I think the word "formal" has gotten a bad rap. Just because a room has walls doesn't mean it has to be boring and uptight. I still don't understand why people don't use their dining rooms or, if they're lucky enough to have one, their 'formal' living room. In my home, all the makes our living room formal is that it doesn't have a television. And I've found it's hard to have a true family meal at a kitchen island.