i always use my dining room as part of my family room etc. to replace it, i take a few desk or library tables, usually 30 x 50 or 60 and use them as a center formal table, a desk, a library table and a daily dining table for hubby and i. chairs are like wise scattered and do not always match. when time comes they get scooted together in middle of formal or informal or even porch. works great.

all this goes to saying that if you do not use that dining room regularly, i think it would be great. I used to work with large home owners or they would have built, the majority felt the dining room was a waste.

Do you have any plans of selling this home? If so, I would not do that. Dining rooms are important rooms in a house and should be used. How do you entertain asking people to crowd around a breakfast area in your kitchen? How do you have family meals and holidays in a kitchenette area? I would not do that change as most people are not going to like that.

would it not be more convenient to use part of the breakfast room?

cpaul there have been a couple polls about this topic?