I opened up my dining room into the kitchen. My "kitchen table" is an 80 year old mahogany table and chairs. I made sure to re-cover the seats in a fabric that can withstand my grandchildren enjoying family dinners every week. The finish on the table is a matte sheen so to hide any scratches. I have an island in the kitchen that seats 5, where my husband and I eat breakfast, dinner, wine down Sundays, and solving the world problems.

Love it!!! Ours would be similar!

I do not have a formal dining room, but I have a dining area. However we mainly use the kitchen nook (fits about 7-8) for 90% of our meals, whether just us or with very small gatherings. We are just a household of 3. No dining room (unless a mansion) would fit our larger gatherings (+25 people), which tend to be parties or holidays. So I could care less about having a formal dining room.

I love my dining room, the only room in the house that is always clean :) I wouldn't buy a house without one. We always have family dinners in dining room.

Most houses these days don't have formal dining rooms - everyone is doing nooks. It's not a trend I like, but it apparently has mass appeal. Personally I'd prefer the table I eat at to be in the formal dining room and not have a dining "nook"/kitchen table/breakfast area, but that's me. I don't like eating where I cook & watch TV. I would love an actual dining room but it isn't happening so I'm settling for a formal dining area. I do not like houses that have formal dining rooms, kitchen tables, AND island seating. But again, personal preference. I would not buy a house that only had a small dining nook & island seating.

Yes. right now, we have a dining nook in kitchen (small table) and also a separate dining room.

We are wanting to do away the nook in the kitchen (for more cabinet space) , add 4 island seating, and open the wall between the formal dining and kitchen.

The kitchen nook is just getting too small for our family!

In that case, yes, I would buy a house that didn't have a nook (that's really the question you're asking). You will still have a formal dining room - just because the opening is bigger doesn't make it informal.

True! Didn’t think about it that way. Thanks for that perspective!

Whether or not the house has room for a large dining table, either open or not, would be a determining factor for me.

Yes- it does have room. the formal dining room would just turn into

our everyday dining area. and it could fit an 8-10 person table!

Did not realize how many folks still use a formal dining room. We rarely use our dining area as it fits about the same amount as our nook. However it helps out havin the extra table in our dining area for our larger gatherings so that not everyone will have to eat from their laps, lol.

My neighbor recently collapsed their nook and dining area (was separated by a wall) into one as they regularly (2x week, at least) have “family” dinners, which includes about 16 folks or so. Now they have one very long table to fit their needs.

As long as there is a large eating area ( which is more cozy) than really no need for formal dining area unless you have a lot of visitors.