How to Make an L Shaped Dinette with a Versatile Table Top, Plenty of Storage, Pull Out Drawer and a Full Size Bed

​Wanda's old dinette really didn’t fit our needs and was a waste of space. By re-configuring the layout and maximizing the space, our new dinette meets all our requirements and works much better for us. 

The original booth style dinette, which is built into many different RV layouts is designed to accommodate 4 people with storage under the seat and can be converted into a small bed. The drawback to this design is it takes up a lot of room and interferes with the layout of the whole kitchen.  The walkway is tight, the seats are tight and there is no usable counter tops. Even after adding a flip up counter top and cover for the stove on the other side of the kitchen, we still did not feel there was enough room. 

Features of the New L Shaped Dinette

Seating for 4 or More

Under Seat Storage
You can't have to much storage. Lift the seat on either side of the L and you have plenty of deep storage.

Table for the couch
The old design the dinette was separated from the couch. If you wanted to place something on the table you had to reach over the seat. Our design is multipurpose and allows you to use the table at the couch, which is great because we do not have a coffee table. 

Upgraded electric
We upgraded the outlet to also have USB chargers built into the outlet. We also moved the electric closer to the couch since there wasn’t one near the couch. Now, we can charge several devices from the couch or dinette.

Spare Bed
The original dinette was able to turn into a bed as well, but was smaller because you were restricted by the seat backs. The L shaped design allows a taller person to fit comfortably and stretch out. 

We used the bench cushions to act as a mattress but since they tend to move a bit we bought an egg crate to go on top and then wrap in a sheet.  This holds it together, prevents the cushions from moving and makes the bed more comfortable.  

The Pull Out Dog Cabinet
With limited pantry space for us, we struggled to find a spot for all the dog food, bowls and their stuff.  While lifting the bench cushions occassionally for long term storage, it is annoying to have to do everyday.  We needed a way to store the dog food that was lot easier and convenient. So we created a door at the end of the L shaped dinette and gave it a pull out shelf. This is really handy and allows us maximize the space. The shelf pull out two feet. This gives us plenty of access to their food. 

Easy access to get in and out of the dinette 
With traditional dinettes the inside person needs to scoot over into their seat. The nice advantage of having a mobile tabletop is you can swing the table out  to allow easy access for everybody to be seated.

Tucks away on travel days or when the slide is in.
When the slide is in,our RV in substantially smaller. Any way to increase space makes a big difference. When we are not using the table we simply push it towards the wall, which makes more “hallway” space.

How to Make an L Shapped Dinette with Versatile Table, Pull Out Storage, Converts to a Full Size Bed

Step 1: Remove/Demo the Old Dinette ​

Step 2: Measure Dimension
We wanted to use the existing footprint of the old dinette. On average bench has a height of 18 inches and a depth of approximately 17 1/2 inches. Depth should not exceed 20 inches for comfort.  We made the backrest as tall as the bottom of the window. We didn’t want to obstruct the window. ​

Step 3: Design in Sketchup
SketchUp is great tool to design 3d rendering of your plan. It has an easy learning curve and really helps visualize your design. 

Below is a copy of my Sketchup File. Use it as a template to help create yours.

dinettelight.skp
File Size:	71 kb
File Type:	skp

Download File

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Step 4: Make a Cut List
I use MaxCut to make my cutlist. This is also a free application you can download. You simply type in the dimension from your sketchup plan and it automatically lays everything out and provides you with cutting diagrams and an estimated cost.

Step 5: Purchase Lumber, Screws, Drawer Slides, Piano Hinges and Stain/Paint
Go to Home Depot or Lowes and bring your cut list. The cut list will tell you how much material you will need to complete your design. For our design we use ¾ inch birch plywood. It is a little heavy but I wanted to ensure that it would last forever.

Step 6: Cut lumber
Following your cut list. Systematically cut all your pieces out and label them in pencil. I made all my cuts using a table saw.

Step 7: Finish and Paint Lumber
After a quick sand around the edges, finish the each piece in paint or stain. We stained ours and gave it a distressed rustic look. We first applied gray stain and layered in white stain over it. After we got the desired look we wanted, we applied two coats of matte poly.

Step 8: Lay floor (If necessary)
Since we ripped all the carpet out of our RV (Wanda), we needed to install our new flooring before assembling the dinette.

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Step 9: Move electric (if necessary)
The original electric box was on the back wall. Since we were going to cover that location we needed to move it to a more convenient spot. If you are moving it, you might want to update the outlet to one that has USB outlets on it.  You can also add another outlet if needed.

Step 10: Assemble and screw down Dinette
Assemble the back pieces together first. This way the screws are not seen. Then screw the long back piece to the wall and then both pieces to the floor. Continue to attach the rest of the walls to each other first then screw them to the floor. Next attach the seat pieces. I used a piano hinge for the seat so they can flip open. For the doggie door I used flush opening hinges and added a cabinet pull to easily open the door. For the pull out shelf, I made wooden brackets to mount on the drawer slides so the shelf can clear the doors. 

I used combination butt joinery and pocket holes joinery . I made sure you couldn't see any screws when putting it together. 

Step 11: Order Cushions
For the cushions the best/cheapest/fastest place we found to get them done was through Esty.  Our cushions are 3 inches thick and have zippers so we can wash them easily. We also used Sunbrella material so they can stand up to camp life.

Step 12: Install Lagun bracket
Our L shaped dinette was planned around this bracket. The Lagun Bracket provides so much flexibility. Install the wall bracket first and then attach the table to the bracket arms. We didn’t center the bracket because we wanted to be able to flip the table around to the couch as well. Find a location that will benefit you the most. For the most stability, make sure most of your weight is centered towards the center of your table.
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Note: Our table is actually a piece of wall art that was hanging in our original house. We re-purposed it to use as our table.  The wood is warped and very heavy. Our table tilts because of this. We are definitely maxing out the capabilities of the bracket. If you use a the same ¾ plywood from the benches as your tabletop, you shouldn't experience this problem and you can use the same piece to complete the bed. We carry a separate piece to complete the bed.  We just really like the look of our tabletop so we deal with the tilt and carry the extra piece of wood in a bay underneath.

By: Kevin Quiambao

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