to think it is just not necessary to have a dining table anymore?

[LDNmummy]

Traditionally it has always been the look of a good home to have a dining table, preferably with its own area/ room in a house for family gatherings.

But, with modern life as it is, I just don't think it is necessary to have one anymore, unless of course you genuinely use it at least once a week. But do most families anymore?

I don't know many families who still go through the process of sitting around the dining table every weekend let alone every day, possibly for the fact that it is a little extra effort people are not as formal about anymore and sitting together doesn't have to be around a table but even just in the living room watching the telly together IYSWIM.

Plus, houses are not always big enough to accomodate a large family sized table and some may just feel it isnt worth the hassle to cram one in.

I also think this about the large cabinets that traditionally housed all a households fine dining wear that would come out on special occasions.

Aren't these bulky pieces of furniture that take up lots of space and are rarely used outdated now except with older people?

My MIL has a six seater table in the living room that could easily fit eight diners but is used properly about once a year. Half the reason for that is that it is too big and has to be crammed against a wall so isnt convenient to sit around daily or even weekly anyway. She also has a very large display cabinet full of her best dining wear wich is only used when special guests such as family travelling from abroad are visiting, which is rarely.

She is about 60 and in her eyes these two items of furniture are essential to beautify a home as well as for practical reasons, which IMO is questionable. My DM and all the older women in my family feel the same way.

But isnt this just all outdated and unecessary faff a house can do without in a time when people are no longer as formal when it comes to situations such as dining?

This is a 5 yr thread old thread folks!

So given to that - LDNmummy - did you ever buy that table and do you use it?

We use our dining table every day for every meal, and other stuff in between! I prep food on it (very little counter space), kids do homework, drawing, laptop goes on it, everything. It's all gets cleared for meals and we use our 'best' china every night for dinner (can't bear keeping stuff for best, use it and enjoy it yourself).

Our food is quite run of the mill but we always lay the table, have candles, and chat. We aren't all always in, but whoever is here eats together. No phones and no TV.

I can't bear uncivilised eating. Sitting down for a dinner is an oasis in the day. I know I sound like a right snob, but it's a non-negotiable for me and DH.

I live in a box in London and I have a fold away dining table that DP and I open up to have dinner at. Where else would you eat comfortably?

Agree with you about the best China though - I cannot abide.

We have a dining room, with a table that seats 4. Can seat others when friends come round. We eat at it 3 times a day, every day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Occasionally as a treat, we eat watching tv, a pizza or something.

Where do you get the idea that no one sits down to eat anymore. The general recommendation theses days is that we do. We talk about our days every dinner time. Don't you?

I knocked through the dining room to the kitchen and now have a very large breakfast bar, it has four seats but can fit six people, we eat our meals there. The dining table was used at Xmas and new year only and is now in the loft and will be brought down at Xmas.

There are only four seats but it does fit six comfortably

We use ours every single day, the kids don't eat anywhere else. I eat my lunch at my desk during the day when I am at home though.

I think the point has been disproven OP.
Are you so busy, you think life is so hectic these days that people don't have time to eat together? I disagree.
Turn the to off. Sit together. Eat.
We eat all meals together. Chilli, roasts, pie and steamed veg. Formal? Setting the table consists of one of the ds's pitting a knife and fork for everyone on the table.
You are missing out on a big thing if you don't do this.
Make your life less hectic. And turn the to off, would be my recommendation.

But you asked a question. And the overwhelming answer is in disagreement to you. So now you know.

We use ours 2-3 times a day breakfast lunch and dinner.

If 'modern living' meant that we didn't have time to sit down and eat I'd be looking at how much we were cramming into our daily schedule that we could drop. TBH watching Home and Away doesn't feel like something I'd prioritise over family meals at the table.

We eat at our dining table in the kitchen every day for all meals, although the DCs sometimes eat breakfast in the sitting room if I'm not up and they want to watch tv. If we order a pizza or something we may eat off our laps in front of the tv, but we usually enjoy chatting about our day over dinner.

I live alone and one of my non-negotiable requirements has always been to have space for a dining table.

Oblomov I don't think the op gives a flying fuck about it anymore BECAUSE SHE POSTED THIS THREAD IN 2011

Oops. Just seen it is a zombie thread.

I have always had a dining/kitchen table. Every meal we have is eaten at the table. I set the table if it is just myself too.

Sometimes the kids will take a plate into the sitting room, but I do not like it.

When we bought this house, the previous owner had three dining tables, 1 in a formal dining room, 1 in the kitchen and 1 in a small conservatory. I did think that was a bit over the top.

You can always make space for a dining table, I did in a studio flat and a tiny 2 up 2 down cottage. It was a priority. You can get the ones that fold down when not being used.

I would have thought that a dining table is very instep with modern living as a way of bringing the family together and socialising with friends. However I do find that less people have a formal dining room with sideboards etc. Most friends have open plan kitchen and dining areas. I do not think I have ever been in a family home that has not had a dining table.

Ahh yes, we hardly used ours before children, but kids are such messy eaters the sofa would be ruined within hours

I mostly eat in front of the TV or with a book, but I wouldn't ever choose to live without the option of dining table.

yet another ZOMBIE

We're another family who sits down to eat at the table every single day. In fact, last night was a real novelty for dd who I allowed to eat her meal off an upended cardboard box in the living room in front of xfactor.

Most people I know use a table to eat daily as well.

Yabu.

Buzz people don't give a toss that it's a ZOMBIE THREAD too busy trying to get their point across so don't bother to read the thread or seen the huge red zombie alert at the top!

Again, what's the problem with it being a zombie thread? Such angst and energy going into keeping a bloody ZOMBIE THREAD in active threads

The dining table is the centre of our house. We eat all meals on it, kids do their home work on it, & husband and I have city jobs and so are incredibly busy 100% of the time. I personally think eating in front of the TV everyday is a bit sad.

We use ours every day. I always entertain at the table as well; it's more social sat at a table with a cuppa and some biscuits than on the sofa. I'm not a fan of crumbs on my sofa either!

We have a big old kitchen table for every day use but we do use the dining room- if we have friends round or family and I have made it look pretty. DS has his breakfast and tea at the kitchen table every day.

I must admit if it is just us- ie most of the time- DH and I eat in the kitchen. It opens onto the garden and it is big and not overlooked whereas the dining room is at the front of the house. Sometimes we set up the low coffee table in garden room extension of the back sitting room and have a snack style evening meal there - cheeses, crackers, bread, olives, dips etc. It's lovely in the summer and at night. DS likes to eat there at lunchtime - 20m so the height of the table is good for him to stand at.

We rarely eat a meal infront of the TV but do eat snacks and supper there.

Would you feck off with the "it's a zombie!!!!" shite? People can post where they bloody well please

But people are replying to the OP who I doubt very much will reply to a 5 year old thread