Cozy Modern Breakfast Nook

Oh, the breakfast nook. If you’ve read imperfect for 35 seconds you know the breakfast nook changes about as frequently as Taylor Swift changes boyfriends. Originally, it was just a round table and chairs. Then I bought a rug. Then I returned the rug. Then B and I embarked on a year long banquette-building project. Then I bought a new table and chairs. Then we finally finished the banquette. Then I hung an IKEA picture hanging wire to display artwork and cards which I never took a  picture of because it never looked right. Then I moved the banquette to the playroom. Then Mr. B went out of town to play golf with my dad and my brother, and Mama Caroline stepped in to take charge of her daughter’s indecision.

I knew that while B was out of town, I wanted to get rid of the picture hanging thing. I love them when I see the in other people’s houses, but it never worked in this space. I was going to replace it with gallery ledges, but I wasn’t convinced. And finally Caroline said, “You are thinking about moving in the next year or two, and if you really think you’ll love the ledges, do it. But in my opinion, it’s just another personal thing you’ll need to take down to list the house. I’d do a mirror.” I knew I didn’t want another square mirror, so I set out to find the blog-famous quatrefoil mirror at Lowes. They didn’t sell it anymore, but I stumbled across a cheaper and identical one at Hobby Lobby and scooped it right up.

Mr. B, my dad and brother left town, and Caroline and I embarked on house projects, starting with the kitchen. We moved the banquette back to the kitchen. It still houses toys, but that’s just the way it’s going to be for awhile. Thomas likes to crawl under the table to retrieve his bowling set, and it’s practical storage while also being practical seating. We hung the mirror and immediately loved the difference – I can see the front of our house from the breakfast nook now, it’s far more airy and open.

We rehung my old chalkboard in a more reasonable location – it used to sit right next to the door as you walked into the garage, and I loved having a place to hang our keys but it always felt out of place and far to small for the long wall. On the small wall, it’s perfect. A place to hang my keys and not to small . Sometimes, you just need another pair of eyes to help you figure out how things should work.

 So that’s the first project my mom and I tackled last month while the menfolk were out of town. What do you think? Tell me you have a room you flip flop on in your home. I need company.