Dining Rooms That Show Off and Tuck Away in Equal Measure

Dining Rooms That Show Off and Tuck Away in Equal Measure

A dining table carries more than meals. It holds board game nights, homework, and the odd pile of things that need a home. Here is how to keep that spot both welcoming and well organised, with a little room left over for display.

A bench that seats and stores in one go

The dining table is really the heart of a home, especially in compact flats and townhouses where one surface has to do several jobs. Beyond dinners, it becomes the spot for long evenings of cards or board games, so comfortable seating matters more than people think. A bench with a hinged seat and cushions on top is a clever option here, since it gives everyone a place to sit while quietly swallowing up the bulky items that never quite fit in a kitchen drawer.

Pair a bench like this with a table such as the MÖRBYLÅNGA table, which brings a solid, furniture-like presence to a dining corner. If you are fitting out a kitchen alongside it, an UPPLÖV drawer front or UPPLÖV door adds character to cabinetry, while an EDSBRUK frame or KNOPPÄNG frame nearby lets you display a favourite print once the table is cleared. Finish the setting with an OMBONAD side plate for everyday meals.

A bench that seats and stores in one goA bench that seats and stores in one go
MÖRBYLÅNGA table, oak veneer brown stained, 220x100 cmMÖRBYLÅNGA table, oak veneer brown stained, 220x100 cmUPPLÖV drawer front, matt dark beige, 60x10 cm, 2 packUPPLÖV drawer front, matt dark beige, 60x10 cm, 2 packUPPLÖV door, matt dark beige, 60x60 cmUPPLÖV door, matt dark beige, 60x60 cmEDSBRUK frame, black stained, 50x70 cmEDSBRUK frame, black stained, 50x70 cmKNOPPÄNG frame, black, 50x70 cmKNOPPÄNG frame, black, 50x70 cmKNOPPÄNG frame, black, 40x50 cmKNOPPÄNG frame, black, 40x50 cm

Shop Frames & pictures

Shelves and rails for things worth looking at

Every dining room has objects that deserve to be seen rather than hidden: holiday photographs, a collection of books, a vase picked up on a whim. Open shelving is ideal for building these little arrangements, letting you group pieces by colour or height and rearrange them whenever the mood takes you. A wall-mounted rail with hooks does a similar job in a smaller way, turning a blank stretch of wall into a changeable gallery of prints and postcards.

For this kind of display, a HULTARP rail with HULTARP hooks works well above a sideboard or dining bench, and an EDSBRUK frame or KNOPPÄNG frame keeps the artwork easy to swap. A BLÅSVERK pendant lamp hung above the table adds warm, focused light for evening meals, while a STILREN vase or an NYMÅNE work lamp with wireless charging brings a practical, lived-in touch to a shelf or console.

Shelves and rails for things worth looking atShelves and rails for things worth looking at
STILREN vase, white, 22 cmSTILREN vase, white, 22 cmNYMÅNE work lamp with wireless charging, anthracite, 21 cmNYMÅNE work lamp with wireless charging, anthracite, 21 cmHULTARP rail, black, 80 cmHULTARP rail, black, 80 cmHULTARP hook, black, 7 cm, 5 packHULTARP hook, black, 7 cm, 5 packBLÅSVERK pendant lamp, beige, 37 cmBLÅSVERK pendant lamp, beige, 37 cmEDSBRUK frame, black stained, 50x70 cmEDSBRUK frame, black stained, 50x70 cm

Shop Lamps

Maltashopper brings these IKEA pieces into homes across Malta and Gozo, so your dining room can look good and work hard at the same time.

More dining room ideas

Back to blog