourself!

» EKET cabinet from IKEA
» SATSUMAS plant stand from IKEA
» VATTENKRASSE watering can from IKEA
» RÅGRUND corner shelf from IKEA
» Dining table from Overstock
» Chairs from Wayfair
» Wall hanging from World Market