When we decided to sell our town home and buy a single-family home in 2008, I was really stuck on finding a home with a formal dining room. I decided that a dining room was important to me – partially because the floor plan of the town home was maddeningly open, but also because I have lots of happy memories of holiday meals and celebrations spent in the formal dining room at my parents’ house. So, a separate dining room was a definite part of my house-hunting checklist.
Fast-forward a year – we haven’t used our formal dining room, not even once. My excuse in the beginning was that it wasn’t yet presentable because I hadn’t decorated it (and we didn’t really have a dining room table – minor detail). But now we’ve been loaned a dining room table and chairs, and while it’s not finished it is presentable.
What’s my excuse now?
Turns out that maybe I just don’t really want a formal dining room. Maybe I’m just not a formal person? Maybe it’s because I’m not hosting big family holidays at our house yet? Maybe it’s because we already have other places to eat? Maybe. But I think that it’s really because I feel a little awkward and isolated in the formal dining room, cut off from what’s going on in the rest of the house.
That’s why I got all excited when I came across these images:
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It seems to me that these dining rooms demonstrate the perfect balance between being too open or too isolated. The built-in buffet between the kitchen and the dining room (particularly in the second image) allows interaction between the two spaces and keeps guests from feeling claustrophobic – all while providing additional storage for linens and servingware.
What do you think? Will you always have a formal dining room, or would you prefer an open living/dining space? What are your thoughts on the built-in hutch as a compromise between formal and totally open?
Sounds like you need to have a dinner party!
I like the idea of a formal dining room – nothing huge, just a small room with a table that can be used for special dinners or dinner parties, like you said. We’re about to move into a house with small “formal” front living and dining room. We’re looking forward to reviving the tradition of greeting guests with an old-fashioned cocktail from a small bar with decanters and an ice bucket, then using the front living room as a place to gather pre-dinner, before we move into the dining room.
Maybe we have to get the word “formal” out of our heads. It’s only as formal as you make it!
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Our little 1956 rancher has no formal dining room, but an eat in kitchen style dining. I recently re-did our dining room to make it feel more formal – the style we went for was comtemporay elegance with a bit of whismy. does that make sense? lol Since our home is small we don’t plan on having formal sitdown meals – more of a buffet style parties in the future. As for your Q’s I think they might be a little dated depending on the layout of the home and if it cuts of the social aspect of a party! whoa I wrote you a book
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I got rid of my formal dining room when my kids were born and turned it into a much more practical use of space – a playroom for all their toys, videos, puzzles and games. Never regretted it. I’ve had to ‘glam’ up my casual dining space to make it balance between formal and informal, but in truth, we rarely eat there too ! We belly up to the breakfast peninsula in the kitchen 90% of the time and in summer, we like to eat outside !
But I do love a formal dining room, and someday…… I will reclaim it and make it spectacular – when the kids fly the nest !
xoxo
Kate
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Last year, we moved across country, from Atlanta to Seattle. We knew we couldn’t afford a large house here like we had in Atlanta, so we sold our dining room suite before we moved. It was a little sad (I also sold the china & crystal), but we NEVER used it! Now and then, yes…but only when it was more comfortable to gather 8 or so of us around the large table than the smaller kitchen table.
I love those photos you posted. Someday, when we buy our own home again, that’s what I’m going to do. I don’t think we’ll ever have two separate tables again, but I’d like to achieve that balance…a comfortable, stylish place in the center of the home.
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OH, how I love my formal dining room; let me count the ways. We have sentimental china from my late grandmother and wedding gift waterford that I adore. We cook every night and rarely go out to eat, so we host dinners regularly whether with family or friends, and our kitchen table does not handle more than six. All of our immediate family (16 people) live within a five mile radius, so we have Easter, birthday, and Thanksgiving, etc. dinners at our home, and now that we have a dining room, we are putting it to good use.
To me, dining rooms symbolize family and togetherness. They symbolize the making of memories and spending time together. The china brings a special part of my past to the present. The waterford makes me feel like a grown up, and now that I have a house and a family, I get to sit at the adult table. Hasn’t everyone been waiting for the adult talbe upgrade? Most of my friends could care less about waterford and china, and I completely understand why people eliminate this room from their house, but it isn’t happening in our home. It’s all about lifestyle and individual preference. Long live the formal dining room – says the little lizard king!
I’m not a big fan of formal dining rooms, mostly because I didn’t grow up with one and I’m very very realistic with how I use my rooms. What I do not want is to get trapped in thinking that I need a space (i.e. formal dining room, a craft room, even an office) if I realistically will not use it. One of the big things since I became passionate about home decor is really taking a look at the practicality of every space in my home. Since then I have been quite happy with my little 1300 sq ft space because it has all the function I need.
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Liz I cannot tell you how many of my clients over the years have made the same discovery and we re-purposed the room as Dens, offices and libraries. I myself knew a long time ago that I did not want a formal DR. I have an eating areal in my kitchen that I have made what I call semi-formal. you can see it here:
http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-color-are-you.html
The very first pict is my dining room in my kitchen.
I like the idea of the built in buffet with the bottom cupboards but not the top because that is to much like the 70’s overhang cabinets over bar areas in the kitchen which we have all eliminated. I say go for it, I think you will feel much happier with this idea.
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I like the idea of a formal dining room, even if I haven’t used it yet. I’m sure someday we’ll be hosting the big family events, etc. but for now we tend to eat in the kitchen (or our laps in front of the TV!).
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I love formal dining rooms – and we use ours more now than we have in a while. When we first moved in, we ate weekend breakfasts and some dinners there – now, I host big lunches for moms and their kids and it’s the only place I can seat everyone! I love the images you’ve shown us and hope you break yours in soon – those peacock seats are dying to be used, I’m sure!
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Casa Ugly has no formal dining., however it has two bedrooms on the first floor. We are turning the one next to the kitchen into a dining room because I really us to eat as a family and not n front of the TV. I also love to cook and have family/friends over. So I am definitely one who needs a formal dining room.
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We use our formal dinning room about once a month. It can seat 8 and our kitchen table only seats 4. We usually have someone over at least once a month. We don’t always use our dinning room but it’s great when we host a dinner party. I think it’s kinda sad to see more and more people not using it. We love to cook and have friends over. I actually wish mine was bigger. If I ever built a house it would definitely be a bigger room with a spot just for china.
We have a formal dining room but don’t use it as that because we have a great space for a large dining table and chairs adjoining our kitchen. Right now its kind of a blank canvas…don’t have a lot in there. In the future I think we’d like to turn it into a neat study/work space for our kiddos…when they’re old enough to study and work!
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Well the fact that so many of you love your dining rooms makes me think I need to break ours in!! I’ll let you know how it goes . . . :)
~ Liz
I don’t have a formal dining room and many of my clients do and we have used the valuable real estate for other purposes, like offices or an extension of the family living area. I think we have to be honest with ourselves on how we live and entertain and not waste any spaces in our homes to very seldom used spaces. I live in all the rooms in my home including the semi-formal living room I have a family room where we all congregate most of the time, but the living room is used also, otherwise it is wasted real estate in my mind!! Kathysue
Our home is an open floor plan and we don’t have a formal dining room. In fact, I’ve never lived in a home with a formal dining room. Hubby’s dear aunt has one and it is used once or twice a year. In looking at her floor plan, that square footage could be put to better use in the family room or kitchen, where everyone hangs out when visiting.