Whether you're dying to host a swanky dinner party or are just sick of eating off TV trays, life without a true dining space can be tough. A small apartment or home might not have room for a dining room in the conventional sense, but a few clever hacks can grant you a hide-away space that is both functional and easy to disguise when not in use.

1. Turn a drawer into a table.

This first idea from Tiny Living is a super-smart tiny-home hack that works in spaces of any size. When closed, the area just looks like an island with drawers or cabinets; when pulled out, it transforms into an eat-in surface that's the perfect place to pull stools up for morning breakfast or date night in.

2. Install a fold-out table.

If it's just you and a partner or roommate (and you don't do much entertaining) then this fold-out table for two, featured on Tiny House Swoon, might be the perfect fit for your home. Install a hinged tabletop below a window or in an unused nook, then fold out the surface any time you're looking to wine and dine.

3. Hack a bookshelf so that it's also a table.

This bookshelf has a hidden secret — a fold-out table that comfortably seats at least two or more dinner guests. Plus, it helps with storage including dishes, decorative objects, books, and more.

4. Hang a shelf.

A deep shelf can easily become a makeshift breakfast bar. Just be sure to use sturdy brackets and be careful not to lean too hard on it! Tiffany from Offbeat + Inpsired hung her shelf in front of a window to create this space, which looks like it's straight out of some totally adorable cafe. When not in use, just put a few books on it and it'll look like a regular ol' shelf.

5. Build a picture frame/Murphy table.

Our friends over at BuzzFeed came up with this idea. It's art! No, it's a table! It's both! And it's relatively easy to build.