Dining a la shoebox

By A. Ready | November 8, 2010 - 4:06PM

Wondering how to shoehorn holiday revelers into your shoebox? Apartment Therapy & friends offer some ideas for svelte dining areas. Suggestions range from creating a multi-purpose space, such as having a table double for both office and dining, to the more novel idea of mounting your dining room table to the wall, to those "coffee tables with levers that transform into a comfortable dining table and the skinny console tables that extend to fit up to 10 guests." One commenter suggests offering finger foods instead of tying up limited space. "Everyone could eat standing up, sitting around the living room, etc. We always had a great time—who says you have to be sitting around a table to enjoy a meal together?" Another has a more bohemian approach, asking what's wrong with a picnic? "Just throw down a blanket and some cushions, put candles and/or flowers on a tray and have plenty of wine on hand. No furniture required. Warning: may lead to wife swapping. ;)"

The trestle drop-leaf table pictured here is currently on sale at crateandbarrel.com. Regularly $499, it is now only $199. Although it can fit in a very small space, when opened it seats up to six.

(ApartmentTherapy;.com)

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