melinda_collins

How would you use a formal dining room differently?

Melinda C
10 months ago

We have slowly been working our way through renovations over the last 5-6 years. We’ve done bathrooms, wardrobes, new windows, converted the workshop into a home outdoor office etc.

We had always intended to remove walls and create an open plan kitchen/living/dining. However, as we begin planning, we realise how expensive and inconvenient this is!! With 3 kids and 2 dogs, we’d have to move out for a period while the “real mess” happened and this obviously adds $$$. And actually finding a place!! The walls bordering the kitchen/dining and the dining/family are 100% structural - we’ve had them checked and would need engineering/beams etc.

Given our budget, we’re at a point that we are thinking we’ll leave the floor plan almost as is - renovate the current kitchen, add a servery window in the kitchen and also big doors out onto a renovated deck. We are planning to move the door from the family into the hallway to the end of the hall - create more useable space in the family area. Where we will have a small couch and dining table.

We definitely need two living areas but only one dining (as we’ll have the deck - even in cold Melbourne!!)

That does leave us with the formal dining room dilemma! It is wasted space and we need to pass through it to get to the kitchen/family/dining (I don’t want the hallway being the only entry into the area). The door in the dining only goes to a driveway, so I’ll probably convert that to a window too. I am thinking a lovely sitting area/chairs with some bookcases. This dining room gets the most beautiful natural sunlight every morning, I love it so much! However, I would welcome the valuable suggestions of this community.

Thank you in advance.

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