An evaluation study of the dining area in thirty families

One of the most debated subjects in house planning in recent years has been the question of the importance of a separate room which is devoted only to dining purposes. While the kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathrooms apparently are indispensable, the dining room has been omitted entirely or combined with other rooms in many homes which have been built recently. One can hardly justify a room which is used only one to two hours a day or just when company is present if economy is to be considered. Because of the flexibility of the furniture used, the dining area, whether it be a separate room in the house or an alcove off the living room or the kitchen, can be one of the most important rooms for family living. In many families today mealtime is about the only time when family members are together. For other than dining purposes, many families have found that the table can be used by Johnnie to work on his school lessons or stamp collection, for Mother to cut out a dress, or for Father to prepare his business reports. Group activities such as playing games, parties and children's play can be successfully carried on in this area. With a sofa bed in this room, the dining area can double as a second living room or as a guest room