I personally think corner cabinets don't provide much storage because the back corners are so small, if you know what I mean.

FWIW, we have a similar size dining room. We don't really use it as a DR any more, but when we did, we had two freestanding cabinets made that were 24" wide (that's all the space we had on either side of a set of double windows), 72" high, and just 12" deep. So they took up very little floor space, which was great for our room. I was able to fit a lot into the cabinets with one exception -- full size dinner plates.

Having said all that, I could totally see corner cabinets in your room!

I think corner cabinets would look gorgeous and in keeping with they style of the room. I would do shelves on top and doors on bottom. Or this one that is arched - love! Got this doing a google search.

{{!gwi}}

Think about what you want the storage for. What would you put on open shelving. While I love the character builtins give I would think function first.

Very pretty room. I see you don't have much wall space.

I like corner built ins but I don't think I would do 2.

Agree with debrak. Do you store space or a serving surface? I love our dining room built but more than the storage, I love all that coubter space when we have parties.

Maybe 2 matching buffets with mirrors above them? How high is the window sill? Could you do a lower cabinet all the way across with upper hutch piece beside the window? Sort of incorporate the window into the built in.

I have a 12x12 dining room and an interior designer recommended 2 matching buffets with same size art work above each. She thought it was important to keep the room from feeling closed in with tall furniture. I didn't take her advice cause I fell in love with an antique set that includes different pieces. But I think her suggested floor plan was a bit better.

Just saw this on Pinterest.

Such a pretty house!

I feel like you will lose your visual breathing room if you put in cabinets, esp. with a large table. I agree with the others that some sort of buffet/not ceiling height cabinet(s) with a mirror would work better.

Do you have anything you could use just to test out scale? A bookcase?

One suggestion . . .someday, I would consider beefing up the trim around the windows to match what is on the French doors.

I would not do anything that has a corner jutting into the room. Your space is pretty much maxed out with the table; you ideally want table width + 3 feet chair-room on either side of it for passage room behind chairs when people are seated at the table. In your case, the ideal unimpeded size of the room for just the table and chairs is 12x12, and you're a little short of that. If there is a nice, sharp corner that protrudes even slightly into the passage, it will be a constant source of pain for the unwary. It will also make the room seem cramped.

While you may lose some storage space to corner cabinets, they would fit where you do have some room to spare. They might also make the room look more spacious, by blurring the corners. The two pics posted are wonderful.

Try a mock-up with some cardboard boxes to see how the room works with either configuration. Make sure the mock-ups are at least waist-high, to really get an idea of the flow around them.

I love the look of corner built-ins; however I don't think your room is big enough unless you plan to have a smaller round table. Corner cabinets will necessitate an oval or circular table in the future. Our dining nook is 13'+ long. We have two angled corners on the long exterior wall and the other side is open to the kitchen. It doesn't work to put a rectangular table there because of the corners jutting out.

If you need storage could you do some type of in-wall cabinet that is between the studs or borrows from an adjacent room?

Thanks, all, for the advice and good ideas! Lots to think about. While I know the space is not large and the table is, I am nevertheless inclined to do something.

In answer to the questions, I do not think it is an option to build anything in front of the window. The space behind the chair on that side of the table would be too tight. As for storage, I need some, but not an incredible amount. In my adjacent living room, I have a mahogany breakfront (actually, a 1948 Magnavox "entertainment unit" that was in DH's grandmother's Brooklyn walk-up) and a mahogany buffet (same era but was my grandmother's). I can fit most of my china, platters, vases, etc. in the closed storage in these two pieces. In the adjacent hallway that formerly was my kitchen, I have my great-grandmother's chest for table linens. Plus lots of new kitchen and pantry/laundry cabinets. I think the dining room closed storage would mostly be for glassware, so it could be relatively shallow and would work in either a corner or non-corner set-up. In the open shelving, I would want to do a combination of nice books, pottery, art, and photos. I also like the idea of painting the back between the shelves a color other than white, although I'm not sure whether that would work with a corner cabinet. Also, I think having a single corner cabinet would not sit well with my need for symmetry!

I will play around with some mock-up options and report back. In the meantime, here are two examples I found of cabinet/shelf built-ins with a window in between (and window "enlarged" thanks to panels on either side). Neither of these is quite what I would do if I didn't do corner(s), but it's similar.

[Traditional Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2107) by Providence Photographers CM Glover

[Traditional Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2107) by Evanston Interior Designers & Decorators 2to5design

I'm not what one would call a "fast mover," but I get there eventually. Today my custom cabinetry and trim guy started work on the DR built-ins and wainscoting. By which I mean that he put up a bunch of plastic sheeting and took off the existing trim. Then he went home. But tomorrow, fun things will start to happen!

After considering all of your very helpful comments and spending hours on Houzz and Pinterest, I ultimately decided that corner cabs wouldn't give me the overall look or storage/display space I am going for, so there will be a shallow built-in on each side of the window that is 36 inches wide, stopping 8 inches or so short of the window (for curtain panels). Closed cabinets on the bottom will be 14 inches deep and open shelves on the top will be 12.

It will be cozier for seating purposes than the general rule of thumb provides for, but that side of the table does not need to be a pass-through to anywhere, and I have a good feeling that it will work overall.

Thanks again for all the input, and stay tuned for photos!