How about a library? That could actually work for board games too.

I guess it depends what your other interests are. A room off the kitchen might lend itself to wine storage, whisky tasting, a bar, but not if you're never going to use them. I would probably want open up the two rooms so that you have a kitchen and chill are in one room. That would work for us as it means we would both be in the same room together. It might not work for you. [Actually, I would keep the dining room, but that's because we do use one].

It also depends what other rooms you already have. A lot of houses have a utility room/laundry room or a pantry off the kitchen, but you might already have those.

That is a great idea!! We could turn our little nook in the kitchen into a chill area also and turn the dining room into the eating area again, just de-formaling it a bit. Thanks, you have us thinking.

The library idea has legs also, would turn the room into something super interesting.