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Breakfast nook ideas: 8 corner seating setups for tiny kitchens

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A breakfast nook fits into a tiny kitchen when it uses a corner, a window or a wall: a bench against the wall needs no pull-out space, a round table has no corners to bump into, and a fold-out table disappears after breakfast. Leave room behind any chairs; the NKBA suggests 32 in (813 mm) behind a seated diner where nobody passes.

  1. An L-shaped wooden bench with cream cushions and sage and oat pillows in a kitchen corner below a window, a round wooden table on a cross-shaped pedestal base with two mugs, a jug, a fruit bowl, sliced bread on a board and a plate; sage kitchen cabinets and an oven beyond the wall.

    An L-bench with a round table

    Three or four seats in one corner, no chairs to pull out.

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    Why it works

    An L-shaped bench in a kitchen corner and a round table seat three or four people with no chairs to pull out.

    Materials and furniture

    • L-shaped bench
    • Round pedestal table
    • Cushions

    Check first

    • A pedestal base gives more leg room.
    • Cushions for comfort; the picture shows no dimensions.
    • Keep radiators clear behind the bench.
  2. A wooden table under a sash window with four potted plants and dried flowers on the sill, a white painted bench along the left wall and under the window, one wooden chair opposite, breakfast for two with mugs, bowls, bread and jam; a kitchen sink and cabinets on the right.

    A window nook

    Breakfast with a view.

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    Why it works

    A small table and a bench under the kitchen window make the brightest spot in the kitchen into the breakfast spot.

    Materials and furniture

    • Small table
    • Bench or two chairs

    Check first

    • The window must still open; plants on the sill come off first.
    • Not over a radiator.
    • Leave room between the chair and the kitchen units; the passage looks narrow here.
  3. A wall-mounted wooden drop-leaf table raised on folding wooden brackets against sage panelling, two square wooden stools beneath, set with a cafetière, one mug, two glasses, bread and jam and two bowls of berries; a small white kitchen with open shelves on the left and a window with a plant.

    A wall-mounted drop-leaf with stools

    Up for breakfast, down for the day.

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    Why it works

    A drop-leaf table fixed to the wall folds down flat when not in use; two stools slide underneath.

    Materials and furniture

    • Wall-mounted drop-leaf table
    • Two stools
    • Fixings

    Check first

    • Fix into solid wall or studs; use hardware made for folding tables and follow its rating.
    • Do not lean heavily on the leaf; the picture does not show the leaf folding.
    • Check for cables before drilling.
  4. A narrow wooden ledge under a window on two black triangular metal brackets, two tall stools with wooden seats and metal frames below it, set with two mugs, an orange juice, toast on a plate, grapes and berries and butter; plants on the sill and a sage kitchen beyond.

    A counter ledge with two stools

    A strip of worktop becomes a breakfast bar.

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    Why it works

    A narrow ledge along a wall or the end of the counter at bar height, with two stools, is a breakfast bar in the smallest kitchen.

    Materials and furniture

    • Ledge or worktop strip
    • Brackets
    • Two bar stools

    Check first

    • Brackets rated for leaning on; the picture does not show their rating.
    • Stools with footrests, as here.
    • Leave room behind the stools.
  5. A sage built-in bench with two drawers below a cream seat cushion and a sage panel back, a rectangular wooden table with bread, two cups, two plates, a jug and a bowl of berries, one wooden spindle chair in front, a plant on the sill on the right.

    A banquette with storage drawers

    Seats on top, drawers below.

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    Why it works

    A banquette with drawers or lift-up seats holds table linen, baking trays or bulk food under the seats.

    Materials and furniture

    • Storage banquette
    • Table

    Check first

    • Drawers avoid the pinch of lift-up lids; the picture does not show what is inside.
    • Keep stored food dry.
    • Anchor built-in or tall units; measure before buying.
  6. A round white table on a single pedestal and broad round base in a kitchen corner with exactly two wooden spindle chairs, two mugs, plates with bread and berries and a bowl, a sage dome pendant above, sage kitchen cabinets with open shelves on the right and a hallway on the left.

    A tulip table and chairs

    One leg, more room for knees and chairs.

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    Why it works

    A round table on a single tulip base leaves room for chairs and knees all the way around, which suits small kitchens.

    Materials and furniture

    • Round pedestal table
    • Two or three chairs

    Check first

    • Leave room behind the chairs.
    • Check the base is heavy enough for the top.
    • Chairs that tuck under; the picture shows no measured clearance.
  7. A sage folding metal bistro table with an X frame and two matching folding chairs inside a kitchen next to an open glazed balcony door, set with two cups, bread rolls and fruit; plants and a railing on the balcony outside, sage kitchen shelves on the right.

    A bistro set by the balcony door

    Fold it up, and on fine days carry it outside.

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    Why it works

    A folding bistro table and two chairs beside the balcony door can move outside on fine mornings and fold away when not needed.

    Materials and furniture

    • Folding bistro set

    Check first

    • Keep the balcony door free to open and close; in the picture a chair stands close to its swing.
    • Fold and store the set when not used.
    • Choose outdoor-rated furniture if it goes outside; the picture does not show the material.
  8. An oak wall cabinet whose front has folded down into a small table on a metal support arm, with three cups, plates and three bowls on its inner shelves, and two cups on saucers, bread, berries and two jars on the table; one wooden stool in front and a small kitchen with a sink and hob behind.

    A fold-out table on the wall

    A cabinet that becomes a table.

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    Why it works

    A wall cabinet with a front that folds down into a table holds cups and plates inside and becomes a breakfast table when open.

    Materials and furniture

    • Fold-out wall table cabinet
    • Fixings

    Check first

    • Fix it to suit the wall; the picture shows one support arm, and its rating is not shown.
    • Do not overload the folded-down table, and do not build such a mechanism yourself without tested hardware.
    • Stools or chairs that slide under.

Benches save space

A chair needs room behind it to pull out; a bench against the wall does not. That makes an L-shaped bench in a corner, or a banquette along one wall, the most space-efficient way to seat three or four people at breakfast.

Room behind chairs

Where there are chairs, leave room behind them. The National Kitchen & Bath Association suggests 32 in (813 mm) behind a seated diner where nobody passes, 36 in (914 mm) to edge past and 44 in (1118 mm) to walk past [1]. In a tiny kitchen, the nook usually goes where nobody needs to pass.

Fold away

If there is no corner to spare, a drop-leaf or fold-out table on the wall gives a breakfast spot that folds flat afterwards. Choose stools that slide fully underneath.

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Sources

  1. Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards , National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). checked

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Das Hauskonzept editorial team

Editorial team

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