what''s the difference b/t a formal dining room...

[Dancing Fire]

and regular dining room? a formal must be a room by itself?

show us your formal dining room.

 

[zoebartlett]

I never thought about it but I think that's it. If you have a formal dining room, it's a completely separate room. On the other hand, if you have a living room/dining room combination, it's considered a great room.

We don't have one -- our living room and dining area are one big space.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 9/9/2009 7:33:20 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
I never thought about it but I think that''s it. If you have a formal dining room, it''s a completely separate room. On the other hand, if you have a living room/dining room combination, it''s considered a great room.

We don''t have one -- our living room and dining area are one big space.

i thought a great room is a living room + a family room combined into one.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Are you house hunting DF? I agree I consider a formal dining room as a separate room just how a formal living room is also a separate room.

 

[pennquaker09]

Usually, the great room involves a combination of a family room, dining space, and the kitchen. However, you can live in a house with a great room and still have a formal dining room. It has to be a separate space.

 

[lyra]

Here a formal dining room is separated somehow from the formal living room and/or greatroom, kitchen, family room. It can be separated by walls or columns, something that clearly defines it as a separate space. We lack the concept of greatroom where I live. It's a wonderful idea, but is not executed well in today's tiny urban dwellings.

So now you have me pining for a walk-in pantry, butler's pantry and formal dining room. What's next to torture me with?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 9/9/2009 10:07:32 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Are you house hunting DF? I agree I consider a formal dining room as a separate room just how a formal living room is also a separate room.

nahhh....i''am too old to carry a mortgage,don''t need a house debt at my age.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 9/10/2009 12:18:51 AM
Author: lyra
Here a formal dining room is separated somehow from the formal living room and/or greatroom, kitchen, family room. It can be separated by walls or columns, something that clearly defines it as a separate space. We lack the concept of greatroom where I live. It''s a wonderful idea, but is not executed well in today''s tiny urban dwellings.

So now you have me pining for a walk-in pantry, butler''s pantry and formal dining room. What''s next to torture me with?

i''ll think of something.

 

[Giada]

We do have a formal dining room and it was one of my "must-haves" when we were looking for houses about a year ago. I was very surprised to see how many newer homes do not have formal (separate) dining areas these days.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

We use to have a breakfast table/eating room that was combined with the kitchen and then also a formal dining room. The breakfast table was used for breakfast and lunch and also as a location for my kids to do arts and crafts.

Now, we have a formal dining room with a solid wood cherry table and it just sits there. Right now it has place mats, candles, and left over school supplies.

We had to get rid of our breakfast table and now for snacks and crafts, the kids sit at the counter using bar stools type chairs (they have backs on them as opposed to just the seat).

 

[somethingshiny]

I think of a formal dining room as being separated with walls from the kitchen. However, I know some people who refer to a formal dining room as a dining room used only for special occasions, whether it is separate or not. Like, they may use the breakfast bar for all of their daily meals but sit at the dining table for Christmas.

 

[MustangGal]

I would also think it''s a seperate room.

I''m not a fan of formal dining/living rooms. We have an eat-in kitchen, which was how I was raised. Kids sit at the table and do homework while mom/dad cooks dinner, then everyone sits down and eats together. I think a formal room would just be wasted space for me (kinda like the game room we never use

).

 

[Camille]

Def a room by itself. In our case has two entries, one from the living area and the other kitchen but at the same time has french doors [that we never use] leading to a patio. Wish I could use more often, also store nicer Dinerware/silverware there.