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As an element of home design, the formal dining room has seen better days.
Where the dining room was once seen as a vital element in new homes, it now faces stiff competition from a variety of other creative ways to use that first-floor space.
Part of the issue, of course, is the huge strides made in kitchen design. With so many kitchens being over the top, family and friends may prefer to socialize and dine there, leaving the dining room neglected.
But beyond that, many homeowners are finding more suitable uses for the space where a dining room was once located.
Among the other options available are:
Photos courtesy of the Bob Webb Group
Family Foyer
Perhaps the most versatile option is a family foyer or friends’ entrance: an inviting, stress-free entry area with places to leave such items as mail, coats and backpacks.
“It (aims) to make you feel as good as your guests would coming into the foyer,” says Dave Johnson, architect for Bob Webb Homes.
Cabinets, cubbies, lockers and areas for shoes are all convenient additions for homeowners with children, Johnson says. And often, a family foyer is designed with access to the pantry, making it reachable from more than just the kitchen.
The family foyer is a key element of the Foundation Home Bob Webb is building for the 2016 BIA Parade of Homes, scheduled for late August at Verona in Powell.
Pet Area
Eliminating the formal dining room means more space for some of the smaller residents of the home.
Adding space for pets and their supplies is a great choice for a family foyer or other first-floor space. Think low drawers for water and food dishes, or incorporating a cage or bed.
Having a specific area helps corral pets if they’re coming into the house dirty and keeps items such as litter boxes out of the way.
Beverage Center
A beverage center serves as a convenient bar just off the kitchen.
It can be as simple as a walk-up counter with a sink, and refrigerator and wine storage.
“It’s a way to allow, if someone is cooking, people to access beverages and wine and stay out of the cook’s way,” Johnson says.
Pocket Office
A small office in, for example, a 5-by-8-foot niche can serve many purposes.
A built-in desk and a sliding door just off the foyer or kitchen can be helpful for quick projects, organizing the household, getting some work done or allowing both homeowners to work at the same time.
“You don’t need a big office; it’s not like you’re receiving clients or anything,” Johnson says. “It’s just a nice, comfortable nook you can close off.”
Messy Kitchen
While the main kitchen is for socializing and dining, the messy kitchen is behind a door.
That means dirty dishes can be sent to the messy kitchen while the main kitchen remains tidy, so the party can continue. It’s also a prime place to leave out equipment such as coffee makers and mixers.
That means food can be prepared separately, while everyone congregates in the main kitchen. It also means dishes and equipment can be left out without being unsightly.
The messy kitchen is another central element of Bob Webb’s Parade home – appropriate, given that the house was largely designed around its amazing kitchen.
Another Option: A “laundry studio” can be located off the kitchen. That’s a laundry room with an island like the kind you might find in the kitchen for crafts, homework and similar projects. That way, everything can be left out and the door shut to hide clutter from outside eyes.
Keeping Things Separate: To divide up space, Johnson speaks often of sliding barn doors. A sliding door makes it easy to separate a pocket office, a messy kitchen, a laundry room or any similar amenity from the rest of the house.
