Unlocked Potential: Dining Rooms

I’ve heard this confession from buyers and sellers alike throughout my 25+ years selling real estate along the SF Peninsula: we rarely use our dining room. Seen by some as a relic from the past, used by many only a handful of times each year, the formal dining room could use a revival.

The dining room deserves to be more than a place to collect mail and sort laundry. Here are some ways you might rethink your dining room:

Playroom - Homeowners with young children could use their unused dining room to centralize toys, books, and play. Buffet and sideboard shelving provides storage and organization, while the proximity to the kitchen keeps children close-by.

Homework Station/Home Office - As children grow up, this space can transform again into a place to read and do homework. Books, stationary, and computers can all be organized in one central location.

Game Room - Some families might find more use for the space as a gathering place for games, puzzles, and conversation. A smaller table (or two) welcomes players and conversation, while shelving provides easy storage for a variety of activities.

Garden Room - Take advantage of bright windows to create a haven for indoor plants and arranging flowers.

Music Room - A rarely used dining room can prove the perfect spot for a piano, harp, or other musical instruments along with a comfortable chair in the corner to listen to a performance.

I really love my own formal dining room and try to use it as often as I can. I also love they ways that I’ve seen busy families make their spaces work for them in non-traditional ways. I’d be happy to show you examples of each in some of the homes for sale today along the SF Peninsula!

Nancy Palmer, CRS Broker Associate Presidents Roundtable REALTOR® DRE #00525350 Compass | Woodside D 650.492.0200  |  O 650.529.1111 www.NancyPalmer.com