The Dining Room Debate – Keep it or Kill it

The dining room debate: Hot Trend or Huge Mistake in La Cañada, Pasadena, and Beyond?

As home design trends swirl in La Cañada, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, and Shadow Hills, one question is gaining traction for 2025: Are dining rooms on their way out, or do they still hold their ground? Trends flip fast—farmhouse one year, mid-century modern the next. However, most of us don’t sweat the small stuff, such as style shifts. This, though, is bigger. Realtor.com data shows that only 25% of U.S. listings highlight dining rooms.

Local agents insist they’re in high demand—not always the listing’s star. The pandemic rewrote how we live, turning dining rooms into home offices, workout zones, or classrooms across the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys. Some home buyers adore tradition, while others want flexibility. Real estate’s never one-size-fits-all. Most luxury homes still highlight that formal space, while open-floor-plan fans in the La Canada SageBrush neighborhood crave a seamless kitchen-dining-living flow.

Changing a dining room’s fate isn’t a quick fix like new paint. Removing one in vintage Pasadena and Glendale homes might mean tackling load-bearing walls, rewiring, or reimagining adjacent rooms—a pricey, complex job. And what about adding one in a Burbank bungalow? Just as expensive. It’s possible, but will it pay off at the time of resale? Will eliminating it wow open-plan buyers or alienate those expecting a classic layout?  Renovating blind is a gamble.

If dining rooms are prized in your neighborhood, converting to a family room might backfire.  Remaining in your home for years? Shape it to your lifestyle—make it a joy to live in. Selling soon? That’s where a top real estate agent is priceless. They know if dining rooms are high on a buyer’s wish list. Are dining rooms out of style? Maybe for some, but not all. An experienced real estate agent‘s insight keeps your decision sharp—saving time, money, and regret, table or not.