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Design Ideas for Converting a Small Bedroom to Dining Room

Donni Jones

If you're in a home without a formal dining room, converting a spare room into a dining room is an efficient way to use the space. And it's much less hassle and less expensive than knocking down walls and building additions onto the house. A small bedroom, for example, can easily be repurposed for this usage. After a weekend's worth of effort---or less---your home will have the formal dining room you've always wanted.

Room Prep

Convert an extra bedroom into a dining room.

Clear the bedroom out completely, removing every piece of furniture. If there is carpeting in the room, remove it if you can. Dining rooms are usually uncarpeted; plus, this makes cleaning spilled food or drink much easier. Once the room is empty, paint the walls. In a small room, using lighter colors makes the space appear bigger, so try a white, or a pale or pastel shade.

The Furnishings

Use appropriately sized furniture.

Do some space planning to decide what furniture to use and where to put it. First consider size. Since the bedroom is small, using only table and chairs is best; use larger pieces such as a buffet or china cabinet only if not too obtrusive. Look for a small or round square table instead of a long rectangular one. When placing furniture in the room, allow for the location of any windows, for easy access to doors, and for the most efficient flow of movement in the room.

End Product

Decorative accents and finishing touches pull the room together.

Pull the dining room together with finishing touches. Replace the ceiling fan or light with a chandelier. Place a potted plant or corner shelving unit in a corner. Put curtains on the window. Hang pictures on one wall. Mount shelves on another wall and place neatly stacked plates and bowls on them, or decorative affects such as candles, pretty pottery, dining-themed words carved in wood such as "Eat Well" or "Kiss the Cook" or "Bon appétit!" or other knick knacks. Place a centerpiece and table settings on the table.