This Dining Room Makeover Features a Hidden Surprise in the Walls

Abby Monteil

Sat 17 May 2025 at 2:00 am UTC

4 min read

Dining area with a white table set for a festive meal, featuring blue chairs, holiday-themed placemats, and a candle centerpiece. — Although many people like open-concept layouts, these homeowners actually chose to add a wall to their dining area. Credit: Courtesy of Miranda Caldwell Credit: Courtesy of Miranda Caldwell

Dining area with a modern chandelier, a table set with plates, glasses, and a wine bottle, and festive decor on the stairs. — “It wasn’t until we realized that if we added a wall … we could have more storage, more privacy, and a cozier spot to dine with guests,” the homeowner says. Credit: Courtesy of Miranda Caldwell Credit: Courtesy of Miranda Caldwell

Light bulb pendant above white bistro table in newly renovated art filled dining. — The new wall provided a surface to build built-in seating against, and it created a hallway of sorts for the bathroom. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Round mirror above dining room banquette. — Now the powder room doesn’t open directly (and awkwardly) into the dining area. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Blue taper candles top white dining table in newly renovated dining and kitchen area. — Building and installing a wall wasn’t easy: “I think we underestimated how much patience is required in taping and mudding drywall,” the homeowner says. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Light around round mirror mounted above banquette in dining room with round bistro table. — But the homeowners had woodworking savvy and also made a built-in bench and custom cabinetry for their new cozy corner dining setup. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Art work mounted about bistro dining area. — The new partition has a hidden detail in it. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Little cubby opened showing secret storage unit in dining area. — There’s a secret cubby. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

Cookbooks top floating shelves in kitchen with fluted cabinet with red wavy door. — The homeowner loves how playful and fun the new dining setup is — as well as functional. Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER

HOME TYPE: House

PROJECT TYPE: Dining Room

STYLE: Eclectic, Mid-Century Modern, Modern

SKILL LEVEL: DIY

RENTAL FRIENDLY: No

There’s something about a dining nook or banquette seating that just feels cozy. “Booth seating is always the spot we gravitate toward at a restaurant, so I wanted to recreate this type of space at home,” homeowner Miranda Caldwell says.

She and her husband, Jeff Heckbert, a furniture maker (of Heck Yeah Home), created a dining nook for their family’s main meal space — but first, the layout took some reconfiguring. Before, the guest powder room opened right into the dining table, which created an awkward layout for guests.

Adding a wall made smarter use of the space.

Although some people prefer totally open layouts, in this case adding a wall (and a hallway of sorts, for the bathroom) made more sense.

“We tried many iterations of trying to make this open-concept dining room work, from different shaped dining tables to custom storage solutions built by Jeff,” Miranda says. “But it wasn’t until we realized that if we added a wall … we could have more storage, more privacy, and a cozier spot to dine with guests.”

The new wall has a secret cubby.

Building and installing a wall wasn’t easy — even though the homeowners have lots of woodworking experience. As Miranda notes, “I think we underestimated how much patience is required in taping and mudding drywall.” But because the couple DIYed everything, they were able to add fun, one-of-a-kind flourishes — namely, a secret cubby behind one of the nook’s picture frames.

“The picture frame is on a hinge and opens to reveal a small niche in the drywall where you can put little treats or trinkets,” Miranda says. “It’s a fun little party trick.”

Red wavy door open in cabinet unit. — Credit: Jayson Manalang Credit: Jayson Manalang

The L-shaped bench seating offers built-in storage.

Having a seamless wall meant having something to build a bench up against, and Jeff created a custom solid oak bench with custom upholstery, painted deep red (Benjamin Moore’s Dinner Party).

More in Lifestyle

He didn’t start running until he turned 66. At 81, he became a world record holder. Here’s how he trains

Runner's World

People Are Sharing The "Old Person" Things Their Parents Do That Drive Them Absolutely Bonkers

BuzzFeed

834

20 One-Pan Dinners That Come Together in 20 Minutes

allrecipes

I Was 19 When I Walked Away From The Arranged Marriage My Parents Chose For Me — And I’m Still Paying The Price

HuffPost

To add even more storage to the dining nook, the couple added a two-piece floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinet — also crafted by Jeff — to bookend one side. In the process, Jeff came up with the idea to incorporate a playful wavy detail into the lower cabinet doors, which Miranda says is one of her favorite details of the dining nook.

Miranda says “booth seating feels nostalgic, playful, and casual, which were all things we wanted to feel in our home,” and she and Jeff certainly executed on their vision. To see the rest of their home, check out the full house tour.

Inspired? Submit your own project here.