However, she notes that in contemporary homes ... there are some ways you can make the most out of your formal dining room's square footage. For example, if your home is tight on space, Abernathy ...

In modern times, the formal dining room has remained -- typically as a child and pet-free zone, only to be entered on holidays and birthdays. But unless you regularly host black-tie events ...

1 Distressed, robin’s-egg blue chairs with hand-woven rush seats and backs are comfortable, lightweight, and easy to maintain. “We didn’t want all wood tones or upholstery,” Smith says.