Dining rooms used to be a lot more important than they seem to be today. People tended to have at least one meal together as a household every day, and even if it was just a solo breakfast or lunch, the dining room was often the place it would be eaten. 

Today, however, things are different, and not every family is able to eat together that much; you could even say the dining room was falling out of fashion (since some homes don’t even have dining rooms, that seems to prove the point!). 

If you do have a dining room, it’s useful to know what you can do with it so it doesn’t go to waste and just become a junk room or a place everyone forgets about. With that in mind, here are some options to consider. 

Photo by Ricky Esquivel

A Dining Room

The first idea on our list might seem obvious, but as we said above, it’s not something everyone thinks about – why not use your dining room as exactly that; a dining room? In other words, since you’ve got the space, make it work for you. Take a look at some marble dining sets and choose a gorgeous one that will really set the tone for the room, and then try to use it as much as possible. 

Start by allocating at least one night every week where you all eat together as a family. As time goes on, you can add more and more nights to the list, but it’s a good idea to start small and build up, otherwise it can get a bit much all at once, and the habit won’t stick. You can also have your breakfast in there, which is a good way to ensure you do have one, and when it comes to the kids, it stops them watching too much TV; they won’t have a screen in the dining room. 

A Home Office 

Maybe you have a kitchen table you like to eat your meals at, or perhaps eating together isn’t something you want to do – maybe you live alone, so it’s just not needed. Whatever the reason for not wanting to use your dining room as a dining room, that’s your choice, and the great news is you can use it as a home office instead. 

With so many people working remotely these days, it’s crucial to have a space to work from where you’re not going to be interrupted and disturbed. Some people will use a spare bedroom, if they’re lucky enough to have one, and others might build an office in the garden if their budget allows, but if you’ve got an empty, unused dining room just sitting there doing nothing, surely that’s the best place for a home office? 

A Library

For book lovers, the idea of owning a home with a library in it might sound like a dream – and a far-fetched one at that. However, Why can’t that dream become a reality when you use your dining room? 

If the room is empty, you can install bookshelves along every wall, from floor to ceiling, and then have a wonderful time filling those shelves. Place a comfy chair in the corner with some good lighting, and you’ve made a wonderful at-home library just for you.