The Dining Room

Edwardia

A previous owner of our house knocked the sitting room and dining room into one lounge/diner. Since the kitchen is big enough to eat in and the garden also, we've not used the dining room part as a dining room.

We've re-decorated the front end and we're about to re-decorate the back end in the same colours.

We have enough room for bookcases plus dining table and chairs OR sofa/chaise longue with armchairs and side tables. Although I'm a college trained ex chef we don't do dinner parties, we don't have kids and we each have a room to do our own thing in (2 of us and 4 bedrooms).

Would you have another seating area (making us a 4 sofa household) or a dining table just in case ?

Do you think a house without a dining area looks wrong ?

OH says do whichever I want but make sure it all blends in together. My mother amd MIL say I can't have a house without a dining room/area.

balletshoes

if the kitchen is big enough for a table and chairs to eat at, then I'd say do what you like with the "dining room".

Fire_Fox

It is your house, not like you are trying to sell a lifestyle to potential owners or your mothers. Sometimes it depends on the shape of the room how it works, I like the chaise longue idea tho. Can you shorten the room and bring to the two halves together by putting more furniture against the two shortest walls, perhaps a wall of books or wall of invisible cupboards? You can have a doorway within this but windows can look weird in a recess.
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Mortgage_Reduction_Novice

I think do what you'd use the most. However, it sounds like you are not using the area at all at the moment.

Would you ever entertain friends and want to eat somewhere other than the kitchen?

What about a completely different use - music area, office, hobby area?

poet123

If I had room for all other activities then I would have the formal dining space if only for Xmas. If I needed the space for something else I would use it for that. You have to have the house arranged to suit your lifestyle.

themull1

I would have a table and chairs, i can eat in the kitchen, but i like my dining room at christmas etc. I have my table and chairs, computer cabinet, sideboard, blanket box and two bookcases. Mine is a knocked through lounge/diner.

nearlyrich

It's funny how we use our space in ways that other people dictate when they don't live there, we spent 10 years with our living room arranged the way the previous people had it until we threw caution to the wind and radically changed it to make the most of the amazing view.

If you will use a dining table then get one if not don't worry about it do what makes sense to you as you have to pay for it and live with it. Having said that I would miss our table if it wasn't there we eat at it every day, we are also two people in a 4 bed as the children have grown up and moved out.

Slinky_Malinky

I think you should please yourselves and take no notice of your parents. If you are having book cases and enjoy reading, then you could have a couple of really nice chairs and make it a reading room. If you can`t decide then why not just do the decorating and hold off buying furniture until you make up your mind.

marisco_2

A house is to be lived in your way. Personally if I had that amount of space I would maybe use the back part of the room as a little library area and to listen to music. A luxury get away from it all room.

When it comes to selling it in years to come you could put a table and chairs in if you felt the need.

shegirl

What would suit you most and make you happier?

Thr living room/dining room in my new house is an unusual one and part of the appeal of the house (I like 'different).They aren't entirely separate as there is a wall coming over halfway across between them (has the fireplace on)then it's left open.So technically they aren't separate but they kinda are lol

That partially dividing wall will be my feature wall on both sides,tying it in together with same colours and curtains used front and back of house.Thinking of lining the dining room part feature wall with bookcases,possibly putting my display unit over there (buy that may make the living room a little sparse) and placing a matching sofa along the side wall (the side they are fully joined) to kinda mirror the corner suite in Thr living room (if I stick with the corner suite idea-haven't decided yet,if not it'll be central to the room).will include dining table though!

Charlie23

personally I'd love a kitchen big enough to eat in. We do have a dining area but the table isn't in it! (weird shape rooms!) we use our table for every meal but thats because the children use it!
For me i would have a sofa/comfy chairs and bookcases as i'd love that!
If my mil or mother said that to me then it would definately make my mind up............ no way would there be a dining area but then again i always do the opposite of mil/mother! ;-);-)
Do your house the way YOU like it! enjoy your home :-)