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Has the traditional lounge gone the same was as the dining room?

39 replies

Kitttty · 26/12/2013 22:38

ie extinct? if you have a stunning lounge/kitchen/diner do you just need a TV snug rather than a formal lounge? Would the formal lounge never be used?

OP posts:
DropDeadThread · 26/12/2013 22:40

I hate open plan kitchen living rooms. All those cooking smells. Ugh.

MyBachisworsethanmybite · 26/12/2013 22:41

What's a traditional lounge and how does it differ from a tv snug?

I hate kitchens in living rooms: I like smells and dirty washing up to be away from where I relax.

BitOfFunWithSanta · 26/12/2013 22:41

I still like a front parlour to receive daughters' swains/the vicar etc.

Snardvark · 26/12/2013 22:48

I still have a separate living room. Then a kitchen/diner.

wetaugust · 26/12/2013 22:56

Really dislike the living / dining / kitchen all together.

Of course it's cheaper to build homes that way but to me it would be like living in a bed-sit.

wonkylegs · 26/12/2013 22:57

I have a living room & a dining room

AnythingNotEverything · 26/12/2013 23:03

We have an open plan kitchen/dining/loving room, but the living room but has French style doors so you can close it off.

Bloody good job as it's a bugger to heat the while space in winter!

AnnoyingOrange · 26/12/2013 23:05

Either a kitchen diner or a lounge diner is fine as long as the kitchen smells/dishwasher noise are separate from the after dinner relaxing

wetaugust · 26/12/2013 23:07

I must have the quietest dishwasher on the planet. I know it's integrated so that will mask some noise but I can barely hear it when I'm standing next to it. (Bosch)

FionasFatFairy · 26/12/2013 23:08

We have a double size reception, which is currently both the living room and dining room.

Earlier this year we turned the former fining room into a playroom.

We also have a 3rd reception glorified corridor filled with bookshelves

GooseRocks · 26/12/2013 23:11

We have a separate lounge. Would never buy a house with a kitchen/diner/lounge, unless there was a further, separate, public room. Need to be able to hide from the dishes!

Gumps · 26/12/2013 23:15

We have a kitchen diner and then an arch link to the living room. We also have a front room. We don't use it too much but I only have to look in the door and it makes me feel happy as it is so pretty and calming.

RRudolphR · 26/12/2013 23:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mawbroon · 26/12/2013 23:27

We have a separate living room and a kitchen/diner. I like it that way!

BrownSauceSandwich · 26/12/2013 23:44

Open plan kitchen/dining room is fine, but unlike anythingnoteverything, I'd prefer to keep the "loving room" entirely separate Shock Grin

Really though, we have stuck with the original separate kitchen/dining/living room layout of our house, and I like it that way. I do like other people's kitchen diners, but I like to be on my own when I'm cooking, and I love to be able to confine the smells and mess to one area.

Me2Me2 · 27/12/2013 04:00

I used to like having separate kitchen but actually a major advantage of open plan is that, if you're cooking, washing up etc, everyone else in the room feels obliged to help Grin

sleepywombat · 27/12/2013 04:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

madamecake · 27/12/2013 04:51

We have a separate kitchen, living room and dining room. Love it, as can close the kitchen door and hide the mess, and I love the formal feel of a separate dining room.

I do wish my kitchen was large enough to fit a small table or breakfast bar so we had the option of eating in there sometimes, but I'd rather have the current layout than just a kitchen diner.

flatmum · 27/12/2013 05:05

We have a kitchen diner and separate living room with tv in it. separate playroom with another tv in it. This works well I think. I really like being able to real and watch tv without being distracted by stuff that needs doing in the kitchen.

I wouldn't want to go totally open plan with kitchen/diner/lounge all in one place as you see now in some modern houses - we are a family of 5 and there would be nowhere for dc to do homework/DP to watch his bring sports etc. and the noise levels would drive me insane. I like to shut myself in the living room and wtch tv sometimes when they are in the kitchen/diner playing games, fighting etc.

I think there will be a backlash against total open plan. Think you need at least one separate reception room.

nooka · 27/12/2013 05:09

We have an open plan kitchen/diner and living room (although the stairs and fireplace provide a barrier) and are planning on taking the wall out between the kitchen and formal dining room to make one big L shaped room. I really like open plan and we tend to use the dining room as a bit of a dumping ground. But it's a big house, and we have a separate den downstairs.

AnythingNotEverything · 27/12/2013 07:16

We love our open plan layout (especially the loving room - really should proof read before submitting!) but I agree there'll be a backlash at some point. We're expecting to have to erect some walls before we sell next time, but that might be 10 years.

And YY, open plan dies cause headaches for furniture. Walls are useful!

MrsAMerrick · 27/12/2013 09:35

We have an L shape kitchen diner with a seating area at one end ( sofa and two chairs) but we also have a living room with sofas, piano, tv etc and fireplace. We don't use the living room that much but I' m glad we've got it, I wouldn't be without it as when we've got guests etc they are away from the food preparation. I wouldn't wantvto have a house wiith no separate living room.

hootloop · 27/12/2013 09:39

I have 3 reception rooms, currently a living room, dining room and playroom. As the children get older the playroom will return to being the formal front room.

Procrastreation · 27/12/2013 09:41

I love our house - it has equal nice sized kitchen/diner and lounge. The kitchen is big enough to eat it & do a lot of DC living in (eg homework, Christmas tree etc). This means that the lounge can indulge my suave living fantasies: it has TV? Piano, books, nice sofa & a drinks cabinet - and generally absolutely no toys. It's the evening room with a different feel to the day room.

eurochick · 27/12/2013 09:42

We have an open plan kitchen/dining room/living room and love it. The smells really aren't a problem (and we cook an awful lot). It's so sociable when you have people round - the cook isn't shut off in a separate room unable to socialise. I had the same in the flat I owned before this house and will be looking for an open plan layout again when we move. I think it's great.