Courtney Warren is a Texas-based interior designer whose work has been featured in Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com. She is a frequent consultant on Fox 4 TV’s Good Day program in Dallas, was ranked in the top 3 percent of interior designers in the US by Houzz.com, and starred in the Dallas episode of TLC’sFour Houses. She delights in helping overwhelmed clients create beautiful spaces—and will never turn down a warm chocolate chip cookie or Diet Dr Pepper.

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Actually Use Your Formal Dining Table

Has your formal dining table become just a landing zone for your Amazon deliveries? With all of us packed in at home just now, we really need to recover that precious space for family use. I have some ideas on how to actually use your formal dining table right now!

Make your time together at home memorable–in a GOOD way. Declare one night a week Fancy Dinner Night. Break out the good china and pretty linens. Change out of your pj’s/athleisure wear and enjoy a sit-down meal together. Practice your best manners and pass the food.

(Go ahead and order takeout if that will help the evening happen, but transfer the food into your nice bowls and platters to serve.)

Another thought for that nice, big dining table: keep a jigsaw puzzle going that you can work on with your family. Swing through and work a few pieces. Then high five each other when you finally find that elusive piece!