We have done the same thing. Our former dining room has been so difficult for me. Like you, we love having the dining room in the larger space, but the other space has been little more than a pass-through area. The dogs come in from the yard and deck through doors that open on the dining and living rooms across the back of the house. I have finally decided that it would work well with four chairs and a coffee table in the middle-thinking round for the table. There will still be room for a path from deck to kitchen for the pups. I don't have pictures, but I just bought two chairs on ebay from a local seller that have a similar shape to two antique club chairs we already have and I like the look. Now, just need to have them reupholstered, so they will go with the others.

Maybe adding a reading chair or two tucked in near the bookcases would be nice for you. I think that any room with the home computer in it, other than a dedicated office, can often seem like a room without a cohesive plan. I am guessing you still have children at home, so it is understandable that the room has become a bit jumbled. If you can decide what you really want it to be-sitting room, library space, playroom-then you could start to decide how to make it work.

Good luck!

Every year at Passover we swap our rooms around. The sofa goes in the dining room. Its a sectional that can be separated. A recliner and two end tables join in the mix. Its accessorized with plants. The chandelier stays but is underneath a coffee table, the sectional pieces are facing each other with the coffee table between them.

In the "great room", goes the dining room table and folding tables. The guests that are only at my house once a year think that is the way it always is! It was just luck. I keep it that way for a few weeks just for a change, and hang out a lot in the dining room/sitting room. I think you just have to have it be a room with a purpose, and accessorize.

does it have wainscoting? are there wall sconces? sometimes those really says dining room as it's so common in colonials.

The rest is decide a primary function for the space and then make it so. If you want it to be more of a study/homework/library then make the desk prominent, add book cases...perhaps with storage, chairs to read in and side tables with lamps. And, of course, you need to store or move the "junk" as it will never seem to be a room with a purpose with stuff in there that doesn't fit the function of the room.

Here are a couple of links from Houzz on making the switch. Maybe you'll see some ideas....
[Dining room transformations[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/old-dining-room-new-use-stsetivw-vs~1473995)

Here is a link that might be useful: [rethink the dining room[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/8-ways-to-rethink-the-dining-room-stsetivw-vs~451565)

Thank you for your replys, I love this website, so glad I stumbled on to it! otherwise I would probably drive my DH crazy with all these random thoughts.

You guys are definitely onto something about deciding first what purpose the room will have, and then to decorate towards that purpose.

Cyn, we do have young kids still - 7 & 9.

anniedeighnaugh: no sconces but it does have chair rail - and yes that needs to go, along with the junk. Cannot believe how many papers/mail we have lying around (that is a story for another post).

olychick: thanks for the link - now I have my reading for tonight!

So, for function, the best use would be a playroom. Right now we have most of the toys in the basement, and the kids really would rather be where we are, and unless they have friends over don't really play in the basement. But, my hesitation here is that I would hate to decorate it as a really great looking playroom, and then in a couple more years all the toys are outgrown, and they are playing ping pong in the basement (not wanting to be anywhere near us)!

Now, if I think what I would want it to look like, and just purely for looks, it would definitely be a library - bookcases, cozy. But, not sure I need (for function) a library. I guess I worry it will look great but never get used. I do love to read - but I am in the sunroom for that, it's right off the family room, we closed in the screen porch and opened the fireplace up on both sides, and I love being in there. When the tv is on I can still be close to the kids & DH but also be separated a little.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to get this project underway...

Well a temporary play room is not hard to do...mostly put an interesting but level loop carpet on the floor for kids to play on and then have some combo bookshelves with closed door storage. Great place to store toys and such...using baskets on the shelves. Keep a "games" table with chairs in the room as a space for the kids to play or do homework. Then when the kids get older and want their own space in the basement, you already have a leg up on a library with the book cases. Move the table downstairs and add a desk and/or a reading chair.