How Martha Stewart Turned An Unexpected Spot Into A Chic Dining Area

Martha Stewart has been an icon the world has looked to for advice on cooking, baking, decorating, organizing, gardening, and hosting for decades — emphasis on the decorating and organizing. The author and TV personality simply has style — even Stewart's kitchen back in the 1970s embraced an aesthetic that people still love now. So when we found out that she had created a completely fresh approach to her former home's dining space, we were all ears. Essentially, Stewart added an entirely new room for enjoying meals and entertaining by converting her enclosed porch into another dining room. It's bright, airy, unexpected, and chic, and it provides a feeling of dining al fresco.

If you're the proud owner (or renter) of an enclosed porch, you're probably wondering how you can make this game-changing design choice work for you. Maybe you don't currently have a designated dining space, or perhaps you want a second option that's more outside-adjacent, and you haven't been making that much use of your sun room anyway. First, entirely clear the space out. Color will set the mood — Stewart went with a jade green, which ties perfectly into the greenery visible through the windows. Pick this or another breezy, pretty hue and incorporate through decor, tiles, or an accent wall. Don't crowd the room so that it remains spacious-feeling. Stick to a table, chairs, and a breakfront if there's space. Bring more nature in with lush plants, and punctuate the room with pendant lights for dining after dark.

As long as your porch is already closed, the dining room transition is as easy as decor choices. You can keep the room on theme with the rest of your home or, because it's a different, inside-meets-outside space, you could choose an entirely fresh aesthetic for it. The key is to be intentional about furniture. This room's best feature is all the natural light flooding in, and too much furniture will just block all of that sunshine. To take even more advice from our inspiration here, follow Martha Stewart's tips for kitchen organization so that you don't have to keep extras like serve-ware in this room — unless they are pieces that double as decor, which would look lovely without taking up extra space if you install floating shelves for them.

If your enclosed porch has enough ventilation and floor space, you could turn it into a fun cooking-and-dining space for barbecues. Treat your family to one of the best grills and designate one end of the room for meal prep and grilling, with the rest of the space dedicated to your table and chairs. Another option is to split the difference between a dining and living area with cushioned bench seating and a lower table, essentially creating a flexible lounge-like space. With a little creativity and focus, you can reinvent your home with an entirely fresh room that fits your lifestyle.