Vicky Sanderson
Dining large in a small cottage,
It’s a common cottage conundrum. On the one hand, small and simple means less square footage to clean, maintain and decorate — and that goes to the point of being there for rest and relaxation.
On the other hand, communal dining is a big part of the experience. The ideal cottage dining area, then, would easily accommodate both family and a few friends. That would seem to mean that the concept of “small and simple” needs reworking. Maybe even expanding.
The solution is to exploit every square inch, and to use visual tricks to create the illusion of space, says design specialist Jo Alcorn, who recently transformed an unused eight-by-five-foot nook in a client’s cottage into a versatile dining area.
Good natural light helped to open up the space, which Alcorn emphasized by painting the walls Jojo whitewash (PF17 from Para Paint). The bright, clean hue she created became the backdrop for a tightly controlled palette.
“In a small space, you want the eye to travel easily, without stopping too long on any one thing,” she explains.
A six-foot-long, wood-topped table with sturdy metal legs from Artemano anchors the room. “I like that it’s unique, but also solid and durable. You need that at a cottage, where furniture tends to get used and abused in ways it doesn’t in a home.”
Seating was carefully chosen. Two wooden stools with raw unfinished edges — also from Artemano — add a “farmhouse twist.” Slimmer than the upholstered chairs she chose for grown-ups, they’ll typically be used by kids, allowing a few crucial extra inches around each diner.
For small space dining areas, Alcorn also recommends chairs that tuck under the table when not in use. “It means you have more room to walk around them,” she explains.
Using multiple pieces of art on the wall behind the table, rather than one large work, makes the space seem more expansive than it is. To create the art wall, she ordered prints in complimentary frames from Posterjack, an online printing and framing operation based in Toronto.
“I wanted to make the eye keep going to the wall instead of stopping at the table. It gives the illusion of a larger space,” says Alcorn.
White stag heads from HomeSense (faux, of course: Alcorn is deeply committed to animal welfare) added some fun to the soft and subtle effect created by the monochromatic art wall.
“They’re also a mix of the modern and the old,” she says. “And I like art that can spark a conversation, which is what you want around a table!” Vicky Sanderson is also the DIY editor for Reno and Decor magazine. Follow her on Twitter: @vickysanderson or email her at vswriter@sympatico.ca.
“You want the eye to travel easily, without stopping too long on any one thing.” JO ALCORN