"Kitchen" table in the living room?

Petula

Our kitchen is small and when I added a stand alone cupboard our table went into the garage. We have always tended to eat 90% of our meals in the living room, please don't judge - not always in front of the tv, most of the time it's off anyway - as we're more comfortable and the living room has more natural light.

I'm thinking of putting our table in a corner of the living room and my OH is horrified (though he would agree, lol) saying that it's going backwards and how things used to be done etc... I say it can't be any worse than not having one at all

I just wondered if anyone else has their table in the living room by choice? I know that was the setup for many years ago and I find it lovely and cosy! Am I totally alone on this?

notjustlaura

I don't see anything wrong with it at all. In my first flat I had my table in the LR and now I have a through 'n' through living room-dining room and it works well.

Mojisola

Petula wrote: »

I'm thinking of putting our table in a corner of the living room and my OH is horrified (though he would agree, lol) saying that it's going backwards and how things used to be done etc... I say it can't be any worse than not having one at all

I just wondered if anyone else has their table in the living room by choice? I know that was the setup for many years ago and I find it lovely and cosy! Am I totally alone on this?

Arrange your furniture so that it works for you.

Suggest having a trial of a month or so and review whether the table stays or goes after that.

moneyistooshorttomention

What I've got now is a through lounge - rather than sitting room and dining room. The kitchen might be considered big enough by some to have dining space in - but I don't feel it is (by modern large kitchen/diner standards).

Hence - I have my dining table up one end of the lounge/diner. It is a dining table, and I wouldn't want a specific "kitchen table" iyswim in the room. However, it was bought to be in a "dining room" style with 2 fold-down flaps anyway for my previous house (ie so that I could use my dining room for other things too). So I have that table there in place with one flap up permanently (and the second one can get opened up too if there is more than one guest for a meal or I want a larger amount of "work surface" space).

Pollycat

Mojisola wrote: »

Arrange your furniture so that it works for you.

I agree with this.
It doesn't (or shouldn't) matter what other people do or how it 'used to be'.

I'd much rather have a table to eat at than have to eat on my lap.

missyrichards

Mojisola wrote: »

Arrange your furniture so that it works for you.

I agree.

I'm not very conventional so it wouldn't even occur to me that some people would disapprove of a kitchen table in the living room.:D It's your home so you should have it how you like it.

Kim_kim

Petula wrote: »

Our kitchen is small and when I added a stand alone cupboard our table went into the garage. We have always tended to eat 90% of our meals in the living room, please don't judge - not always in front of the tv, most of the time it's off anyway - as we're more comfortable and the living room has more natural light.

I'm thinking of putting our table in a corner of the living room and my OH is horrified (though he would agree, lol) saying that it's going backwards and how things used to be done etc... I say it can't be any worse than not having one at all

I just wondered if anyone else has their table in the living room by choice? I know that was the setup for many years ago and I find it lovely and cosy! Am I totally alone on this?

My kitchen was big enough (when I moved in) for a small table in chairs, but I ripped it out & filled it with cupboards & a giant us fridge freezer.
My living room is fairly big (big enough to have my sofas in the middle of the room opposite each other at a 90 degree angle to the fire - I don't like sofas lined up against the wall) so my large 6 (extends to 8) dining table has to go in the living room.
I'd prefer a table in the living room rather than a seperate dining room - I always think dining rooms get under used.

Goldiegirl

I didn't realise there was a 'thing' about having the table in the living room.


In this house we have our table in the dining room, because we have a dining room.


In our previous house we had a large through lounge, so the table went at one end of the lounge, although it was definitely a dining table and not a kitchen table.


When I was living with my parents, they always had the table in the living room, but again it was a dining table and not a kitchen table.


I think the decision on where to place the table depends on the house, and surely any table is better than no table at all.


Although, If I was purchasing a table to go in a living room, I'd buy one that looked more like a dining room table than a kitchen table

maman

I do remember years ago when my grandma had a dining table in the living room. I think they probably called it 'living' room because everything went on in there eating, relaxing, homework, mending etc. She had a separate parlour but that was used only on high days and holidays which was definitely was a waste of a room. Then there was the kitchen/scullery.


Maybe that's what your husband means by going backwards petula? I don't mean to judge but I think eating food on your lap is far more of a retrograde step than returning to the days when everyone sat round the table to eat. Perhaps it's not the table he's objecting to but having to leave his sofa/easy chair.


I agree with posters who say it's up to you how you arrange your furniture. I know people who have fridge freezers in the dining room or washing machines in the bathroom as it suits them because they're short on kitchen space. What I suppose might be a bit strange is if it so obviously looks like a kitchen table against the living room furniture. You could always use a tablecloth to match it in if that's the case.

Petula

Thanks for your replies

The table is a small round wooden one so probably more of a 'dining' table I suppose. Probably about 36in diameter and two sides (round so no 'sides' really, lol) fold down.

Our kitchen is seperate to the living room/lounge with a doorway through. In the end, of course I'll have it the way I want but was interested if anyone else preferred it this way.

missyrichards

maman wrote: »

I do remember years ago when my grandma had a dining table in the living room. I think they probably called it 'living' room because everything went on in there eating, relaxing, homework, mending etc. She had a separate parlour but that was used only on high days and holidays which was definitely was a waste of a room.

That sounds like my grandmother's house in Ireland.:) The parlour was a small room with a formal feel to it but it was rarely ever used.