Attractive Furniture for Dining and Entertaining

What do you do when you live in a small space, but love to entertain friends? If your home or apartment is compact, you know how frustrating it can be to prepare meals and have guests over. Entertaining is part of the pleasure of having a space of your own. That’s why you need to invest some time and careful consideration when searching for dining and entertaining furniture.

When there’s no room for a separate dining room or entertainment area, it’s important to choose furniture and items that can serve double duty. Interior decorators excel at dual function design, but you don’t need to be a professional designer to find attractive furniture for dining and entertaining, no matter how compact your space is. If you’re looking for some stand out pieces of furniture that are ideal for dining and entertaining, here are some helpful and inspiring ideas

Choose Tables that Provide Storage

One of the best ways to get more out of your furniture is to choose tables that double as storage cabinets. Coffee tables, end tables and card tables can all offer useful cabinet and drawer space to give you more storage while providing surfaces for drinks, plates and ash trays.

If you’re looking to add style and sophistication to your living room with a lovely wine and storage cabinet, look for one with lots of storage space. Many wine and storage cabinets contain at least three drawers and range from traditional to contemporary to fit your unique home décor style.

If your décor is more ornate, or if you enjoy rococo styles, look for Asian-inspired furniture. A hand-painted red three drawer round table with had painted designs, for example, can be a focal point in your living/dining area. Little round tables are ideal for use as a pair of end tables, and can hold napkins and other necessities for dining.

Ideas for Extra Seating

Seating is also important when you have guests over. No one wants to have to drag in all the kitchen chairs when you’ve got a group of friends hanging out to watch the big game on TV. The solution? Choose pieces of furniture that add extra seating space to your living area.

Ottomans make perfect double and triple duty pieces of furniture. Foot stools provide a comfortable place to park your feet when you’re just at home, but can easily be transformed into an additional seat when needed.

Don’t forget that oversized sofa throw pillows also can be used for seating when tossed on the floor. Place them in front of the coffee table or by end tables to provide table space for chips, dip and drinks.

Serving Solutions

Why take up valuable space by laying out food on the dining table? Instead, incorporate side tables and sideboards that can be used as a buffet or serving space when you entertain. Convert a simple desk into a buffet by spreading it with a runner or tablecloth, or use an end table to hold wine and drink bottles.

A convertible table with leaves is ideal for small-space entertaining. It can be used as a side table as is, but the two leaves allow you to convert it into a card table for four or a dining table for up to six. Some convertible tables easily extend from 20 inches to six feet in length, and the two leaves store easily in a closet or under the couch until needed.

Choosing Specialty Furniture

Specialty furniture is designed for a specific use. One of the best investments you can make is a compact wine table that’s designed to hold bottles of wine and has racks for storing wine glasses. The better-designed wine tables might also include a cutting board for serving cheese and crackers, and a bar to hold a towel, as well as a drawer in which to store accessories like wine stoppers and corkscrews.

These specific examples can help you to envision your own space and the way that you can use specific pieces of furniture creatively. Make a list of items that you think you need, and when you shop for them, try to find ways to make one piece serve two or more purposes. If you’re creative and think outside the traditional box, you’ll find that you can easily furnish your small living/dining room to accommodate your entertaining needs and your personal sense of style.

Remember that smart interior design is all about maximizing your space and efficiency with as little furniture as possible. By following these easy tips, you can entertain your friends comfortably for years to come.

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