One of my most popular blog posts (which you can check out here) is all about moving our dining room table out of the kitchen nook and putting it smack dab in our entry. I can understand why because when I began to consider it about two years ago, I googled it and didn’t find much inspiration. Good thing I decided to go for it anyway! And I’m hoping that by me being the guinea pig, I can give y’all a little encouragement, information, whatever!!

I decided it was about time to give an update! So, to give a bit of backstory, our floor plan downstairs consists of walking straight into a large room (supposed to be a living room). Off of that large room is an open doorway into our kitchen area with a little dining nook and then we added on a room that we meant for a study. Our master bedroom is also downstairs, but that doesn’t have much to do with today’s story. There was one problem…we are a big family and we outgrew our dining room table. The dining nook off of the kitchen was already cramped with our six person table; there was no way I could make an 8-10 person table work in that space.

Before and After of the Main Entry

“We just have to make the living room our dining room,” I announced. My husband wasn’t quite on board. One, people would enter our front door and be smack dab in our dining room…not the most conventional floor plan. Number two, where would our living room go?

They were good points, but the fact remained that our family had outgrown our table and the only space big enough for a table for our family was in that entry room. Besides, when people came to visit, we normally hung out in the kitchen at the dining room table anyway! We barely used our living room furniture.

Before and After of the Old Dining Room

So we did it. Rather, my husband and sister moved it all around because I was four months pregnant with Margaret. Our entry became our dining room. We moved our living room into the study area (and then eventually turned it back into a study!) and we made that kitchen nook into a nice little sitting area. AND I have ZERO regrets!! It’ll be two years in April that we moved everything and it’s been the best decision ever!

How Our Bonus Room Has Changed

Your Home Has to Meet Your Needs

Friend, you HAVE to make your home work for you. It’s okay to brainstorm and think outside of the box. It’s okay to evaluate that room no one ever seems to use or doesn’t make your heart happy and repurpose it! Like I mentioned earlier, one of the things holding us back was the idea of moving the living room into the smaller room that was meant for a study. Guess what? After a year of changing things around, no one hardly ever went into that room. If guests came over, we hung out in the kitchen/sitting area or around the dining room table.

We converted that room back into a study and it gets used all the time now! I’m so glad I didn’t let that one thing hold me back from going for it!

One question you may have is: Sharlie, do you have a tv? A place for your family to hang out? Answer: We do! Upstairs, we have three bedrooms and we converted one into a media room with a sectional and television. 🙂

I’m always happy to answer questions or help you brainstorm! Just send me a message on IG! Until next time, from my porch to yours!

XO,

Sharlie