Nearly 80% of designers working on new housing developments report that separate dining rooms have dropped down buyers’ priority lists over the past year, according to new research. Instead, builders are creating flexible spaces that serve as home offices, guest bedrooms, or playrooms, plus expanded kitchens with larger islands where families actually eat. Rising labor and material costs pressure builders, while elevated mortgage rates squeeze buyers. The current median new home price of around $460,000 remains unaffordable for roughly three-quarters of US households, according to the National Association of Home Builders. “Designers are trying to figure out how to fit the same amount of function into a smaller footprint,” says Maegan Sherlock of the New Home Trends Institute, noting buyers are “thinking really practically.” (Story URL)
Dining Rooms Are Disappearing From New Home Designs As Costs Rise
Jan 4, 2026 | 7:01 PM