Alison Victoria Reveals Which Room Is A Waste Of Space In A House These Days
Alison Victoria knows you want to get the most function out of your property — in fact, she's made a career of it. So whether you're remodeling your home, planning on flipping an old property, or building your own house, she'll have intel that can help you out. Chances are you'll need the advice, given how much goes into designing a residence, especially with more and more people working remotely. Apollo Technical reports that 80% of employees are required to dial in from home three days per week, making the layout and design of your space crucial to your productivity and comfort.
There is almost endless wiggle room in how you decide to create and lay out your house. Fortunately, Victoria has your back if you're looking to get the most function out of your property and not just have pointlessly decorative rooms. The host of HGTV's "Windy City Rehab" knows how to renovate or build residences in a way that is both practical and beautiful, all while avoiding needless design aspects, as was revealed in a Realtor article about one of her projects.
Alison Victoria says to forgo formal dining rooms
Alison Victoria explains that a significant waste of space in your home is the formal dining room (via Realtor). On an episode of "Windy City Rehab," the couple whose floor plan she was overseeing was expecting a baby, making them a family of just three. Victoria says a formal dining room in this scenario is pointless, although they are also falling out of favor amongst most homeowners.
Nancy Fire, the owner of Design Works International, told Realtor that the necessity of a dining room largely depends on the needs of residents. Those who are exceptionally social may benefit from them, but others may prefer a home office, gym, or extra kitchen or living space. Victoria echoed the last sentiment and advised the young couple to allocate their planned dining area to the kitchen. She recommended adding an eat-in component to the space with banquette-style bench seating, too. That way they can entertain a larger dinner party and enjoy quiet family meals without spending all the money required to build and decorate a formal dining room.
Turn your formal dining room into a bar
In the same spirit as Alison Victoria's recommendations, if you're social but want to forgo your dining room in favor of a more fitting space, SpaceWise has a suggestion: Create a home bar. This can be done with several options, including an alcohol bar, a more specific beer or wine tasting area, a coffee bar, and more.
This method is great as it still maintains the integral values of a dining room, offering room to gather, socialize, and communicate. However, if tailored to your personal interests and lifestyle needs, it will likely be used much more often than a traditional formal dining room. There is also a lot more creative freedom in designing a home bar, starting from what kind of bar it is to how you'll set it up.
Advanced Mixology lists tons of clever ways to display alcohol or other drinks for this part of your home, including using an old piano, stereo, or television. You can even fashion a more traditional but budget-friendly bar top out of wood pallets, then add lots of plants or make chandeliers out of old bottles. For those wanting more sit-down options, opt for a traditional installation with plenty of barstools.
Other ways to repurpose your formal dining room
If you're looking for more suggestions to transform your unused formal dining room, the endless options include a lounge, entertainment or media room, a kid's playroom, a home office, and more, per Rooms to Go. Certain things like the location of your dining room and whether there's an official door, archway, or open floor plan design may influence that decision, but it should ultimately come down to what you'll get the most use out of.
For example, those working from home may benefit from a dedicated home office. Incorporate a desk and some bookshelves; you'll have a central room to work from, all in the comfort of your residence. If you have young children, you can bring their larger toys and playhouses into the former dining room and create a dedicated play area, perfect for summer days at home and playdates. If you have a hobby, you can also take the plunge and dedicate the room to your craft, whether it's music, art, woodworking, etc. Other options include adding discrete storage to house your closet overflow, a treadmill for a home gym, blackout curtains, and a projector for a home theater.