Dining rooms are often overlooked for other more public areas of the home. But contrary to popular belief, dining rooms can be a great asset to your home.
As a result of the limited amount of available space in most houses, setting aside an entire room for formal dining is a luxury.
With families sitting down to eat together less, and a general preference to casually sit around the kitchen island or garden table, a formal dining room may often go unused. Here are some great ideas for what you could do.
Garden Room
Providing you with an elevated level of decor, indoor plants are taking over design photos. With this in mind, allow them to overtake your unused dining area too. Using vases, pots and cuttings you are nurturing makes an enticing new orangerie.
Always seal your table to prevent water from damaging the wood or lacquer. You can also use a tray or waterproof cloth to catch any spills.
Library
In the olden days, libraries were often found within dining rooms. Antique furniture isn’t ideal for shelving books. Why not incorporate shelving into your walls to create the perfect library?
Game Room
If you wanna play games but don’t have room for a pingpong court or billiard table, why not convert the dining room into a game room instead? Your kids’ll love turning it into their own private hangout. You can even turn the table into a pingpong court with some plywood. The possibilities are endless!
For a much smaller space, try covering an existing kitchen table or use a folding table for gaming or card playing. They can be handy for buffet parties too.
Sitting Room
A TV-free side room is a useful addition for busy households. It has the advantage of being quiet and containing art or other things you enjoy enough to flee you day-to-day life.
Playroom
If you’re living in a constant state of mess due to all your kid’s toys, coloring stuff, and game bits it might be time to set up a designated play area in an unused room like the dining room. This way you can clear up all that clutter and make things safer for the little ones.
Dining rooms are usually near the kitchen, so kids would be close enough to hear what’s going on but their stuff won’t be all over the house. Make a place for storage and a rule that says they have to tidy up before bedtime and things will go smoothly.
Home Office
If you want to use the dining room for meals, look out for storage options that look grown-up. Take advantage of any wall space by using high shelves. Make sure there’s a folding ladder nearby.
Working from home can be really great when your office setup is in keeping with the general vibe of your life. This way you don’t have to feel like you’re “working” even when you are.
Mix and match vintage pieces with sleek surfaces to give your dining room a personal touch. Use a good lamp for illumination instead of work lights, an attractive rug, or accessories to make it inviting for guests. It also helps if the old dining room is close by the front door so clients don’t have to pass through other parts of the house before eating.
