Are You Ghosting Your Dining Room? Here Are Ways to Repurpose This Valuable Space

What’s the biggest home design design mistake people make? Other than those little contoured rugs that go around the base of the toilet (gross), it’s probably any space in a home that goes unused. And with the high price of real estate these days, can you really afford any underutilized space?

But on a deeper level, it’s also important to truly own your home — and that doesn’t mean paying off the mortgage. It means using the space you have in the way that’s most meaningful and works best for you.

Take the dining room for example. If you’re the kind of person who uses that space regularly to entertain friends and family — that’s fantastic! But, if like many people, you find it’s a space that goes unused 360 out of 365 days of the year, then maybe it’s time to reimagine and repurpose that room to make your home work better for your life depending on who you are and what your goals are.

1. For the bibliophile: Turn your dining room into a library or reading room. Line the walls with  bookshelves, replace uncomfortable wood dining chairs with fully upholstered seating and add a couple of reading lamps — and voila! You’ve got the perfect space to indulge your inner bibliophile.

2. For the social butterfly: Create a bistro vibe in your dining space. Slide your table against a wall and make room for a grouping of  comfy club chairs. Add a small cocktail table and vintage barware to create a hip and happening nook to share a your favorite bottle of vino and converse with friends. Use Bluetooth speakers to pipe in some cool jazz for added ambiance. 

3. For the entrepreneur:  If you can forgo formal dining altogether, consider repurposing the space as a study or office. Swap out the dining table and hutch for a handsome executive desk and stylish file storage. Now you have a room you can use on an almost daily basis. 

4. For the health enthusiast:  Plants, a floor mat and small tabletop fountain can make your old dining room a restful and meditative retreat for reflection, yoga and just de-stressing in general. Ommmm….

5. For the music aficionado: You can turn you dining room into a space filled with good vibrations by creating a music room. Display your instruments, do some GarageBand recording and jam with friends. Add your hifi rig and storage for CDs and vinyl (if you’re an old timer) and let the music play.

Your home should serve you — not the other way around. So, if you find you have a space collecting dust, reclaim it. And use it to start living your very best life.