Who doesn’t love a great breakfast nook? And yet, if you live in a penthouse studio or other charmingly petite space, you may think such amenities are impractical or even impossible. If you are one of these people, or even if you live in a modern palace and crave a delightful breakfast nook that costs you almost no space, feel free to read about how to make one no matter what your choice of home style.
Step One
If you are single, you may get away with a mini refrigerator, in which case it can double as the “table.” Simply place it in the corner, angling it on the diagonal for a cool look and the feeling of extra room (and (almost) nothing should be flush with the wall anyway), and pop a cute place mat on top (these gorgeous, bamboo round mats that I have would be authentic if you’re one of David Zyla’s “Spring” personalities that he describes in his book Color Your Style, or find oval if you’re a “Winter,” square or diamond-shaped if you’re an “Autumn,” or rounded rectangle (or even a wavy shape if you can find it!) if you’re a “Summer”).
Step Two
To enhance the feeling of an extra room here, you can place a small, appropriate rug that reflects your own colors and shape in front of the mini refrigerator (or small table if you need and have a large refrigerator in another location), with the front end of the refrigerator just on the rug. You can add some personable (or minimalist, if that’s your vibe) wall art above the “table” as well!
Step Three
If you want to conserve even more space, or if you like angled shapes because they authentically reflect the lines in your own body, you can place a comfortable, convenient storage bench from Amazon.com beside the “table” (this one is nice if you are not using a mini refrigerator) angled in the most comfortable way for you. Conversely, if you’re a “Spring,” for example, you can find something like an adorable pouf on legs at Amazon.com, or possibly Etsy, or Chic Homz. (Being inclusive and helpful even if you live outside the U.S. or are traveling to see the pyramids of Egypt, in which case it is difficult to beat the huge, one-stop-for-all Hyper 1 superstore in the 6th-of-October neighborhood of Cairo, but you should use Uber to travel there from your hotel.)
I say “pouf on legs” because the elevated style adds the illusion of a larger area. However, the embossed leather poufs that you can find at many international bazaars (including Khan El-Khalili in the Hussein area of Cairo, again, via Uber and preferably with a native guide that you know and trust) and stuff with winter clothing and/or blankets would be especially youthful and adventurous, and would allow you to save even more space (though I prefer to randomly add those in the living room/seating area for an inviting ambience). (Wow! I didn’t intend for this to become a travel blurb, but I do love to discover and share new places!)
Conclusion
There! Simply arrange some cute pillows like this round one for Spring types (or square in the appropriate color if you’re Autumn or Winter, etc.) on your seat of choice in the corner, and you have that cozy, charming breakfast nook for intimate Saturday brunches or inspiring (depending on your wall art or reading material) early-bird week-day bites. How fun is this?