29% Of Homeowners Say This Room Is A Waste Of Space

Imagine that you are designing your dream home from the foundation up. What rooms would you prioritize in your space? Perhaps you'd want a huge family room for entertaining guests. Or, if you love to cook, maybe your kitchen would take precedence. Families who eat every meal together may opt for a large dining room setup. For those who work from home, an office space could be just what your perfect house plan needs. If sleep is extra important to you, the bedroom could be your priority. Or, maybe a relaxing den is just what you need after a long day of work.

Typically, homes have all of these rooms, according to Homelyville, but they are not all used equally. Some of these spaces may even collect more dust than memories. To discover what room is used the least, House Digest surveyed 627 people. We've collected the results, and one of the above rooms was crowned as the largest waste of space.

When answering the question, "Which room in your house do you spend the least amount of time in?" 29% (182 people) chose their dining room. For most, this probably isn't surprising. While the dining room used to be the place to eat every meal, now it's typically reserved for holidays and guests, per Interiors Place. Usually, dining rooms seem too formal for everyday use. Additionally, because of everyone's busy lives, many families don't prioritize sitting down together for a meal. And, many kitchens are designed with more comfortable tables or nooks to eat at anyways.

For those who like to entertain, the dining room may be worth the extra space. However, those who don't have guests over often may want to convert this room into something more useful. Sandy Spring Builders suggests transforming it into a library, music room, office, or craft room. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also points out that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can have a dining room that also functions as another space. For instance, a dining room could also be used as a card room or hobby area. For an office and dining combination, the table could be used as the desk when not entertaining guests over dinner.

While the dining room is clearly the least used space in most homes, some of the other rooms also received quite a lot of votes. Surprisingly, the living room received 17% (107 votes). Those that chose this option were most likely thinking about their formal living space. These areas are usually untouched except for when guests come over, per Designing Idea. If this room isn't being used in your home, it could be converted into a playroom, exercise space, craft or hobby room, or a place to play music.

After the living room came the home office, with over 15% (98 votes). Those that voted for this option most likely don't have remote jobs, which makes sense. The bedroom came next, with over 15% (96 votes). The den was chosen by 13% (83 participants). Finally, the kitchen is the most used room in many people's homes and received almost 10% (61 votes).