Mary Berry Ditched Her Dining Room for a Larger Kitchen

Sarah Rae Smith
Sarah Rae Smith
Sarah Rae Smith has lived all across the Midwest and currently calls the bratwurst-laden city of Sheboygan home. She seeks out kitchens that make the best pie and farmers with fresh eggs.
updated May 30, 2019
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(Image credit: Mary Berry/Facebook)

This past weekend at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Mary Berry of Great British Bake Off fame revealed that she has “given up” her dining room table because she prefers to eat in the kitchen. According to Independent, she explained that she only ever used her dining room table for Christmas, so she took the extra space to make a larger kitchen.

“Most of us, I think, live in the kitchen,” the 82-year-old said at the literature festival. “I do. The homework of my children was done there, my husband would refit a picture in there, and so it’s worth thinking about making it a special room which really works for you.”

With the idea of eat-in kitchens becoming more popular as we eliminate walls between kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms, Mary Berry’s choice seems like the next step in home evolution. I’m guessing her kitchen is the thing all of our fantasy organization dreams are made of (it also smells faintly of sunshine and strawberries in my mind).

Why not indulge yourself in the things you love most? Why should we keep a large area of our home designated for something that is rarely used? Has dining culture finally changed enough that we’re eating in the living room because that’s where the smaller and more intimate seating area exists?

Does your family use the dining room (if your floor plan allows for it)? Or is your large dining room table really just there to catch mail, homework, and all the odds and ends from projects started, finished, and those that are somewhere in between?

Chime in below!

Get inspired: 10 Eat-in Kitchens from Our Tours