In her recent memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, Ina Garten recalls one of her favorite dinner parties: a simple, yet delicious three-course meal at her friend’s apartment in Paris (oh, to be Ina). The best part? They didn’t even use a formal dining room. Instead, they set up a table in the hallway and cleared it afterward to lounge in the living room. While the Parisian food and backdrop certainly played a role in the evening’s success, Ina also credited the ingenuity of the set up.
As it turns out, we all want to be a little bit like Ina. According to Houzz’s 2025 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study, homeowners everywhere are saying goodbye to formal dining spaces in favor of larger, more multifunctional kitchens. The study said that more than a third of homeowners increase their kitchen size during renovations—often at the expense of dining rooms (29% of the time, compared to just 12% for living rooms).
Photo by Schoolhouse
McKenzie Ryan, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman, who frequently designs and stages homes, has seen this shift firsthand. “A larger, modern kitchen, where people can gather is often more appealing to buyers than a traditional, separate dining room,” she said.
At Food52, we personally love to see everyone gathering around in a kitchen, and, just to be real, a larger one can boost your property value. Enter the island: Houzz data also said that more than half of renovating homeowners either add or upgrade an island during kitchen remodels. These islands serve as casual dining spots as well as multifunctional spaces, aligning with the rise of remote work. “I’m seeing a growing demand for integrated workstations, hidden desks, and convertible dining areas,” Ryan added.
Photo by Schoolhouse
If you still need a place to seat guests for holidays, though, we have ideas, like our Shop’s Easy Assemble Table, which can slide underneath a sofa when the party is over. (There’s even a matching bench.)
In fact, many homeowners now value flexibility over formality when designing their spaces. “Historically, architects designed kitchens to be closed-off, private spaces for formal entertaining,” Ryan explained. “But now, clients prioritize open-concept layouts that overlook the living room—and the larger, the better.”
How are you changing up your home in 2025? Let me know below!