Question: Our family of four spends most of its time in the family room and kitchen. The dining room and living room are rarely used. We were hoping you could help us find a way to use all four rooms. We have two kids, so we would like an area for them to sit and a place to eat.

There is recessed lighting in the kitchen and a chandelier in the dining room, but the other rooms need floor lighting. We'd like to add an island in the kitchen, better lighting and more storage. Our TV is in the niche above the fireplace. The ceiling in the living room is 10 feet high and 8 feet through the rest of the house.

Donna Hong and Sean Sisser
South San Francisco

Answer: Right now the dining room seems like an afterthought; the distance to it from the kitchen isn't practical, and because family and friends naturally congregate in the kitchen, this space isn't used at all.

 

CHILDREN'S PLAY SPACE Make space work for you by changing rooms as necessary. Here, a dining room has been transformed into a children's space because that better fits the family's needs.

Convert the dining room into a play space for the children. From your floor plan, it looks as if there's a solid wall between the dining room and the family room. In order to keep the space open and flowing and be able to keep an eye on the kids, I suggest you open the wall between the dining and family rooms. Make this opening as large as possible without compromising the structural integrity of the house. You may have to have your contractor add a header beam across the new opening to hold up the ceiling, but this will be a small price to pay for the benefit you'll gain. Once this opening is created, the large dining table and buffet come out and the room becomes a children's play room. The tall wall on the one side can take a floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall bookcase/storage unit. This wall unit should include a desk area so as the children grow up they'll have a good work space where they can do their homework. On the wall with the window build a low wall-to-wall storage system that includes cubbies where toys can be kept in baskets and boxes. With a long cushion across the top of this unit and a few throw pillows, it's a perfect place for sitting and reading stories. Add a small child's table with chairs so the kids have their own place to write, draw, and play games with their friends. Replace the dining room's formal chandelier with a light fixture that fits the room's new function and one that provides adequate lighting for the children's play and table areas. Your dining table now comes into the open space between the kitchen and family room. But for this space to function effectively, you'll have to change the exterior door to an out-swing door that won't take up precious floor space. Also, add a chandelier centered over the dining table to give you task lighting as well as ambient light for the room. Now that the table is central to the kitchen and family room, it's where the family will gather for meals, doing homework, helping with dinner chores and socializing.

This table can also function as additional work space for the kitchen. Make sure you have a good cover for the table so its fine finish isn't ruined. Table pads can be custom made to provide the best protection. These pads are felt on the bottom (table) side and vinyl on top.

You can even get extra pads made for your table leaf extensions. Over the pad goes an attractive tablecloth and now the table itself is safe from spills, scratches and wear.

New furniture in the living room will give you a place to socialize and listen to the music your children will play on the piano as they grow older. It's also a place where the grown-ups can have a bit of time away from the children and still keep an eye on them in their own play room. A sofa with end tables and table lamps, two club chairs and a coffee table are all you'll need to create a comfortable room for grown-ups.

Use the buffet from the former dining room as part of the living room furniture arrangement. You can use it for displaying flowers, art books and interesting objects. Two extra little sit-upons can be stored on either side of it for when you need more seating in the living room.

This transformation of your home incorporates more functional spaces for everyone and should give you plenty of room to grow for many years to come.

 

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