12th May 2019 / Beth Oleyar: Has the Formal Dining Table Become Obsolete?

Often referred to as the centre of family life, the humble dining table has long been the quintessential picture of communal feasting.

Nevertheless, the emergence of the American TV dinner back in the 1950s quickly became a pivotal moment in redefining the way many of us consume our meals at home.

This once prominent and priceless ritual of eating meals together and asking family members about their day appears to have deteriorated over time.

Interior designer, Justine Wilson, agrees, saying that the nature of eating meals together has shifted in recent decades. 'Modern living is all about on-the-go convenience, so trends have changed with regards to how we dine within our homes.'

Moreover, the evolution of our eating habits is not only characterised by where we eat, but also by what we eat. The rise in ready-to-eat meals and food delivery services like Uber Eats and Menulog provides the ideal environment to unpack our throwaway tubs in front of the television and eat our meals on our laps without worrying about setting up the table.

Given Australians are now spending an astonishing $2.6 billion a year on meal delivery apps, it's comes as little to no surprise that dining table sales in first world economies have been in decline for some time.

Interestingly enough, a study conducted by Mars Food Australia in 2016 found that while '78% of Australians believe dinnertime is the greatest family connector', only half of Australians are eating their weekday dinners at the dining table.

While research suggests it is often older generations who are more likely to follow the traditional approach to dining, the increasingly popular avant-garde kitchen is not one to be overlooked. Designed as a communal living space with built-in island bench-top and adjoining bar stools, the avant-garde kitchen provides a more casual dining experience for younger families while allowing them to share and enjoy their meals together.

Thankfully, recognising these key findings can go a long way when looking for your next home. If you're in the market, evaluating your family's dining habits and living arrangements will allow you to prioritise which rooms takes precedence when attending inspections and help you take the guess work out of house hunting.