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From the OP's post on the Connecticut Board, it appears that they do not have a table and chair setup in their kitchen. They have a "bar stool unit" and I believe that is why the realtor suggested that they set up one of the bedrooms as a dining room.
While it is unusual to have a dining room so far from the kitchen, it is even more unusual to not have a place for a small group (like family and friends) to sit and eat comfortably. I would assume the kitchen has some room for a conventional table and chairs and I would suggest to them to remove the "bar stool unit" and put a table and chair set in the kitchen. If not, then set up one of the bedrooms as a dining room.
I would agree with Jay...remove the bar stool unit and replace it with a table and chairs, if possible. A lot of people will make do without a formal dining room, but I'm certain that families with small children would not be interested in the bar stool set-up. I would avoid using one of those downstairs bedrooms as a dining room unless absolutely necessary. When we were house hunting, we saw some strange arrangements (living room being used as dining room, etc.), and it was sort of a turn-off.
My parents raised 6 kids in a Cape Cod. They had a galley kitchen and a dining area that could fit a table, 6 chairs, and a high chair. Eventually, my Dad bumped out the side of the dining area for more room and storage. Now they're senior citizens, and their master bedroom is still on the first floor...the second first-floor bedroom is a TV room. It's an ideal set-up...they pretty much can live on one level and can avoid using the stairs.
Why does it seem like buyers of today (thanks HGTV) have no imagination what so ever, do they need every thing spelled out for them as soon as they walk into a house, this is the kitchen, this is the dining room, this is the office....
It's your house, you can make any room be what ever room you want it to be....
If you don't need a dining room, you can make it an office, if you don't need three bedrooms you can make one a library....the list goes on.
The local REAL ESTATE AGENT made a suggestion, I imagine this was informed by the FACT this is a FOUR BEDROOM home that is not showing as well as it could. The type of house this is AND the STANDARDS that buyers IN THE OP's area are expecting are far more important that what happens in other parts of the country / on TV.
I am a pretty old-school kind of guy in many ways and I have seen the behavior of buyers towards homes for over 20 years -- rooms staged as bedrooms mentally register as BEDROOMS, rooms staged as dining rooms, but still having the closet and other dimensions of a normal bedroom will appeal to MORE BUYERS as generally the DEMAND for a dining room is GREATER than the demand for a fourth bedroom among those shopping for traditional homes in the entry and more affordable move-up price ranges.
Of course as the price CLIMBS people EXPECT a certain number of rooms and then the presence / lack of specific rooms / features means that some homes NEVER make the short list for buyers but this does NOT sound like that situation at all.
On a PRACTICAL level it might not make much sense. Heck even "after the sale" it might NOT be used as dining room (as this is EXACTLY what the OP states they did in the past...) but to GET THE PLACE SOLD it makes tons of sense!
I have seen a childless couple buy a four bedroom house and then use one room for their master and NONE of the other rooms get furnished with beds but it would be foolish to stage it that way to appeal to the BROADEST RANGE of buyers. If this were ONLY a three bedroom home I would similarly DISCOURAGE the staging of one bedroom as dining room UNLESS the kitchen was terribly small and there was no obvious place to eat a meal (a situation I have seen in homes built as two bedrooms and then "handy man" converted to be 3 bdrms...) but AGAIN this does NOT present that problem.
Why does it seem like buyers of today (thanks HGTV) have no imagination what so ever, do they need every thing spelled out for them as soon as they walk into a house, this is the kitchen, this is the dining room, this is the office....
It's your house, you can make any room be what ever room you want it to be....
If you don't need a dining room, you can make it an office, if you don't need three bedrooms you can make one a library....the list goes on.
You hit the nail on the head! Until HGTV, I had never even heard of a "Stager" as a profession. As a buyer, you knew what was important for you and your family and whichever house fit those needs is the one you bought. When we walked into our current house, we knew the 80s decor, pink and purple walls throughout, and the odd dining room setup in the bedroom wasn't our taste. We were willing to buy a house w/out a dining room in exchange for newer mechanicals, central a/c, proximity to the Sound, and the rare 2 bathrooms that we weren't seeing as much in our price range.
But going back to the original subject, I'm now more confused that ever. Between this post and the same post in the Connecticut forum, there really is a 50/50 divide on this subject.
I think it's a great idea. I'd give it a try - remember others would view your home much differently than you do.
I've seen this done before with an extra main level bedroom. Set up a card table with 4 chairs and cover with table cloth and chair covers. Set the table with dishes and glasses, etc.
I think what works is that it helps indicate that there are many ways to use the space.
I have a cape cod with the exact same set up. Is the eating area in your kitchen distinctive? Mine is separated by a small soffit and both the eating area and kitchen have their own light sources. I have a table with 6 chairs in mine.
As for setting up a bedroom as a dining room, personally, that would look so goofy to me, LOL. Especially given the location it is going to be in. But hey, do what you need to do to get it sold. Give it a shot and see what kind of feedback you get. If everybody is saying "love house but dining room is in a crazy location" then you'll know what time it is.
But going back to the original subject, I'm now more confused that ever. Between this post and the same post in the Connecticut forum, there really is a 50/50 divide on this subject.
Shoehoard - I think you should defer to your agent. They were the ones that told you to do this and I would guess they had a good reason. there needs to be a place for a group to sit at a table and eat. Whether that is in the kitchen or a separate dining room is up to you. Jay
As a potential buyer, I just wanted to throw in that I couldn't care less about a formal dining room.
If the kitchen was set up with bar stools and I could tell there was room for a kitchen table and chairs, I'd be fine with that. It surprises me that people can't see this for themselves.
As a potential buyer, I just wanted to throw in that I couldn't care less about a formal dining room.
If the kitchen was set up with bar stools and I could tell there was room for a kitchen table and chairs, I'd be fine with that. It surprises me that people can't see this for themselves.
Thank you, it is nice to know there are real people out there that have a brain.
As a potential buyer, I just wanted to throw in that I couldn't care less about a formal dining room.
If the kitchen was set up with bar stools and I could tell there was room for a kitchen table and chairs, I'd be fine with that. It surprises me that people can't see this for themselves.
I carry a roll of blue painter's tape in my car because I can't tell you how many people have told me "a bed won't fit here, etc" I have made many a square on the floor to show people how furniture will fit into a room. When they see the blue outlines on the floor they can "see it."
Obviously not all buyers are like that, but it is common.
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