Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
I’m finally back to share more dining room ideas. Sorry for the delay — technical glitches held up a few posts. If you subscribe with a Comcast email you may have missed some updates over the past year; there have been occasional delivery issues. Hopefully you’re receiving things again!
In my recent dining room post I mentioned the idea of adding built-in bookcases. We still love that option, but we’ve been exploring several other ideas, too. Our main goal with this house is simple: spend as little as possible while adding the most charm and personality.
My daughter Courtney and I were inspired by a photo of a dining room that looks into a kitchen. Besides loving the kitchen in the photo, we were drawn to the archway between the rooms. An archway brings instant charm. We’ve lived with arched doorways before, and the gentle curve felt like a perfect antidote to the boxy feel of this house.
At first we thought an arch wouldn’t suit this house, and maybe you’re thinking the same. But then we asked, why not? It’s easy to let worries about doing the “right” thing stop you from creating a space you really love. While some homeowners may prefer preserving strict architectural accuracy, our goal here is to add warmth and personality — not create a period-perfect time capsule. Interestingly, our interior doors already have a double-arch moulding, so adding one more arch would tie in with existing features.
To help visualize it, we used painter’s tape to outline an arched doorway. Even as a temporary mock-up, the curve transformed the space, adding immediacy and warmth. It’s just one of several ideas we’re considering, but it made a strong impression the moment we tried it.
We also moved the table into a corner to simulate a built-in banquette. Built-in benches along the corner walls, with a table pulled up to them, create a cozy niche for meals or enjoying a view. Corner seating helps balance the room visually and makes the space feel larger by freeing up walkways to the kitchen. It’s also a very practical layout for day-to-day use.
Built-ins on the window side would make the room even more functional and comfortable. Below are a few banquette inspiration images to illustrate the concept — not exact styles for our home, but the general idea of a corner banquette and how it can visually and functionally transform the space.
Studio McGee
Traditional Home
Right now the room holds random furniture that needs to be pared down and arranged with intention. If you missed my kitchen window seat idea, see that post for context — a kitchen window seat would be an adorable focal point seen through the dining room opening, arch or no arch.
A few readers asked for measurements and a floor plan; I’ll measure the room soon so you can better picture the scale. It’s a comfortable dining room — not large, but not tiny either. Because the main path to the kitchen runs through the room, a table placed in the center can make circulation feel tight. A banquette solves that while adding character.
If we add a built-in buffet under the window where a sofa table currently sits, we’ll gain both surface area and storage — a helpful addition when the kitchen is small.
There are many charming possibilities to build character into this corner.
We’ve also considered removing part of the kitchen wall to create a half-wall or a larger opening so the kitchen connects more openly with the dining room. I shared that small-space remodeling idea before we bought the house. The kitchen’s current layout may limit how much of the wall we can remove, so preserving most of the wall is likely. That’s another reason an arch appeals — it adds interest without major structural changes.
Crazy Mary
Another option is to keep the table centered and raise the ceiling—perhaps adding a modest vault or a boxed wood ceiling in the center of the room. The house has an attic above, so a small vaulted or boxed ceiling is possible, though it would be a larger investment than other ideas we’re weighing.
You may notice we removed the ceiling light fixture for now. It was off-center while we moved things around, and taking it down helped us see the room without distractions. Clearing the space makes it easier to reimagine arrangements.
These are a few of the directions we’ve been exploring. With many projects around the house, we’re carefully considering each choice to make sure it suits both our taste and our budget.
I love having a clearer vision for this house. Even simple changes can add so much personality and make it feel cozy and inviting.
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