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The Modern Dining Room

“The oldest form of theater is the dinner table. It’s got five or six people, new shows every night, same players. Good ensemble; the people have worked together a lot.”  - Michael J. Fox

The dining room is changing. Dining spaces were often formal with matching table, chairs and even side pieces like hutches and sideboards. Years ago, it wasn’t unusual for families to eat together in a dining room every day; more frequently it was used on weekends, special occasions and holidays.

With the way families live today, dining rooms don’t get the attention – or use – they deserve.

“There’s something very sophisticated about a dining room,” says Kathy Sorbe, lead designer and owner of The Elements by K. Sorbe in Storm Lake and The Elements at Prairie Trail in Ankeny. “It’s family-centered, classic and rich.”

Many of us remember the dining set, which is still very popular, but Sorbe says fewer and fewer people are opting for the matching pieces. The architecture of open concept homes brings the eating area into the main living space so pieces must coordinate with the furniture, art and accessories in the rest of the space, not just the dining room.

“There’s something very distinguished about really fine furniture in your dining room, but in an open floorplan, it can look disconnected from the rest of your home,” says Sorbe. “We certainly love the dining sets, but our team leans more toward creating more interesting options.”

Mixing materials, finishes and textures adds interest and personality. A live-edge table with very contemporary – or even very old – chairs says something about the homeowner … that they have style and a little bit of attitude! And there’s no rule for matching chairs either. Sorbe and her team frequently pair fabric, wood and even woven dining chairs together.

Updated wingbacks covered in tufted fabric surround a zinc and metal table. Notice the size of the pendant above the table. Sorbe cautions against fixtures that are too small.

The centerpiece of the dining room is the table. Sorbe recommends choosing a size that will accommodate the number of guests the homeowner would normally entertain. If you have 18 people over for dinner every three years, she cautions against choosing one that will fit the exception, not the rule.

“A large table with a lot of chairs can be difficult to manage when it’s not in use,” says Sorbe. “If you’re hosting a large group, you can always come up with something for one day rather than wrestling chairs for the other 364 days.”

The china hutch with glass doors can be a blessing or a curse. They provide much-needed storage, but can quickly fill up. And the glass does not hide much clutter.

“Many of the old china hutches are two pieces,” says Dee Lewis, a member of The Elements’ Design Team in Storm Lake. “The designers will remove the top half, which is an instant update. Add some lamps with a great mirror or piece of art, and it’s a very sophisticated – and affordable – sideboard.”

And just like any other room, Sorbe and her team almost always add a rug, which “frames” the furniture and really finishes the space.

The Mambasa rug from Feizy is a stunner. Placing your dining table and chairs on a rug will frame the space. In an open concept floorplan, your rug will define the dining area.

How people entertain has also changed, and some homeowners are rethinking their dining rooms altogether, converting them into spaces that are more useful … and used. Multipurpose rooms are much more functional.

“If you’re one of those homeowners who’s blessed with extra room, consider yourself lucky,” says Lewis. “More frequently, space is a premium, and we want homeowners to use every room every day.”

If the dining room is a space not utilized, Sorbe and her team recommend that clients explore repurposing it into something more practical that homeowners will use all the time.

“Think about the last time you used your formal dining room,” says Lewis. “Many clients use it once, maybe twice, per year, and the rest of the time it just gathers dust. A room that’s only used during the holidays may not be worth keeping.”

Sorbe cautions that a seldom-used room will collect more than just dirt. Today dining rooms are walk-thru spaces and tend to become a catch-all for mail, laundry and some of the other items in life that don’t have a home.”

“Pass-through areas collect junk,” says Sorbe. “And since clutter is the enemy of style, we like to look at how we can better use the space.”

As formal dining rooms become less and less used, The Elements’ Design Team works with clients to convert their unused or underused spaces into something more functional. Sorbe says one of her favorite dining room conversions was a client who replaced their dining table with a pool table.

“This was a move from one end of the design spectrum to the other,” says Sorbe. “From a formal setting to a very relaxed, fun space, this was a dramatic change.” Historically, the dining room was a space where people would enjoy family and friends. Not only did the client’s new billiards room provide a place for their children to spend time with friends, but it became the social hub of the home and wished she would have done it years before.

Sorbe recommends looking at what the homeowner needs and will use. Consider a home office, guest room or even a game room or gym.

“As more of us work from home, a smart, functional workspace is critical,” says Lewis. “With wireless technology and paperless storage, a small writing desk and a few shelves can change an unused dining room into a very productive home office.”

The addition of a comfy chair or chaise creates a quiet and comfortable reading nook. Add a game table and the old dining room can become the center of some fierce competition. Sorbe believes the possibilities are endless.

Whether you like the nostalgia of a traditional dining room or are considering how you can best utilize your underused room, the dining room can be a functional and stylish space.

To learn how you can create a room that’s functional for the way you live, and how The Elements’ Design Team can help, visit them in Storm Lake or Ankeny, or online at elementsbyksorbe.com. Like them on Facebook and be sure to explore The Elements’ profile on Houzz.

Convert Your Unused Dining Room

Library – A sophisticated addition to any home. Books are some of our favorite accessories, and a great set of bookshelves gives you place to feature artwork, collectibles and family pieces.

Guest Room – Make guests immediately at ease and at home with a guest room stocked with anything they may need, including a snack, bottles of water, WiFi password or some magazines.

Home Office – More and more of us can get a lot done without heading into the office by creating a functional, well organized space at home.

Game Room – Add a pool table or game table and watch your friends and family congregate.

Bar or Wine Room – Dining rooms are often a pass-through room, but who would pass through when they can enjoy a glass of wine?

Playroom – The dining room is almost always centrally located in the home. Corral toys and games where you can keep a close eye on little ones.

Gym – If you can close off the dining space, consider adding a gym. A treadmill and a yoga mat in the middle of your living space can seem out of place, but a home gym keeps everything out of sight and homeowners healthy.

Making the most of square footage, this home office quickly transforms into a guest room with the custom, built-in Murphy bed with side tables.