Build without formal living or dining room?
lizofford
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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beachgirl315
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Would you buy a home without a formal dining room?
Comments (52)@Debbie Downer; I'm designing a 1650 sqft 3 bed 2 bath open concept house on stilts with no DR, and have given a lot of consideration to what I should do with my art. My design has a front door that opens into a large foyer with high ceilings and recessed lighting, flanked by two bedrooms, a bathroom, and an interior staircase (leading down to the garage below). While designing, it occurred to me that the walls of this foyer will be an excellent opportunity to create a small home art gallery and hang some beautiful pieces. To complement the concept, I also designed a small alcove in the foyer with a single shelf (meant for visitors to temporarily place their purse and car keys) that will add an artistic vibe. The wall of the alcove will be adorned with mother of pearl tile behind a framed oil painting lit up by a single puck or pendant light hanging above the shelf. The space below the shelf is intended for a tall floor vase or sculpture. The foyer/gallery will lead directly into the open great room (to the right, south) and kitchen (to the left, north). The open concept will be covered by a vaulted ceiling and recessed lighting, with the south wall essentially being all glass to let in the light. To make up for no dining room, I have designed a covered lanai off of the great room's south wall (opposite the kitchen), which can be used for outdoor dining. This lanai will be accessed through double sliding glass doors intended to open up the space even more. The kitchen will have a huge island (8'×4') with artistically designed wood legs giving it the appearance of a table. A table cloth, a centerpiece, and a properly set "table" will dress this space up enough to pass as a formal dining area should I ever want it to be. I don't generally cook for large numbers, but when I do, I like to clean as I go, leaving behind a small mess that is easy enough to dispose of before sitting down to eat. Beyond the great room and kitchen, I have designed a master suite (the bedroom is separated from the great room by a wall with a built-in double-sided fireplace and double-sided book shelf). The wall separating the master suite from the great room is another great space for art in both the great room and the master suite. With the symmetry and proper lighting, the interior of the house, itself, will be a piece of art. And the best thing about this house is that every square foot of it will be used every single day. I won't be staring at a bunch of unused space that might only get attention on special occasions. And I won't be heating it, either....See MoreWhat color paint? Pic of dining room,foyer, formal living room
Comments (11)Thanks everyone! We are installing hardwood throughout the entire downstairs.The revere pewter is actually through french doors off of both rooms but you can't really see itwell from either room so I am not so worried about that going with the other rooms as much. It is mainly this view I want to flow well. I considered van cortland blue for the formal living room but it might be too dark/bold for me. I tend to be more neutral/conservative when decorating. And yes I love the yarmouth blue but don't think I want it everywhere. It looks perfect in the dining room....See MoreFurniture placement for entry/formal living and dining room
Comments (6)Near the entry door I like to have a bench to sit on when putting on/taking off shoes. Also a console table with mirror above it. So think of creating three zones - entry zone, sitting area, and dining area, while leaving at least 36” of walkway along the side of the room. I agree that the chandelier will probably need to be moved over to be centered under the dining table, and perhaps it could be replaced with one that is more of a focal point since the room seems to be lacking one....See MoreConvert formal dining and living room into bedroom and bathroom?
Comments (2)Need a bit more info. Is this home on slab or is there a basement? If basement, is it finished off? Getting plumbing to create a bathroom would be biggest challenge. Multi- generational homes are becoming more and more popular with today’s aging population. So if you are in good location, resale should be fine....See Moredazureus
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