24 Charming Breakfast Nook Ideas

Quirky breakfast nook — Photo:
Annie Schlechter; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Breakfast nooks are undeniably charming. Whether nestled in a bay window, outfitted with a comfy bench, or squeezed into a tiny kitchen, they are always inviting. With tips from some of our favorite designers, these ideas are worth adding to your dream house Pinterest board. Whether you're looking to add a bench to your kitchen or update an existing area, kitchen nook ideas are just what you need to start fresh. We're dreaming about the relaxing Saturday mornings we could spend curled up with a book and cup of coffee. With inventive additions like storage and built-in benches, plus fun elements like daring wallpapers and bright color palettes, these design ideas will make your space the most stylish and cozy corner of the house.

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Trade the Banquette for a Sofa

Breakfast nook Lookout Mountain with pedestal table and wicker end chairs and custom sofa banquette with gallery wall of bird prints — Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

For an extra-cozy place to start the day, designer Hannon Doody opted for a custom sofa by Lee Industries (made to perfectly fit the space), upholstering it in an indoor-outdoor linen that allows for a fuss-free perch for her young daughters.

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Wrap the Room

Idea House 2023 Breakfast Room Breakfast Nook — Laurey W. Glenn; Stylist: Matthew Gleason

In our 2023 Idea House in the Leiper's Fork area of Tennessee, designer Laura Hodges enveloped the light-filled breakfast room in a hand-painted mural by artist Dee Lenehan that loosely mimics the landscape outside.

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Farmhouse Aesthetic

Breakfast nook in farmhouse — Cody Ulrich

For a beautiful and classic farmhouse look, prioritize woods and florals in your breakfast nook decor. This breakfast alcove uses a wood booth with rattan charis and floral motifs to create that cozy, farmhouse style.

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Lean Into the Quirks

Christina Lynch breakfast bench — Amy Neunsinger

To maximize the bitty seating area of the kitchen in this 1920s Dallas house, designer Noel Pittman designed a built-in breakfast bench, which she covered in Lisa Fine Textiles’ Baroda, a bird print that subtly nods to homeowner Cristina Lynch's clothing line, “Mi Golondrina,” which is Spanish for “my swallow."

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Make It Multipurpose

Colorful Breakfast Nook with Banquet Seating — David Tsay; Styling: Page Mullins

At designer Alexis Simpson's home in Atlanta, she covered the banquette cushions and throw pillows in colorful, busy prints, which serve as a sort of camouflage for stains—smart for a space that's used both as a breakfast nook and a place for the kids to do homework, color, or decorate cookies.

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Create an Illusion

Kitchen Nook Laura Kay — HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ STYLING BY: HOLLY SMITH

Rather than commissioning a costly custom corner banquette for her Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, home, designer and homeowner Laura Kay built an L-shaped bench, which she outfitted with sturdy French-style cushions in a zippy chartreuse stripe.

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Embrace the Curves

Soft Coastal Color Kitchen — Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins

At this Kiawah Island, South Carolina, project, designer Cortney Bishop commissioned an extra-long banquette to fit snugly into the curve of the kitchen windows and cabinetry. To allow for multiple flexible seating arrangements, she positioned a pair bistro tables in front of the bench for two separate, but cozy corners within the nook.

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Keep It Mellow

Bright White Kitchen and Breakfast Table — Carmel Brantley; Styling: Matthew Gleason

To direct the eye to the inviting view outside, designer Ellen Kavanaugh opted to keep things light and bright in the breakfast nook of her ranch-style Wellington, Florida, house. The yellow-covered chair cushions layer in a sunny pop.

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Make the Most of a Screened Porch

Patio — ALISON GOOTEE; Styling by Dakota Willimon

In lieu of a true breakfast nook, tastemaker Sarah Tucker treats her Palmetto, Florida, porch as an extension of her home and will often serve breakfast on the table there.

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Emphasize Bay Window Views

The breakfast nook in this 1930s colonial is cleverly outfitted in a large bay window for beautiful morning light. Since the family uses it so often, the cushions were covered in an easy-to-clean Nanotex-coated fabric, which is a great idea for any seats in the kitchen.

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Seek Additional Storage

Breakfast nooks don't just offer extra seating. With drawers under the seat, there's tons of storage opportunity, too. See how designer Suzanne Kasler transformed the rest of this sunny kitchen here.

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Be Bold with Wallpaper

Bold Wallpaper — Annie Schlechter; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Homeowner Holly Williams (granddaughter and daughter of some guys named Hank) wasn't afraid of a little pattern in the breakfast nook of her colonial revival. Small spaces like these are perfect for striking patterns or paint colors you might be wary of using in larger rooms.

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Use Varied Textures

Houston Designer Meg Lonergan's 100-year-old home certainly doesn't feel dated. Don't be afraid to mix textures, like this round jute rug, and patterns, like the diamond-covered curtains. Antique wooden furniture plays well with modern clear acrylic chairs that give the allusion of a bigger space.

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Bring The Outdoors In

Windows offer beautiful natural light for breakfast nooks. Designer Andrew Howard took inspiration from the lush greenery outside this bay window and used springy green fabric for the cushions and pillows in this nook.

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Create a Chinoiserie-Inspired Corner

Chinoiserie Corner — Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper

Chinoiserie elements, like the wallpaper, Chippendale chairs, and blue and white china bowl, tie into the larger theme of this generational Atlanta home. A traditional blue and white color palette looks fresh with items like a fun light fixture and modern table.

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Play with Color and Pattern

Including a breakfast nook provides the opportunity to have fun with fabric. There's no rule that every chair, bench cushion, and pillow needs to be the same color. Mix fabrics, patterns, and textures around a central theme for a vibrant, happy space.

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Include Incognito Storage

This bench has a game-changing secret: a lift-up top reveals tons of storage inside. Clutter? Not in this kitchen (as far as guests know).

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Save a Seat

The staircase-lined breakfast nook in this Spartanburg tutor was designed with the homeowners' family in mind. There's plenty of space for each of the couples' three kids to have a friend join.

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Tie in Traditions

The blue ceiling in this bright breakfast nook is a nod to an old Lowcountry tale that the color, often seen on porch ceilings, keeps evil spirits away. Include sentimental elements with paint colors, artwork, or family antiques.

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Choose Small-Space Saviors

The smallest spaces can become the most charming breakfast nooks. If you can't add a built-in banquette, simply add a small bench and table to an empty corner or by a window. Bonus: A white palette creates the allusion of a bigger, airier space.

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Spring for Shiplap Walls

Although Joanna Gaines has brought shiplap to peak popularity, it's always been a classy and clean way to have white walls that aren't a bore. This tulip table base was outfitted with a new, rectangular top that fit this breakfast nook better than the original round one. See Nashville decorator Sarah Bartholomew's entire house here.

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Try a Citrus Color Scheme

This vibrant Arkansas kitchen remodel was inspired by a refreshing citrus color palette. There isn't a more fun corner in the house than this breakfast nook with a bright orange light fixture, mirror, and pillows, a green couch, and a pair of fruit art prints.

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Hang Up Some Fun

Breakfast nooks are cozy, welcoming areas, so if you have the wall space, hang something inviting and fun. Whether a map of places traveled, family photos, or quirky vintage posters, fine art isn't required in this corner of the house.

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Mix Traditional and Contemporary

Kaynor Home in New Orleans — Laurey W. Glenn

Designer Grace Kaynor wanted to keep the historic charm alive in her 1850s Greek Revival house in New Orleans' Garden District, but it needed a fresh coat of everything. In this nook, an old brick fireplace and vintage floor tiles blend seamlessly with a contemporary breakfast set.

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