What ever Happened to the Dining Room?
Picture it: A lovely home with children frolicking in the backyard, dinner cooking in the kitchen, and a glittering dining room table anxiously awaiting hungry guests. Sounds like a dream, right? Nowadays we’re lucky if we have a chance to grab some takeout on the way home from work! 
Amidst all the chaos of modern-day life it seems as though the concept of sitting down for a meal has lost its panache. Home design is constantly evolving and while it was once common to have rooms separated and confined, open-concept style homes have become more than a trend–they’ve become a way of life. However, open-concept living wasn’t always on point. In one episode of the popular Netflix series, The Crown, Queen Elizabeth looks horrified after Princess Margaret announces her plans to do away with a traditional kitchen and dining room in favor of a more modern look: an open concept where both cooking and dining meet.
As interior designers we love how creative you can be in an open-concept home. Without walls separating each space it becomes quite a fun challenge to execute a design that flows seamlessly from one space to the next, all while giving each space its own unique character. We appreciate how open-concept living has changed the way we entertain, allowing our guests to interact with us wherever we are in the home.
In all the goodness that comes from open-concept living, one question remains: What ever happened to the dining room? While many homes have nixed the dining room all together, there’s still a hefty number of homes which do utilize separate dining spaces. Yet, it seems as though these spaces have been relegated solely for formal events, holidays, and family gatherings. What about the rest of the year?
Whether you have an open-concept home or a more traditional dining room, we’d like to offer you a few ideas on how you can liven up your space to make it feel less formal and more livable. Without compromising style we’ll show you how you can maintain your dining room’s use for gatherings like the holidays but also use it during all the days in between. Your home is a beautiful reflection of you and we want to help you get the most use out of every space.
Dining Room Furniture
Because of the simplistic nature of a dining room, your focal point is going to undoubtedly be your dining room furniture. Traditional dining rooms typically included a table that could accommodate seating for up the 8, a serving buffet, and a hutch where you could display fine china. More modern homes have incorporated convertible tables that expand and compress along with unconventional seating like benches and upholstered chairs. We believe your dining room furniture needs to work not only as a set, but on its own. Our Cambria chair is a perfect example. This beautifully carved piece adds a touch of interest to your dining room furniture but can also work on its own. Place it in a corner with a small side-table and a stack of books and you instantly have an elegant reading nook.
You can bring back the timeless tradition of a dining room by incorporating classic furniture pieces like a chest.
Dining room chests are great for serving meals buffet style but double as storage spaces. You can store items like table cloths, napkins, and serving platters in your dining room chest, giving you more room in your linen closet and more space in your kitchen cabinets. The intricate, lacy carved front of the Matisette Chest truly catches the eye. Traditional in function, this stunning chest is anything but boring! While dining room sets were once created in one solid color or stain, nowadays designers are playing with colored accent pieces, patterned upholstered chairs, and colorful wallpaper. (Yes, we said wallpaper!)
Of course, nothing will capture your attention more than an artfully crafted dining room table. We like to think of dining room tables as multi-purposed pieces that need to function well for a myriad of jobs. Your dining room table will be the feature of your dining room and the point from which the rest of your space will flow. It’s important that you choose a style that not only meets your needs now, but will also grow with you in the future. Our team of professional interior designers would be happy to help you choose a style that’s right for your current needs but will also meet your needs in the years to come.
Multi-Purpose Space
Dining rooms are not just for eating! In fact, your dining room can do a lot more than you think. Since your dining room table is typically larger than a desk or usable counter space, it acts as an ideal location for projects. If you have children it’s a perfect place to study and work on homework. If you enjoy crafts, a dining room table is an ideal space to gather your materials and spread out. We love the idea of having friends over for a night of scrap-booking. Your dining space is the perfect place to host friends and can be as functional as you need it to be.
Remember, at the end of the day, your dining room is a part of your home. While it works well to host holiday gatherings and work functions, the dining room doesn’t have to be reserved for special guests or formal events. You can use the space every day and be creative not only in its purpose but also its design. Whether you create a little nook to escape to with a magazine, sneak some storage in a chest, or spread out your crafting supplies, your dining room just might be the perfect place to let your creativity shine.
At Home Interior Warehouse our passion is making your space just as lovely as you. Visit either of our showrooms located in Walled Lake and Plymouth, Michigan for even more design inspiration, professional design advice, and home decor.
