Over the few past decades, the dining rooms have been slowly losing their importance and being often replaced with extra kitchen spaces or living rooms in favor of comfort over tradition. This tendency occurred as the result of the drastic culture change. These days families are more prone to live “on the go”. We are too busy multitasking: writing an email, catching up on a favorite TV show, or checking our social media all while preparing or consuming a meal. And that is why the importance of the dining room has never been more acute and obvious. In today’s busy lifestyle it’s simply essential to have a secluded area for the family and friends to get together over a meal to talk and reconnect. It’s a space where technology is non-existent and people are finally forced to disconnect from the virtual space and engage with the ‘real world’. It also reminds you how important it is to focus on the present and be mindful of people and things around you. So aside from being one of the few families bonding oasis in the nowadays hectic world, the dining room has more reasons to become an essential part of your house: • Promoting healthier eating: It’s easier to concentrate on how what and how much you consume during a meal in the distraction-free dining room. As a result, this can prevent overeating and other digestive problems. Howard LeWine, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing comments more on this in his article: “For example, after you start eating, it takes 20 minutes or so before the brain begins to start sending out ‘I’m full’ or ‘I’m not hungry anymore’ signals that turn off appetite. If you are hurrying or not paying attention, it’s easy to take in many more calories than you need in 20 minutes.” • Clearly defined activity zones: Despite the recent popularity of the open-concept apartment plans, that are supposed to provide more opportunities for families to interact, they have one great disadvantage – the reduced amount of personal space everybody needs occasionally. How many times have you felt trapped and had nowhere to escape to except your bedroom while your relatives were busy entertaining visitors in the kitchen/living room area? A separated dining area provides the opportunity for them to chat all night long while you still have a living room to relax in and have some personal time without being constantly disturbed. • Show off your great taste: While the open-concept design favors blending areas together in one style, separating rooms will allow your taste to shine and go as eccentric as your heart desires. In a matter of fact, you can easily break the stereotypical boring image around the dining room and make it fashionable while keeping it cozy and contemporary at the same time. Add some luxury designer furniture to spice up the ambiance of the space. A luxury sofa could be a great centerpiece of your dining area as well as a few bright luxury chairs – they will definitely become a hot topic of your next social gathering. So, what if you are finally convinced and now consider having a dining room of your own but you don’t know where to start? In this case, here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating a great dining space: • Don’t clog the room with furniture: To make a dining area complete you’d normally only need a table, chairs, and a sideboard. Don’t overload the dining room with unnecessary furnishing or other unwanted items. You won’t be able to unwind and enjoy a meal in a place that reminds a grandma’s attic. • Choose an extendable table: The primary purpose of this room is to set people for a meal so pick a table with leaves to be able to extend it if needed. Also, don’t go for a round table if your room isn’t too spacious as it has a tendency to appear overbearing. • Include a rug to define the area: Opt for the one that is bigger than the table and chairs to make the dining room look finished, large and elegant. • Employ various forms of lighting: Hang a pendant lamp over a table to make a focal point and then use other light sources around the room to create the desired mood. All of the above proves how multifunctional, useful, and chic a dining room can be, and that getting a proper dining area in your house is taking a step away from the brink and towards peace and reconnection. Because when investing in a dining room you are simultaneously investing in quality family time and what could be more important than this?