Dining Room Not Right For You? Alternate Uses For Your Dining Area
It is a busy, busy world, and as much as mothers would love to serve up a five-course meal every single day, the reality is that the family may be brown bagging fast food at least once a week. Other days your family could be split up due to extra curricular activities and you only have one or two for dinner as opposed to 5 or 6. If this sounds like you, you probably feel as though your dining room is the most wasted area of your house. Don’t waste the space by having furniture you rarely use. Maximize it by changing your dining room into a more flexible room for your family.
Having a huge dining room table, chairs and a china hutch are well and good if you plan on using them, but if your home is bursting at the seams and you don’t have any space left for unused rooms, your best bet is to remove the furniture and start over. If you are certain that you will never use the table and chairs, sell them and add to your renovation budget. Alternately, you can find a place to store the items until you feel as though you can use them.
Deciding what to do with the room means sitting down and analyzing what is missing from your home. Have you always wanted a reading nook? Do you need a games room or a play area for your children? A room off the kitchen that has a door can be used for almost any type of activity. If the space is wide open and you have an open plan home, you have fewer options for decorating. In cases like that, you might want to create a small library area with a computer.
Choosing furniture for this area depends on your plans, but attempt to choose non-intrusive pieces if you have an open floor plan. Shelving for books and a hutch that will hide away bits and pieces of paper work and your computer are best in areas like this. You can find hutches that will double as a striking piece of furniture, but when you open them you have a full workstation.
For a reading nook, choose a comfy chair and appropriate lighting. One large overstuffed chair will be sufficient in a smaller space, and adding a tiny table and a cozy lamp will add to the ambience. Be sure to have a cuddly blanket for cold evenings, and a few throw pillows to be more comfortable when reading.
Define your space by adding a large area rug to the floor. In a small room, an area rug that will cover the space in front of the chair will add an extra element of coziness. In an open concept home, the area rug will define your space as separate from other living areas.
There is nothing that frustrates a homeowner more than wasted space in a house that is already pushed to its limits. Ensure that you are happy with every nook and cranny of your house by repurposing rooms and putting your space to good use.
