Cozy Dining with Our Sponsor All Modern

It’s that time of year!

But oh so different this year, eh? Thanksgiving has been a hot topic across the country. I can tell you that part of me was excited to be back on the east coast this year because we would be so much closer to our extended families and our best friends. The other part of me is pretty sad that I’m now SO CLOSE to everyone but we aren’t able to see each other for the holidays due to Covid. We chose to have just our daughters here, and I know many of you are scaling back how many people are going to be in your homes for dinner as well, which led me to think about smaller, cozy dining spaces.

All Modern is the sponsor of this post, but the opinions are all my own.

Dinner for 15 I mean 5

We normally would have about 12-15 people staying at our house for Thanksgiving weekend, not just coming for dinner. And anyone else who wanted to invite themselves to stay with us, to be honest! The neighborhood kids would always stop in as well. It was always crazy, messy and smoky from the juice of the pies dripping in the stove.

The last couple of years of transition for us has made that harder. Imagine how excited we were to move back “home” and be within a few miles of all of our extended family this year… only to be faced with a pandemic that is making it hard to even see any of them. We decided that it was best to keep it small and cozy and limit it to our immediate family this year. Let’s hope things get better by next year and we can all get back to being with our loved ones!

Doing things a little differently

Instead of a formal dining table set up, I’m imagining dining by candlelight, sitting in comfy chairs, and having cocktails and small bites instead of a huge meal. What about hanging out in my new office space so that we can FaceTime our family at the same time? There’s even a spot for Ozzy.

I got these blue velvet chairs from my sponsor AllModern. Here are some other options:

I liked mine because I plan to change out the cushions and make them unique to my space. (Someday.) They look pretty cool for now, though, right?

Cocktails Anyone?

Since our real dining room is in a big open space, my cozy office is more inviting for having a cocktail and FaceTime parties because there’s no big echo and the lighting isn’t so harsh. While I still have to set up my bar cart, it’s kinda fun to have one in my office, wouldn’t you say? And little Mushu looks so cute after his makeover.

Here are some bar cart options from AllModern:

Table Ideas

I loved these small scale dining table and I actually like the idea of using low tables like these two coffee tables as an alternative to “proper” dining. Which one is your favorite?

Mood Lighting

Back to the lighting… I did get a ceiling light for my office space but these were on my list. Since I haven’t installed it yet, there’s a chance I might change it to one of these. They add some eye candy to any space, don’t you think?

But don’t forget candles! Dim the overheads and use some candles to create a cozy dining environment. Here are some cool candle holders I found over on AllModern.

Other Cozy Layers

What are some of the other things I always recommend to make a room feel comfortable and cozy? Rugs and live plants, of course. I think having something soft underfoot makes it more likely you’ll stay awhile.

And real plants not only look good but are good for your indoor living environment. Especially when it’s so cold and dark outside, the greenery adds an element of nature and helps keep you grounded, while also cleaning the air and providing oxygen!

Being Thankful

In the end, even with all this pandemic craziness, I’m super thankful. My family and I are all healthy. I will get to have all three of my daughters in my house after not seeing some of them since last December! I have a new home and I even have my very own office space, which is a big deal for me. And I even can eat my meals in here if I so choose. While I can’t be in the same room as my parents, siblings and their kids, and my best friends at the moment, I am thankful that I close enough physically this year that as soon as things improve, we will all be able to be together.

I am also thankful to AllModern for sponsoring this post and I hope you were inspired to come up with creative little spots in your own home to dine, have a drink, and “visit” with friends and family.

Keep the inspiration going and browse AllModern for: Modern Dining Sets / Mid Century Dining Sets / Glass Dining Tables  / Modern Credenzas /  Modern ExpandableTables / Modern Dining Benches / Plug-In Wall Sconces / Modern Dining Chairs / 8 Small Dining Room Ideas