5 Ideas to Re-Purpose your Dining Room
I'll be vulnerable here for a minute. Full disclosure. The real deal.
I don't use my dining room table for meals.
Ever.
Well, unless we have company, or a party, in which case the adults stand around the kitchen and the kids eat there, but that is the exception, not the norm. At one such party last weekend, a friend and realtor asked me what people are doing with their formal dining rooms these days, and how I'm seeing them used in re-design projects, and it got me thinking about how to get the most out of what has become a seldom used space in many homes.
So, here are my 5 ideas for re-purposing your dining room!
1. Create more space for your kitchen!
By taking out the wall between the oversize dining and undersized kitchen spaces, you have the opportunity to expand your counter space, or explore creative options you may not have considered yet.
2. Home office escape
Years ago when we renovated our current home, we opened the dining room up to the kitchen, took down all the walls, stretched the kitchen half way into the old dining room footprint, and used the remaining space to create a home office space. I'd show you pictures, but it's a mess, so here is a shot of someone else's dining room transformed into a home office, no walls removed. What a great space for your 'from home' business venture!
3. Gym or Yoga Studio
Lets imagine for a second that you have to walk past your gym everytime you go to the kitchen for a bag of doritos? or you can do your morning yoga routine within earshot of the kids having breakfast? maybe even create a family friendly home gym space to share with your partner or kids for a quick workout, rather than sitting around the TV while waiting for dinner?
If that appeals to you, this idea may be worth exploring!
4. Craft or Hobby Space
Getting into winter has me thinking of crafting and home hobbies again. If you love exploring different creative mediums and are currently lacking a space to spread out and create, consider transforming your dining room into a home studio space.
5. Kids Play Room
If you are a young family with kids under 10, a play room is a great way to get more utility out of your dining space. The benefits are three fold- the toys have a place to live, kids have easy access to their own space, and you can keep an eye on them when they are young, while working in the kitchen.
Obviously, these solutions won't work for everyone. If you still need a formal dining space, but want more ideas for how to create a Multi-Purpose dining space, stay tuned. I'll write about that idea soon!
Cheers!
