Formal Dining Rooms

Is your formal dining room a room that you rarely use? Even when you have guests, you often sit in the den or playroom watching the game on TV. Or everyone gathers in the kitchen. If you’re looking to replace that hutch filled with China that you never use, consider replacing the beautiful old dishes with books, games or other items that just sit around.

Or just get rid of the hutch. Place it in the corner of the garage. With the hutch out of the way, consider replacing it with a round table where no one sits at the head of the table, but see each other easily in plain view.

Instead of heavy old-fashioned furniture, replace with lightweight folding chairs, and new sheer fabric on the windows. Have bright placemats and contrasting dishes. If you have silver utensils and silver tea set, consider selling it and using that money to update your dining area. If your family has outgrown the kitchen table, use your new colorful dining room as a daily family dinner place; or where the kids can work on their homework.

Consider heavy-duty paper and plastic utensils when guests arrive to your new dining room, and instead of formal, call it casual. You can dress it up come the holidays, but you’ll still probably use it more when everyone is casual and less elegant. If the light fixture no longer matches the surrounding area, replace it with a ceiling fan and light.

If you like your heavy formal dining room, but you still want it to look more modern, remove some of the heavy picture frames and replace them with fun pictures of your family that will be sure conversation starters. When new grandchildren arrive, hang pictures of their parents when they were the same age. Compare the different hair dos and laugh as you remember the time when you took the pictures.

Listen to the laughter as the grands compare them. Then get out your camera and take more unrehearsed pictures and splash them around even on a corkboard for their next visit.
Having a formal dining room doesn’t mean you have to be stuffy, so make it a fun time for the family to gather; whether it is daily, monthly or yearly. With a little ingenuity your family will look forward to the time spent in your room that is no longer used sparingly.

Home Improvement Guide specializes in Orange County home improvement, Orange County general contractors, and San Diego home improvement.