I do have a formal dining room and i love it, we use it everytime we have a gathering which is quite often

The formal dining room (adjacent to the kitchen) is too small to accommodate the extended family. Our first year in the house, Thanksgiving spread into the front hall! So we've turned it into a sitting room since we have a large family room. The formal living room now serves as the dining room and allows for a baby grand and a table which comfortably seats 12-14 when necessary. I love the space, and the fact that it's not immediately next to the kitchen isn't too much of an issue.

They command high prices because Marin commands high prices, not because they are Eichler's but by comparison to other Marin homes they are actually cheap. They are entry level properties in this county. The last Eichler to close sale went for $388.00 a square foot, most on the market are asking around $500.00 but they aren't selling. Houses in my neighbourhood sell within a week of hitting the market for around $800.00 a square foot and many neighbourhoods are now easily getting $1000.00. The Eichlers that fetch the most are in Palo Alto but land values in Palo Alto are the reason for that. Also, because I live in a 1920's home doesn't mean my knowledge of construction and of Eichler's is limited to that. I was an interior designer for 20 years as well as owned several modern homes myself. Eichler's heating problems had a lot to do with the fact that there is so much glass that was not double paned. (Not to even mentioned a deadly for children as most were pre-tempered/safety glass. You really should take your own advice and Google forums and listen to what people say who live in them. Oh, as far as they being tinderboxes, well, their construction is well known for making them virtually impossible to save when they catch fire. As far as the white paint goes, you've really got a real obsession with that one. It's not like those who paint them are covering up any kind of fine wood to begin with. I think you really need to get over the things you cannot control like the fact that those who buy Eichler's are probably going to bring them into the 21 century, that there are people who express their creativity through their homes and don't live in a stagnant fashion by staying stuck in the past.

I live in a rental apartment right now where the kitchen, "dining room" and living area are all open as one big space. I know this is the trend now, but I hate it. I understand why people like the open concept, but I just prefer some separation of space. I don't want to sit down at the table to a nice meal and get a perfect view of the living room television. That's my biggest pet peeve. I would much prefer a home with a designated living space, kitchen, and dining room, with good flow to an open concept. Unfortunately, house hunting in Boston means you basically have to be a multi-millionaire to get a home with a dining room. It's the one thing on my very realistic wishlist that I know I'll have to do without when I buy.

Also Merle, why are you posting about Eichler's on this thread? Very strange.

I do have a formal dining room and use it fairly often. It can seat 12 and more have squeezed in. I enjoy cooking for large family get togethers. We often play board games after dining. Love getting people away from the tv.

I have a formal dining room. I am repainting today. We are after the holidays getting modern furniture for the room. We use it for holiday's dinner parties and when all the kids are home for dinner. The 24 year old works and now has his own place. So he comes hme once a week for dinner and to do his wash. We play family games with the kids like monopoly in there.

We have a semi formal dining room, but it's a walk out to the deck. We use it on a daily basis for homework, games, or my own work. It's also useful when we have family and friends over as the table can extend. Or if we are having a deck party, that's where the food goes. I actually like having a dining room. Especially since it's not a roped off museum room.

I have a formal dining room and a formal living room and I keep it for such purposes. I love the look of formal areas and I imagine that if I choose to entertain, I will do so in such areas. My kitchen is already big with a breakfast area and lots of counterspace, I have two other living rooms, five bedrooms, and I don't work from home so theres nothing I could possibly repurpose those rooms to be.

We have a 60's ranch home and it has the combo LR/DR. We also have an eat in kitchen and a family room in the basement so we use it as a formal DR and LR. We use the sofa, sofa table and an end table to divide the spaces.

Bringing vintage houses into the 21st century can be accomplished without corrupting original style. As a "master" in construction and design you should already be aware of this. The featured home's interior has been turned into a generic interior of a contemporary McMansion. Some of these "trendy" nouveau-rich Eichler owners have an amazing dis-regard for historical design. These signature homes won't come back again and that's sad. BTW, go to the Eichler Network Chatterbox and checkout information on Eichler materials (not cheap at the time) used in construction as well as radiant heating and insulation. FYI single pane glass was used in scores of houses back in the day with large glass windows/doors. Eichlers in SoCal sell for more than stucco boxes because they are Eichlers. The best (and last built) Eichlers are in Marin County and Thousand Oaks. In the later models a firewall was added between the garage and main living areas. I have lived in my Eichler House (gallery model) for 35 years and have done upgrades without compromising the integrity. I couldn't afford to buy this house now at today's prices-because it's an Eichler!

Formal dining rooms: I love them. We have a practical and pretty eat in kitchen which is perfect for breakfast and a sandwich. But dinner is always eaten in the diningroom, even if it just the two of us. It is close to the kitchen and has pocket doors. I love to cook however , I am a messy cook and use about every pot and pan within reach. No one enjoys , even a superb cooked meal in the middle of a " battlefield" . Hence the pocket doors. I do not mind at all to do the cleaning up afterwards . With a dishwasher and the occasional help from my husband it is a breeze. For everyday dinners : everyday china, for holidays or special occasions the silver gets polished, the crystal and good china do the honors. Formal dining-rooms are NOT stuffy unless you are.

I have never used the formal dining room in my house for anything other than sewing. Been here almost 9 years. I comfortably fit 20 in my kitchen with 2 narrow long tables. If I ever get to build a house from scratch it will not have a formal living room or dining room.

Reading this, eating pizza in my family room that opens into the eat-in kitchen. A formal dining room was not on my list of must haves...neither was a formal living room...but got both when we bought this house. Neither rooms are used much..but nice to have.

I switched my living room and dining room. It drives me crazy ever time my son would get up he tried to squeeze between someone sitting in their chair and the china cabinet instead of going the other way around the table. Finally realized my living room was wider, problem solved! Since it's seldom used, it's always presentable when people come to the door. The living room feels cozy and much better for conversations.

I wish I had a formal dining room!

For too many years I've allowed precious square footage to be coopted by the notion of "formal". Not really "wasted" space, but space poorly utilized. I want to deal with a homely popcorn ceiling and that, in turn, will dictate a shuffling of space priorities. I want to swap out a handsome oak table for a drop leaf walnut table... and the "loss" of a pendant lamp will be a bone of contention. (sharpening up my diplomacy skills)

Don't do formal entertaining anymore. My friends are so casual. We just did our progressive Christmas dinner which was fun. We had about 4 different chair styles at the table, but who cares? Even our catered meal wasn't the best, but a great time was had by all. What we did have was laughter, funny stories and love.

What Pamela said above. If you are going to have one make it big enough that 8 people can sit at the table and people can walk behind the chairs. My mom and dad had one - basically nobody but the cats ever went in there except once a year and then we were stuffed like sardines in a can. So we eventually just kept the holidays in the breakfast room which, oddly, was bigger.

I have an informal one now between the kitchen and the family room. My new house will have the same. You can dress it up or dress it down and use it for projects etc. The FR and Kitchen can expand a little into it during off times and when you need all the space you can shift back.

I've always had a formal dining room until we built our current house. Now we have a very large kitchen with an adjoining large eating area. Love not having an extra room to clean and we have plenty of space to host large parties.

My house was built mid 70's with a tiny dining room that was claustrophobic. They built a formal living next to a family room. I don't live formally, but I do entertain and have dinners for 8+ people. So the dinky dining room became the study. The family room became the dining room and the living room gets lived in minus formal furniture. Everyone loves it because the new dining room has a fireplace and is 30 x 36 so no one feels crammed in. Houses should be used for how you live. Now I use ALL the rooms.

We have a dining room. Is it formal? I don't know what formal means in that sense. But we use it on Sundays and when we have people over, or parties, holidays or when there is a bunch of stuff on the kitchen table and I don' t feel like moving it

My folks' place had a formal that got ripped out and turned into living room. That house was a warren of microscopic rooms and... nevermind.

I like what I'm rearranging now; this place had had a sort of open plan and a spot to put a dining table... that is becoming the new kitchen area and there won't be a separate dining room space any more. If that is your house style AND your lifestyle, by all means.

It's beautiful, but my guys can't be bothered to eat there, and our gatherings tend to be too large for it to become anything but the buffet table space.

Our formal dining room is for dinner parties. We also use the table for homework space and project space.

yes, but only use it when guest come over. Otherwise it's just a dust collector.

When I was growing up, we had a formal dining room that we used every evening for dinner. (breakfast and lunch was always in the kitchen) Dinner was pretty formal in general, even if the food was only macaroni and cheese or hot dogs. We ate off the good china, had linen napkins and tablecloths, and crystal glassware. Food was served in serving dishes. Candles were lit. The kids set the table and made centerpieces while mom and dad had a cocktail and finished preparing dinner. I'm really glad I have those memories.

My current home is a tri level with a dining "area" that is small. I WISH I had a large formal dining room! I keep my "area" as formal as possible and still use all the bells and whistles for dinner. No kids in my world, so I continue to set the table and arrange an ever changing centerpiece on my own. I think it creates a better sense of family "away" from the TV and makes both me and the meal feel special, even if it's not.

n247080, I grew up the same way and raised my children to eat dinner in the dining room with a tablecloth, china, etc even if we brought in pizza. No phones or tv during dinner. Study's now show that kids who grow up this way are less likely to get into drugs or have other issues. And there is nothing more beautiful than a set table with china, silver & crystal. It sends a message to your family and guests that they are important to you and worthy of the effort.

Maybe, but maybe the study is flawed/skewed- and don't the results of studies change every few years- one year it's this, next year it's that. I believe as long as the family sits and eats together wherever they are and engage in a conversation about their day, and the parents show interest in the kids' lives then the kids will grow up fine. Of course if you don't eat together and the parents show no interest in the kids then they grow up with problems- sort of a no brainer.

Dining room, but we are not formal. In a former life, yes. Now, no. Just a dining room that doubles as alot of other table based things.

I used mine to study for my degree, now I use it for sewing, also it's a junk catcher! I like it though! Has nice windows and good lighting.

Our dining room is now a home office and the table serves as a place to fold laundry.

Like Living Rooms, formal Dining Rooms are morphing into other spaces n the houses I design. I now try to meld the eating, dining & living functions into a single 'Great Room' that flows seamlessly together and then outwards toward a yard. It can be a challenge at times to preserve wall space for art and furnishings but most of my clients are looking for a less formal room arrangement that they can use on a daily basis. Formal Dining rooms tend to only get used 3 - 4 times a year and almost universally, my clients want to use all of their house on a more frequent basis.

I ADORE THE wallpaper!!!

I love my formal dinning room. It allows me to sit and chat with my guests without having to look at the meal preparation mess in the kitchen. Anytime we eat in the kitchen I'm constantly up and tidying.

I hated having the dining room shoved into the end of the living room. Thanksgiving was a nightmare! So...we repurposed the family room and now we can have a large gathering without the danger of someone crashing through the window for just leaning back in their chair.

Absolutely! At least on a weekly basis. My breakfast room table only holds four so when the kids' friends and significant others are at our place, it's a must.

Yes, we have a flex room and prefer it as a formal dining over a formal living space. We host the majority of large family dinners. So it makes sense for our lifestyle.

I just love my dining room for formal events. I have combined antiques with modern day. I repainted my mom's French Provencial dining furniture to give it a modern day feel with the silver and the stripes make it a fun and uplifting feeling. It flows well with a wall of family pictures (old and new).

Love the mural

I'm struggling with re-arranging my spaces as well. We have an open floor plan with a 10ft island that seats 5 and a kitchen table that seats 8 open to the family room. On the other side of the family room is the formal dining room which you can also see. It is beautiful but mainly gets used for homework and school projects. When we entertain it's usually such a large group that it wouldn't fit there. I'm wondering if I should make it a living room or another purpose. Any thoughts?

ejgowen, you should begin a thread of your own. a lot of people will see this old date and not know its a new dilemma inside.

Have one but it was only used once in 8 years. We eat in the kitchen and informal "nook" area, the space that's between the kitchen & family room.

Now the formal dining/living (30x25 combined. No walls open space with 25' ceilings) room has my Bowflex weights and elliptical and bench. While the living room has my Klipsch Bell's, Turntable & Marantz receiver. The exercise area is used daily now whilst listening to GREAT music.

Have one but it was only used once in 8 years. We eat in the kitchen and informal "nook" area, the space that's between the kitchen & family room.

Now the formal dining/living (30x25 combined. No walls open space with 25' ceilings) room has my Bowflex weights and elliptical and bench. While the living room has my Klipsch Bell's, Turntable & Marantz receiver. The exercise area is used daily now whilst listening to GREAT music.

Actually when I think about it that area never had that "feel" of formality. Just a big open space and hardly intimate to me. Pic is from top of the stairs off to the left of the loft.

I love having a formal dining room!

The separate (“formal”) dining room in our 110 year old home is the hub of the household! While it’s great for entertaining and dinner parties, we use it every day for meals, homework, games, art projects, sewing, etc. Love that it is next to the kitchen, but separated from the kitchen activities! We repurposed the breakfast room into a home office.

In the three homes we have owned over the last couple of decades there was always a formal dining room, but we have never used it as such. We always use the space as a music room. In our last and current house that space is for the grand piano and our other instruments. We are a large family and entertain often, but we've also always had a large kitchen that had some kind of additional space for a large table. Also, we prefer to entertain casually.

I have one and I love it!!! We have a round table that can hold up to 10 people and it makes for some great conversations and fun!!

I wouldn't buy a house that didn't have a formal dining room regardless of how much I used it. It's just something I think every home should have and it's always a beautiful space in the home to decorate. It's fundamental in living well.

Tammy Lawhorn, I love your style.