Formal dining rooms are falling out of favor.
Formal dining rooms show all the marks of passing out of favor, as fewer people are willing to sacrifice an entire room to a single purpose. In their stead, country-style kitchens with a dining area included within the work space are becoming more popular. The change is due in part to construction considerations. Many new homes are smaller, and, according to the Stanton Homes website, homeowners are looking for open floor plans.
Use
In many families, the kitchen serves multiple purposes, acting as the hub for the smooth functioning of the family; the room may contain a television, home computer, a small office space or workstation and the family calendar. A country kitchen has more of a lived-in feel, in contrast with the formal dining room, which is usually preserved for dining as a sole focus and use. A certain etiquette and reserve are often expected when using a formal dining room.
Functionality
Country kitchens are likely to see more use than formal dining rooms in a modern home, and they are better adapted to daily use. With the dinner table adjacent to the food preparation area, serving meals and cleaning up afterward are more convenient, plus you have the option to use the table as additional work space while cooking, for homework or for family projects. Country kitchens are generally informal, family-oriented spaces -- a gathering place where guests can engage in conversation with you while you work, where comfort and a relaxed attitude accompany use of the kitchen. Contrast this with the use of a formal dining room, which is often limited to serving family meals or for special occasions. Additionally, some formal dining rooms are isolated from the rest of the house to offer a peaceful dining experience. While this protects and preserves the space and its contents, it removes an entire room of the house from regular use.
Cost
Depending upon the decor you select, a country kitchen may be less expensive than outfitting a formal dining room. Formal dining typically calls for more expensive place settings and, if you plan to follow proper etiquette, additional utensils, glasses and plates. Formal dining is also accompanied by many upscale extras, such as matching serving dishes, cloth napkins and table decorations. In a formal dining room, the table and chairs are a main feature and often more expensive than those found in a country kitchen. Other major and costly pieces of furniture such as buffets and sideboards fill out the space. The informal nature of country kitchen dining means more casual and inexpensive dishes, furnishings and decor fit right in.
Care
rooms may contain antiques or furnishings that require special care, such as polishing or waxing. Upscale decor, pieces and place settings may not stand up to spills or the wear of frequent use. A country kitchen offers ease of upkeep, less worry about accidents and breakage. Because the space is created to be used regularly, the furnishings are usually chosen because they can stand up to that level of use, and the surfaces may be selected to provide ease of clean-up over form and beauty.
Tags: dining rooms, , formal dining, country kitchen, dining room, Formal dining
