Apartment Style: Creating an Elegant and Functional Dining Room

A Multipurpose Space

Like so many apartment dwellers out there, I have a dining room that serves many purposes: it’s a place to eat, a place to work, and a place to play.  Yet, when designing this space, I was not going to sacrifice form in the name of function.  My apartment dining room is the central area of our home and sets the tone for the entire entertaining space.

The bright blue peacock fabric of the dining room chairs is bold (and fun!) and I used it as a starting point for touches of blue throughout the area.  The framed print reads “Modern Art = I Could Do That + Yeah But You Didn’t,” the perfect reminder that awesomeness is equal parts inspiration and execution.

Real Life = Dining Room + Toy Storage

But let’s be honest!  I did some serious tidying up before taking this photo!  And real life is definitely still present (albeit in a much neater, this-photo-is-going-on-the-internet-and-will-be-there-forever, form).  My apartment dining room is also home to my three year old’s truck “garage,” aka the toy bookshelf.  In this home, you can never have too many trucks in any given situation, and we usually like to keep a couple within arm’s reach at all times.  This little bookshelf is a space where I can at least try to corral our growing herd.

Elevating an Everyday Space with Artwork

Over the toy garage, I decided to showcase a standout oil painting by Wendy McArthur.  The abstracted landscape combines all the colors that I love and offers me repose on even my busiest days.  You might think that I wouldn’t want to call attention to this area (which, let’s be honest, gets out of control on a weekly basis!), but I love this little corner all the more because it reflects real life.  Trucks are a part of our decor at the moment and that is okay with me!

When designing this space, I wanted to balance the realities of toddler life with my own apartment dining room goals (creating a comfortable, welcoming, and cheerful environment).  This landscape is an elegant reminder that all spaces can be a source of daily inspiration given the right execution.

Give me a cup of coffee, a thoughtfully designed and energizing space, and a few Tonka trucks, and I am ready to take on whatever the day has in store!