Seems you’ve answered your own question and only need reassurance. Your home should work for the way you live. Will the family room work in the other space you have? How do you use your current dining room? Is your gathering & entertainment style ok with being in view of the kitchen? Is that a patio outside the sliding doors? Is there usable 4 season seating out there? Looks like you have littles in household - where will they play with all those toys while you’re working in kitchen?

ETA - it’s probably a lot of furniture to move around, but can’t ypu just try it out & see how it works for your family?

It is unusual, and having carpeting under your dining room table may not be ideal, but if that's what works for you, who's to tell you you shouldn't do it? I know someone who moved her table into her living room for a holiday dinner, decided she liked it, and didn't move it back.

Do you need two tables? How about just putting your dining room table where your kitchen table is? That way it is closer to your kitchen and on an easier to clean surface.

All great questions, thank you!! The front living room we are currently using as the dining, but I don’t like how it is blocked off from the kitchen. It’s awkward going through the office or a hallway to get to it. We moved it there with dream of opening it up, but that might be a decade from now, ha. I think it would definitely work as a new family room - both are about the same size. I could easily put the toys in the new family space. Our gathering style is that of the whole house is free reign! Often lots of kids running around and we always want guests to feel comfortable and at home. That is a patio outside the door :) Not quite 4 season, but we definitely are able to be outside most of the year (minus winter). I’m thinking I could keep some toys still there - like the kitchen, little kid table, etc. and just have most toys in the new family room space. I do appreciate the reassurance and definitely don’t want it to look like a strange/out of place space!

Unfortunately we have carpet in most spaces but hope to one day get rid of it. Wish I had space for the large dining table in the kitchen because that be most ideal!! We have enough room thankfully for at least the little breakfast table. This is all so very helpful, thank you!

My vote is to go for it & try it. You might find new ways to use existing furniture pieces while living with a new arrangement. Good lighting over dining table might be an issue with no existing overhead light in current family room. That room looks large - would there be enough room to create a small seating area in the “L” at steps? Maybe a couple chairs & small end table for lamp or to set coffee cup down?

Our living room overlooks our dining room, and we've taken the approach of having a select number of nice-looking kids' toys (just a play kitchen and a table and chairs) in the corner of the dining room so kids can do some play and activity in view of the kitchen. Probably less of a thing if your kids are older. Mine's a toddler.

IMO a great idea since it makes sense to have the DR next to the kitchen. I would however really try to at least buy flooring for everywhere store it in the garage and change the flooring in the new DR now. Yo then can relax and know when the time comes to do the rest of the flooring you will have it match. Kids toys to me should disappear after dinner to allow for adult entertaining but that depends on your lifestyle but at least have some place for the kids to learn to put away toys when needed. Maybe as mentioned any really big toy items in the kitchen not the LR

Absolutely. It's just furniture! I know a few people that made living rooms into dining rooms because they were always entertaining large groups of people, so wanted large tables.

To me yours looks very large and you could possibly put 2 cozy chairs by the fireplace in addition to the dining set.

I think it is a great idea. I would much rather have the dining next to the kitchen. It also makes more sense to have the living/family where your current dining is now.

ETA: I think a fireplace looks fabulous in a dining room.

You all are amazing!! This was so helpful and even gave ideas I would not have thought of. Thank you so much!!!!

My son and his wife purchased their first home and wanted to buy a large dining set for their open area near the kitchen, as they love to entertain. Given they were wanting to start a family, everyone suggested waiting to see how their space would be utilized. Ended up doing the opposite to your plans, as they wanted to interact as a family in one accessible space and large dining space was less of a priority.

If your children are young, personally I’d leave, so you can keep your eye on them, interact, etc. Nice to be in kitchen and interact with family and friends, other than during meals. Also consider you have the option of dining outside a lot. Suggest weighing the pros and cons of both. Also, if it‘s not a big deal to switch, test it out and live with it for a bit.

Would there be an option for improvement to your kitchen‘s dining?

If you do update kitchen seating, consider painting panelling.

How would you plan on serving meals via the steps? That seems hazardous to me, especially if you have lots of little kids underfoot. I prefer the idea Maureen posted with the bench and a trestle table so you can keep the action and dining in the kitchen. As the kids become teens, you will probably find one of those "other" rooms works well for a pool or foosball table and gaming area to keep them isolated from the kitchen while you're working there.

If you do that have the table in that room in the family room can still be on the other side but it would be a pain to carry food up the stairs or you could have what table in there 4 playing games in the family room you should be able to have a table in your kitchen even if it's small

Otherwise you'd have to move the toys by the stairs so someone could be up there you're handing plates of food to it would be big better when the kids are older

I used our family room as a dining room for several years and I loved it. The room was large enough that no one felt crowded. Most of our entertaining involved cookouts on the deck, and having the dining room table right inside from the deck was great for serving food. The only downside was that I'm a messy cook and everyone could see the mess on the counters while eating holiday meals.

During COVID, we weren't entertaining, so we swapped the rooms back because so we could sit and lie on the floor in front of the fire. We enjoy the fireplace a lot more this way