The future of the dining room? A question.

[chic]

Do you think houses being built in the future will include dining rooms? It was an important room in my family's house and maybe in yours too? In the past the dining room was used frequently. Ours was, and daily it was used as a receptacle for books, bric a brac, bills, letters and the like. I have a dining room. My neighbors all have dining rooms. But as values are shifting, I think in the future dining rooms will bite the dust and I feel sad about this. They were both functional and decorative.

What do you think and how do you feel about it?

 

[Murrmurr]

Do you think houses being built in the future will include dining rooms? It was an important room in my family's house and maybe in yours too? In the past the dining room was used frequently. Ours was, and daily it was used as a receptacle for books, bric a brac, bills, letters and the like. I have a dining room. My neighbors all have dining rooms. But as values are shifting, I think in the future dining rooms will bite the dust and I feel sad about this. They were both functional and decorative.

What do you think and how do you feel about it?

My son bought a new house recently, and the dining room looks like what we think of as a family room. It's got lots of shelving and a fireplace and a large door out to the patio. It just doesn't feel like a dining room at all.

The real estate agent called it "a media room with enough space for a dining set, if you want."

And there's no breakfast nook. Not even a bar table.

 

[Pepper]

What's it, Frank, that open concept thingy?

 

[Jules]

A formal space for a dining room started to disappear years ago in new homes. It blended into an open concept area for dining. Even those were said to be only used for special occasions. People would eat at the kitchen table. Nowadays, I think the trend is for families to eat at a barstool in the kitchen, which is part of the open concept room. Do young families even eat together; they always seem to be on the run to something?

 

[Beezer]

I think the two most used rooms in the house are the kitchen and TV rooms. I could foresee builders not adding dining rooms to new homes. @chic brings up a very good point.

 

[Jules]

Do young people even buy a formal dining room table or a buffet or side table? Especially the fancy types. If you don’t do formal entertaining except for Christmas, etc, there’s very little need. People socialize more casually now. I could see more money being spent on the bbq patio.

 

[Knight]

If tiny homes are gaining popularity not likely a dining room will be possible.
https://www.housebeautiful.com/home-remodeling/diy-projects/g43698398/tiny-house-floor-plans/

The last home we had did have a dining room & we did eat meals with our kids there. No phones, no TV. Growing up no dining room but we did eat together as a family in the kitchen.

 

[Murrmurr]

What's it, Frank, that open concept thingy?

Actually, not all that open. But it's near the kitchen, at least.

 

[Murrmurr]

Do young people even buy a formal dining room table or a buffet or side table? Especially the fancy types. If you don’t do formal entertaining except for Christmas, etc, there’s very little need. People socialize more casually now. I could see more money being spent on the bbq patio.

I don't think they do.

My son gave his daughter a dining set when she got a place of her own, her and her boyfriend, and her boyfriend asked her "Where we gonna put that?"

And she said, "In the dining room," and he looked at her with an obvious "Why?" all over his face.

 

[Lethe200]

The only younger people I know with DRs in use are the ones with kids. Otherwise, it's just another room to fill - often turned into an office.

 

[bobcat]

In the previous house I had a dining room and living room that were somewhat separate, but the dining room was always a bit cramped, so when I built my current house, I went with a great room, where the dining area is just an extension of the living area. The picture makes more sense.

 

[davey]

In the previous house I had a dining room and living room that were somewhat separate, but the dining room was always a bit cramped, so when I built my current house, I went with a great room, where the dining area is just an extension of the living area. The picture makes more sense.

looks good to go for me!! I remember as a kid not being allowed to eath dinner in the tv lounge - no food couching/slouching in our house!!

 

[Gaer]

I think, as individuals become more and more aligned with creative intelligence,
The "dining room" will become spaces to build, create, invent; sort of a "workshop".
or home gyms, or libraries.
Large dinners may phase out to become more and more rare.
People seem to entertain less and less.

 

[bobcat]

I think, as individuals become more and more aligned with creative intelligence,
The "dining room" will become spaces to build, create, invent; sort of a "workshop".
or home gyms, or libraries.
Large dinners may phase out to become more and more rare.
People seem to entertain less and less.

...... and who even uses their china collection anymore. Maybe at Thanksgiving or Christmas, and maybe not even then.

 

[Gary O']

The future of the dining room? A question.​

What do you think and how do you feel about it?

I hope they're around for awhile
It's where all my family gathers
visits
snacks
dines

We've got a total of 17 grands and great grands
Gotta put 'em somewhere

At the cabin, it was outside, around the firepit
That can still work

 

[JustBonee]

Our former home, which had a dining room, and a study/library, became open concept with the new owners. This was a few years back.
Walls were taken out, including a load bearing wall. ... It was totally transformed to make one big open area, from kitchen to living/family room.

Of course it struck me as odd .... (I had a chance to revisit) ... I wouldn't want to live there! ... lost its 'homey' feel.. lol

 

[jujube]

If I had a formal dining room with a dining room table, you'd never see it......it would be covered with miscellaneous junk all the time.

What I have is a large combination kitchen/dining area. It suits us.

 

[Paladin1950]

When I was much younger, almost every house we lived in, had a dining room. Usually it was only used for holidays or when family came over to visit. After my mother passed away, I got rid of the dining room table and chairs. I don't use it for a dining room anymore.

 

[hollydolly]

Te Majority of houses in the UK are much smaller than US homes.. and therefore only a minority have Dining rooms.. or kitchen /dining areas...

WE had a dining room separated by a door to the kitchen in one house growing up.. but it was used a bedroom .. In the last house I lived in.. there again was a dining room.. and it was used as such... but unlike the US and other countries.. it didn't have any breakfast nook, or counter /breakfast bar.. just a regular room next to the kitchen separated by a sliding door...

In the UK if the kitchen and Living area are all in one..it's called Open Plan living...

In Spain... over 50 % of the houses have the Livingroom/ kitchen in one open area separated only by the breakfast counter.. ( big hatched area).. and Estate Agents.. describe those room as American Kitchens..

 

[CallMeKate]

What I have is a large combination kitchen/dining area. It suits us.

That's what I have, too... I like it that way. Carrying food from cooking it to the table in the same general area is much easier than having to carry it all to a different room... especially for big gatherings like Thanksgiving.