Dining room or playroom?

[Catsu]

We have a funny layout in our house.
One room downstairs which leads out to garden.
First floor is lounge and kitchen and second floor is bedrooms and bathroom.

The lounge is sort of L shape with the small bottom bit of the L supposed to be a dining area.
We can barely fit a table in there that's useable that fits 4 people. We are a family of 5!
We've squeezed in a table that fits 6 so we can have people over but have to keep the table pushed up against one wall and then drag it out and move things around whenever we Wang to use it. It's annoying and not practical.

Have decided that choices are either get a nice small 4 person table that will fit in the space without having to move anything when we use it (for adults type meals with another couple once kids in bed) PLUS a folding kind of table to bring out to go in lounge for all the kids if we have another family over for Sunday lunch etc
OR
change downstairs room (currently playroom) into a dining room and have a decent size (up to 8) table in there and use the L bit in the lounge as a play room
type area

sorry for long winded boring post but wondered what other people would do??

[DorisIsAPinkDragon]

I think it depends very much on the age of your children.

We have a lounge with a kitch/ diner off one way and a second reception room the other, we use it as a playroom as every night we can chuck the toys back in and shut the door and the lounge becomes a completely adult space again, I love this. We used to have the toys in the lounge (it took a long time to renovate) we seemed to lose the calm peaceful space in the evening as we just looked at tat.

(my three are 5, 3 and 1)

[teta]

No one has a dining room any more!.I have just got rid of mine and am putting a very large antique walnut table in my garden extension [have 4 dc's].I will be very relieved as for the past few weeks have been eating in there all the time [due to new kitchen ] and am totally fed up of wipeing up chocolatey milkshakes [from hall tiles].If i were you position table next to garden in your kitchen [and maybe open up the area with patio doors etc].

[Fimbo]

Dining rooms sit empty until Christmas day. Ours was a playroom but now the dc are a bit older, we have turned it into a games room with larger telly and sofa. Would not have a dining room ever. We have a long narrow lounge and our dining room table and chairs are at the end where the patio doors are.

[Fimbo]

Plus I should have added in your house to traipse up and downstairs from the kitchen surely wouldn't be the best idea?

[Catsu]

Kids are all 5 and under so have lots of toys!
Prob with playroom downstairs is that often I am upstairs in the kitchen or lounge if I am tidying or cooking and the kids bring toys up to lounge too rather than be alone downstairs!
Can see dining room on different floor to kitchen would also be annoying!
We love having friends over for dinner or lunch so wouldn't just be Christmas that ug would be used, but would obviously be used significantly less than playroom!
We already small table in kitchen where we eat all our meals as a family.

What di you all think of idea of small table in lounge with extra folding table to go up in lounge too for when we have more guests?

[Mandy21]

Could you have a table that extends - we have an Ikea one - not the most beautiful of tables but really practical. Something like this -

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80116266

Seats 4 normally but can be extended to seat 8. You wouldn't need the folding table in the lounge then.

[newnamenickname]

Just got this table in debenhams

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_320051000199MISC_-1?breadcrumb=Home~Sale~Home+%26amp%3B+furniture~Furniture. It's small but can be extended to seat 6.

[7to25]

A space saving idea in these spaces is to have an upholstered banquette in an L shape on the wall of the dining area with the table directly in front and chairs on the other side as needed.
Agree with other posters about dining rooms and extending tables

[frazzled74]

could you have kitchen and dining/family room on first floor and sitting room downstairs? sitting room could be adult and toy free, dining room upstairs could incorporate some toy storage etc.

[Fizzylemonade]

Agree with frazzled74, could you not have the dining table upstairs?

We use our dining room daily but then it is opposite the kitchen. Our kitchen is too narrow to put a table in. Our dining table seats 6 and extends to seat 8 comfortably and 10 a bit squished.

We converted a double garage into a playroom and store room to stash all the children's toys in.

[iskra]

If you normally eat in the kitchen for family meals, I would stick with current arrangement actually, & get a folding/extendable table. I know you said you have friends round, but if it's still just once a week as opposed to every day it doesn't seem like the other solutions are worth it.

[roseyw]

Seems like you have a little bit of a dilema on your hands here. I bought a large 6 seater, which can easily hold 8 for our dinning room which is very narrow but long. We have just had to work around having such a big table, but it works. I would suggest looking at Macy's and you might find something that relates to your situation.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Depends on the age of the kids. Mine are 10, 8 & 4 so no need for a playroom. How about going for another sitting room with maybe a smaller dining table.

I have a large living room with enough space for a large extending table so its great for the kids to do homework, DH to do paper work & abotu 12 round for Christmas/Sunday lunch.

Also have a table int he kitchen for the kids to snack at.