Shared eating is healthy eating – But you wouldn’t believe it unless you have been in the misery of having to eat alone. While it may feel liberating for a moment or two, we all know that real happiness lies in eating together as a family.
But why would all those tragedy-teenage movies show family dinners to be such a struggle? Honestly, nobody knows why. But the fact of the matter is that a recent Columbia study found that 71% of teenagers considered spending time with family members and talking as the best part of family dinners (damn you, Hollywood!).
Dining Rooms – from Yesterday to Today
Having said that, most people would have already grasped at what we are hinting at: dining rooms. Sitting around a table and talking, what did you expect?
And if we were to draw out a typical dining room, we guarantee it would look something like what you see above.
But the fact of the matter is that the trend of dining rooms is slowly dying out. Now, why would that happen when everyone prefers sitting around a table and eating and talking? That’s something we still have to figure out. But don’t believe we are making this all up. According to idealhome, In Britain, about 48% of people have come to believe that dining rooms are not really a necessity for houses today!
Photo by Brandon Architects, Inc.
Why? Let’s take an aim in the dark. Ok, let’s take a little more than an aim in the dark. The same statistics reveal that eating in front of the television is a much more popular trend today. About 45% of English people eat their meals in front of the television.
Not very surprising, right? On the other end of the spectrum, the US Bureau of labour statistics discovered that the average person spends an average of 68 minutes each weekday in their kitchen.
Photo by scenography
Doing what? Preparing meals for 37 minutes and consuming it for the other 30 minutes. But not consuming it alone, the kitchen has become a space for gathering and eating meals today. So you can say that the dining rooms have become less relevant today than they once were.
Another reason for lower importance to dining rooms seems to be the fact that the size of an average household has been falling over the years. So, why take out extra space for a dining room?
Photo by Daniel Boardman Residential Design
Laying Out the Dining
Yet, it seems dining rooms are essential features in one way or the others. Just that the way they are organized is different. So, here is what the modern layout to maximize your dining room looks like:
Foldable Furniture
Remember, we talked about how the size of an average household has been falling? So, with all the tables and furniture, there is no room for a dining room in houses today. Well, it seems there is a hack. It seems that foldable furniture is the answer to lack of space in houses nowadays. And it is not like we’re talking about finding a needle in a haystack. The market for foldable furniture is anything but unnoticeable.
Photo by David Lauer Photography
While it might seem rather unconventional, finding a great pair of foldable tables and chairs for your makeshift dining room is definitely in the picture. It gives you another huge advantage in addition to just saving space: flexibility.
Given that more and more people are having their meals in the living room or in the kitchen, you have the power to layout the table for a dining room only when you feel like. At other times, just have your meals in the kitchen or living room. Or if you feel rather fancy, take your foldables into your kitchen and living room (*shrugs*).
Minimalistic Dining Table Sets
Just like you can find yourself movable and foldable furniture that adds to your flexibility, you can find yourself dining room sets that make it easier to adjust to a smaller house. And while many might think that these sets are a niche market with no real market, think again.
Photo by Clifton Leung Design Workshop
At a worldwide revenue of $435 billion in 2018, the market is set to achieve $513 billion by 2023. We can guarantee that in a market worth over 500 billion, you can find yourself minimalistic dining room sets that fit into your humble abode and make your dining room beautiful.
Dining-Living Room Combos
Think back on how many people want to have their dining rooms combined with their living rooms. Why not? Netflix and meals are a much underrated concept. So, what is wrong with combining these two to maximize your layout.
Photo by Trinity Builders & Design, Inc
And while you may again think that finding furniture that works for such a combo may be a hassle, let us tell you that the biggest segment of the US furniture market is Living room and Dining Room furniture at US$ 470 per capita in the year 2018 as per Statista. We seriously doubt you cannot find dining room sets worth your attention and money.
Colors
While it may be slightly unconventional to discuss colors in discussions of maximizing layout, we know that colors contribute a whole lot more to your perception of space. Perhaps that is why the majority of the population loves to add light colors like white and beige to their dining rooms.
Photo by Bennett Leifer Interiors
Using light colors generally creates a perception of larger spaces and adds lights to your room. So, the next time you create your dining room or change its color, remember the latest trends and layout options, both dictate sticking with white and beige above all.
It allows for better light, and natural appearance as the fresh air and beautiful colors add the right charm!
Final Word
While it may seem that maximizing your layout for you is the job of a professional interior designer, we can tell you it is not necessary. In today’s day and age, you use your creativity and create something unique, and it will catch on before you know it.
So, let all that creativity flow.
Author Bio:
About Ashley Rosa: Ashley Rosa is a freelance writer and blogger. As writing is her passion that why she loves to write articles related to the latest trends in technology and sometimes on health-tech as well. She is crazy about chocolates. You can find her at twitter: @ashrosa2.