Cozy Spaces

I don't know about you, but about 50 percent of quality conversation time between myself and my loved ones takes place around the dinner table. Whether it be at home, sipping on a glass of wine with my family while Mom flutters and dances around the kitchen whipping up a feast, at a friend's abode, where conversation carries long after dinner is over into late-night cocktails, or in my own kitchen, reading a magazine (or writing on this blog) with a warm cup of coffee. People are naturally drawn to the warm aromas, bustling action, and clean setting of a cozy dining atmosphere. Here is an area where  conversation will naturally bloom and flourish into memories that litter a household. I'm dying for a small dining nook that is nestled into a plush couch with chairs on either side. This inviting setting says "Sit down and keep me company" or "Don't rush away right after lunch". And, if done the right way, can exude many different fresh looks. 

A cozy dining nook can double as an intimate entertaining space with a soft velvet couch, dark wood and long-stemmed candles,

or be the perfect setting for an afternoon cup of coffee with girlfriends or a good book.

(both via belle maison)
It can be the focal point for a family space where children are welcomed to bring the toys and climb up to get comfy,

or it can create a more modern, lodge-like dining feel with raw wood and neutral colors.

But my personal favorite dining nook personality is the one so large and lush that it invites everyone, family, friends, and significant others alike, to pile in shoulder-to-shoulder and stay awhile.

(via Coastal Living)

So what's your favorite?