Breakfast Nook Ideas

January 27, 2016
Large or small, breakfast nooks are a perfect way to make the most of extra space in or near your kitchen. Get breakfast nook design ideas, see how to add a breakfast nook with storage, and how to tuck a breakfast nook just about anywhere.
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Filled with Light

Credit: Annie Schlechter
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A wall of windows makes this breakfast nook the perfect spot to grab a quick meal or lounge with a cup of coffee. A tulip table is perfect for adding additional chairs when the whole family eats together. A built-in banquette adds hidden storage to the casual breakfast nook.

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Sliver of Space

Credit: Edmund Barr

At the end of this kitchen, a tiny banquette and a few chairs are tucked under the window. This sliver of space allows dining for at least four people, which the kitchen lacked before this custom bench was added. Plus, the breakfast nook opens up to provide additional storage to the small space.

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Breakfast Booth

Credit: Werner Straube

Consider borrowing square footage from spaces adjacent to your kitchen to create a new breakfast nook. A separate eating area gives diners a place to sit out of the cook's way. This banquette is the perfect place to add extra (hidden) storage to the kitchen.

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Let Light In

Credit: Richard Leo Johnson

Minimal window coverings keep this breakfast nook bright and sunny. Soft yellow cushions, pillows, and painted chairs add to the room's happy feel. The L-shape breakfast nook design makes the most of this kitchen's nook and creates many extra places to sit.

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Fresh Take on Vintage

Credit: David Tsay

This sweet breakfast nook fits perfectly into a previously unused corner of the kitchen. A built-in bench wraps the corner, adds storage, and lots of seating. Vintage inspired furniture and light fixtures add a playful, casual vibe to the eating area.

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Mismatched Moment

Credit: Jeni Wright

In this cottage breakfast nook, mismatched chairs and a table are unified with a coat of white paint and slipcovers sewn from dropcloths. The bench is a repurposed bifold door, painted in a crisp blue. Accessories complete this kitchen's cozy breakfast nook.

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A Modern Look

Credit: Edmund Barr

A modern table-and-chairs set, pendant lighting, and wall decor put a stylish spin on a traditional breakfast nook. Keeping the walls white in both this space and the kitchen creates a cohesive look and ties the rooms together.

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Bright and Beautiful

Credit: James Yochum

Natural light highlights the details in this breakfast nook. White walls and window details provide a beautiful backdrop for the dark wicker furniture. Green seat cushions add a pop of color to the breakfast nook's mostly neutral color scheme.

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Get the Ultimate Breakfast Nook

Create a multi-use space for your busy life with these genius ideas for a beautiful breakfast nook.

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Comfy Niche

Credit: Werner Straube

Like many others, this breakfast nook takes advantage of windows that provide natural light and great views. Low, comfortable benches keep the breakfast nook casual and comfortable.

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Little Details

Credit: Werner Straube

The little details of this breakfast nook tie the room together. The patterns on the seat cushions and rug add style to the room. The black pendant light and white table and chairs provide contrast to the breakfast nook. These simple details complement each other and create a cohesive look. A nearby china hutch stores overflow from the kitchen, such as infrequently used linens and dishes.

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Sleek and Chic

Credit: Brie Williams

A sleek white table, a dainty chandelier, and pretty fabrics transform a narrow breakfast nook into an intimate gathering spot. The beaded board on the wall of this breakfast nook links it to the adjacent kitchen. A strategically placed mirror opens up the dining area and gives the impression that the space is bigger than it is.

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Bay Window Banquette

Credit: Tria Giovan

Bay windows are a perfect spot for a breakfast nook, especially when the space sports curved walls like this cottage nook. A built-in bench hugs the curves of the window to provide extra seating. In an oversize breakfast nook like this one, consider a table with leaves, which gives you the flexibility to adjust your dining accommodations based on your seating needs.

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Mix It Up

When creating a unique and fresh dining space, keep in mind that things don't need to match perfectly. This breakfast nook mixes a Victorian table with modern chairs -- a look that's just the right blend of traditional and contemporary.

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Repeat Colors

Credit: Edmund Barr

At one end of this kitchen is a breakfast area, where the family enjoys most meals. Upholstered chairs rest on legs in the same dark-stained wood as the table and curtain rod. Fabric shades on the chandelier repeat the yellow that appears on curtain and chair fabrics.

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Super Storage

Credit: Edmund Barr

Breakfast nooks result from the practical transformation of small, seemingly useless spaces. Previously an awkward corner, this space is now a convenient and purposeful area. Not just a place to sit down and grab a bite, the breakfast nook also boosts storage with shelves above and drawers below.

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Window Seating

It's easy to turn a window seat into a breakfast nook -- just add a table! While the chairs are optional, they come in handy when guests arrive. Corbels on both sides of the window turn this breakfast nook into a quaint alcove. A chandelier adds the perfect touch of shabby-chic elegance.

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Nautical Niche

Attention to detail allows a breakfast nook to fuse seamlessly with the design of the rest of the kitchen and the home. Subtle elements in this breakfast nook, such as the lantern light fixture and the bowlike bench design, connect with the home's maritime theme.

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A Repurposed Nook

A breakfast nook provides an easy opportunity to recycle and reuse. Repaint a table from your basement, add some extra throw pillows from a guest bedroom, and you've got the key elements of a new breakfast nook.

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Table for Two

Credit: John Granen

These homeowners gave their old breakfast nook a more period-appropriate look for their home -- a hutch. But they didn't have to completely disregard the idea of a breakfast nook. The table and chairs are tucked in next to the hutch and within the old alcove. An added benefit: The furniture is easy to move to access the hutch, or to accommodate heavy traffic in the kitchen.

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In-Kitchen Breakfast Nooks

To unite your kitchen with an adjacent dining nook, use similar decor elements in both spaces, but also consider treatments to make each space unique. Here, the blue from the island is repeated on the cushions on the breakfast nook bench, and the dining chairs are the same style as the barstools. The beaded board of this dining area runs up the wall, distinguishing the area from the rest of the kitchen.

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